Lexus IS300 Sunroof / Moonroof Stuck, Clicking Sound *FIX* - THE ACTUAL PROCESS

Here is what you need to do in order to get your sunroof motor going again.
Here is a short video of the things you need to remove to access the sunroof motor.
• Lexus IS300 Sunroof / ...
Here is a picture of the copper contacts.
drive.google.com/file/d/1acnd...
Here is the picture of the white gear and the position that it should be in when the sunroof is completely closed.
drive.google.com/file/d/1oU1H...

[@typesgsr]

I love that you added more videos describing the process in more detail. I'm glad you answer back as quick as you do too. It's awesome! I have yet to work on my sunroof. But I've saved your videos for when the time is right. I've kinda been preoccupied trying to program my remote to my IS300 so that I can have keyless entry. So easy for everyone but it's not working for me. You're awesome and thank you.

[@Leonsk08]

Hi, I really appreciate the positive comment. It's nice knowing that the information which I'm providing is actually helping people out. Honestly, if it were not for the comments and feedback, I may have never added any additional fixes/methods. Maybe when/if you figure out how to program your fob to your car, you can share it and maybe help others out. Sometimes it's the little nuances that people overlook, that can make all the differences. Good luck and take care.

[@cudjoekeyfamily9285]

Thank you so much just fixed my 2008 Toyota sequoia moonroof. Did exactly what you told us to do. And it worked fantastic. Thank you for sharing this video. 😊😊😊😊😊

[@Leonsk08]

Awesome! I'm glad to hear that my video helped and thanks for the comment.

[@scottking2908]

This is a great tutorial that allowed me to fix my 2012 Toyota Sequoia moonroof. Thank you

[@Leonsk08]

You're very welcome and I'm glad that my video was able to help.

[@nathangilbert4358]

I’ve had to do this fix on all my old Lexus’.. from the sunroof on the IS, to the door locks on my LS. Nice documentation!

[@scot6387]

Great video it helped me fix my 2005 es330 sun roof! Copper sleeve needed cleaning. Thanks Leon!

[@Leonsk08]

You're very welcome, Scot. Enjoy that summer sun.

[@kevinfkey]

Thanks for posting this video. I have a 1999 Lexus GS400 and at first I thought it was build up in the tracks because the sunroof would get halfway to closing and then reopen. Or at times just click. Cleaned the tracks with no change. Tried your fix and it works great! Definitely saved $$$ without going to the dealer.

[@Leonsk08]

Phenomenal! I'm glad this video was able to help you. You know the dealer would have probably charged you for a new motor. ×_× By the way, love the GS series. Take care of her.

[@blakebooth1982]

I also have a gs400 im pretty sure it's the tracks how do I get the glass piece off the top to clean the tracks ?

[@Leonsk08]

@@blakebooth1982 Hi. I did a quick search and found someone with a GS400 who resolved their dirty sunroof track issue. Their sunroof was half stuck open. The process itself included pouring simple green into the exposed part of the track, letting it soak for 2-3 mins, blowing it out with an air compressor, and finally re-lubricating the system with a dry spray lubricant. Best of luck. us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/50703-1999-gs400-sunroof-issues/

[@kevinfkey]

The glass is held on by four screws. From inside the vehicle pull off the plastic pieces on the left and right that cover the sunroof bolts. You'll be able to get to them easily that way. Be sure not to break the clips.

[@typesgsr]

Thank you for your positive compliment. I hope I do resolve my keyless entry problem. The key is a pain to use.

[@typesgsr]

I got the key fob to work today in one shot!!! Of course I tried one slight change in the sequence but it worked! I'm little girl excited about having keyless entry and hearing that OEM "beep" when I open the trunk or anything. I think your positive comments sent me positive vibes to make this happen. I might have to thank you for that! Thank you!! Just wanted to share. Coming soon is the sunroof motor removal.

[@Leonsk08]

Awesome. I knew your determination would pay dividends. Be sure to unlock the doors before you open the trunk, otherwise you will be greeted with a horn serenade that will send you scrambling to hit the unlock button. lol

[@GeeFeXr]

Just finished fixing my sunroof thanks for the video 👌🏼

[@Leonsk08]

El Tony Fontana You're very welcome. I'm glad I could help enlighten and lighten the burden, monetarily.

[@scottr9485]

Just saved me $550 for a new motor. 2014 Tundra. Thank you for the tutorial!!

