Hi everyone, new to this forum. I have a 98 lexus ls400, when I got the car the moonroof was already having problems, sometimes it would work sometimes it wouldn't (obviously assuming my motor is giving out)

Left it closed for awhile and didn't bother with figuring out the problem. Until one day my friend showed me how to use the remote on keys to roll down the windows.... Unfortunately I totally forgot about my moonroof. It opened....... And then it wouldn't even close anymore.

I tried looking on the forum/google to resolve this problem but didn't turn up any luck.

It was close to raining season so I had to do something about it. Removed the motor, took the moonroof off completely to see if there was any debris but no luck with getting the motor to work again.

So I ended up manually closing the moonroof by hand for now, but I wasn't able to get the moonroof to pop up and sit flush with the roof. When driving I can hear air coming in cause obviously it's not sealed all the way but at least rain is not getting into my car.

The rain has passed for now so i figured I would try and tackle this problem since I have time on my hands.

I was reading around and notice a lot of people saying the stealership charges a arm and a leg to replace the motor and even finding the motor yourself costs a arm and a leg.

Does anyone know what I can do to manually pop the moonroof up or any kind of help would be much appreciated.

Thank you

Phillip

 

no, but try a salvage yard, it should be a slow seller they would like to get rid of

 

I bought a whole sunroof assembly for parts at the junk yard for $125. I just searched on www.car-parts.com

 

I'll give the junkyard a try, does anyone know if the moonroof motor is all the same for ls400 or I have to find a 98-00 model? Thanks

 

you ever been to a junk yard?? their books will know.., just tell them YOUR model

 

For a 98 it looks like a different part number than a 92, and is priced about 200 more, its listed as sliding roof gear drive sub assembly. A 97 is different part number also, its just the second to last digit is not same in all cases I looked at. 90 to 92 is a 10, 97 is 30, 98 is 40 a 99 and 2000 is the same as the 98,
Full number for a 98 is 6326050040. I didn't see a separate listing for the motor.
So a 99 and 2000 should work for you too.

 

It was cheaper just to buy the whole assembly in my case. That way if something else needed fixing I could just scavenge off the used one. I actually had to take it to the dealer to re-calibrate the motor since I removed it and did not put it back with the motor and sunroof in the same position. Believe me I tried everything for a couple of months. I paid Lexus $100 for them to look at it and then use their special machine to do the calibration. The glass still has some movement if I push up on it but I think that has more to do with the seal being worn.

 

So I put the parts number for the 98 moonroof motor into ebay and one came up and was listing that it would work for a ls400 94-00. Wonder if if that is true or not.

Yeah I've been to a junkyard plenty of time before but normally I go there and already know what I'm looking for. Never bothered to ask the people there for certain parts etc. I go there to work on my project bmw e34.

Unfortunately I've been checking frequently and the two pick and pull near my house never has any 98-00 ls400 they sometimes have older ones which is why I asked of the motor on older ones will work.

Dammit so even if I get my hands on a motor I'm going to have a hard time to get it to work since I need it to be back in the same position it was when I took it apart. (Mine was all the way open) but assuming im still going to have a hard time with making it work.

Does anyone know by any chance how I can close my moonroof all the way for now till I get my hands on this motor.

 

Take the motor off and the sunroof glass. Then you can just pull the 2 rails forward. Spray some silicone on the rails and let it soak for a little while to make the easier to slide. The motor is the only thing them in place. I'm guessing that you did check to make sure it actually is the motor and not just the rails binding up from not being used that much.

 

look these over

 

After battery disconnect, button holding, and all that (receiving the 3 clicks when trying any adjustment), I simply took off the cover for the interior lights, removed the 3 screws to see the motor, saw the motor bolt twitch a bit. whapped it with my wrench lightly and got it to open and close 2 times, tilt and regular... then went and got some spray lithium lubricant get up in there and (thankfully in the fully closed position) got nothing but those clicks again. Moral of the story: try hitting the motor assembly and if you get it to move, leave it closed and go shopping.

Or, like I did, just disconnect the tilt and o


pen buttons then have fun being able to wash it again.