[@Leonsk08]

Great news and you're most welcome. Treat your loved ones with those saving. 🙂

[@doomie77]

Perfect. Fixed for me, Thanks!!

[@typesgsr]

I don't know if I have it in me to make a video. Besides I've looked up a few on KZbin and I found a really good one. It's exactly what I did but for whatever reason it didn't work. So the mystery continues. I've been on forums and writing different companies and even wrote to the guy who did the video. Still don't know. And you're right, it's definitely the little things. I got so excited to see that you had taken these videos a few steps further. I wanted to see how I went about taking apart the interior so I can my sunroof. Keep up the great work and thank you so much for taking the time out and doing a good detailed job on your videos. Really made my night. I love my IS. Take care as well. I'll be in touch I'm sure.

[@Leonsk08]

Lol. I'm not going to lie, I take dozens, upon dozens of videos, trying to achieve a single scene. It really is challenging and I applaud those who can do it exceptionally well. You seem to be very determined to get your key-less system working, I'm sure all of that effort will eventually lead to success. Thank you for your kind words. I take pleasure in knowing someone appreciates the effort that I've put into making these fix videos.

[@raulcontes5533]

been waiting for this!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanksssssssss!!!!

[@Leonsk08]

You're welcome. I'm glad this helped.

[@dexterwaithe3688]

Excellent video.. good job

[@LosMunoz1]

Omg.. just want to thank you so much for this video. I just save me from all the headaches and cuss words ahaha. Great video!

[@Leonsk08]

Hi. Thanks for the comment. I'm glad this video was able to help. ;)

[@typesgsr]

You know how excited I got to see the sunroof open at the end!? Glorious!! Hey the only reason you take that white gear off is when you want to test the motor so you can hook up to the contacts under the circuit board correct?

[@Leonsk08]

After I shot the video, I was thinking how I should have quoted war boy from Mad Max Fury Road, when he said "What a day, what a lovely day!" Haha. If memory serves me correctly, you don't need to remove the white gear in order to test the motor. I only removed the one in mine, in pursuit of finding a fix. The one thing you need to be mindful of is the position of the white gear. The position of the white gear is synchronized with your sunroof track, so when you test it outside of the track, they will be out of harmony. If your sunroof is completely closed then you can use the photo that I linked in the description to help you align it correctly. There are only 5 total positions which the white gear can be installed. So if you somehow managed to throw it completely out of wack, you could literally remove the white gear and rotate it one hole (or 20 degrees) at a time, until you found the correct positioning.

[@shamanecarlton8484]

I have a 2007 GS350 which the moonroof will not open tilted or going back. The passenger side when I try to open it will go all the say down but the drivers side will not close all the way. And of course I hear the clicking noise when I try to completely close it. Any information on what I can do would be good because paying over $2000 to the dealership is out of question.

[@vishamchinkan6920]

it sounds like you have gunk build up in the tracks of your moon/sunroof.

[@sjhanksaz]

Was it a loud click or just a soft click when you first pushed the sunroof open or shut button? My Camry is making just a little click but nothing moves.

[@Leonsk08]

It was a relay clicking sound. So, I would say a soft click. Your Camry may be experiencing the same issue as my IS300.

[@james42519]

weird your sun roof don't stop half way when you close it like my 94 toyota camry. wonder why that is. also yours opens little more if you push it again it seems. not sure mine does that.

[@Leonsk08]

james42519 I presume that is because of different chassis designs and generations between vehicles.

[@fixhead562]

I cleaned mine about 2 years ago and it worked fine but got build up again. Is there any greases or applications to prevent it from getting that build up?

[@Leonsk08]

Hi, nice to hear that you had two years of service out of the repair. After some research it seems that the carbon contactors aka brushes simply need to be cleaned after a considerable time. The film that builds up on the copper rod contacts is normal and provides a protective layer but obviously too much causes connectivity issues. It seems that excess wear of the brushes (causing excess carbon film) can be caused by weak springs that press the brushes against the copper rod. Also the materials which make up the brushes wear differently and some are considerably more durable. I imagine any sort of grease would cause issues as it would mix with the carbon film. Below is where I sourced the info. Best of luck and thanks for the comment. motioncontroltips.com/faq-how-can-brush-wear-in-dc-motors-be-minimized/

[@typesgsr]

So I pulled the sunroof motor today. I figured I was feeling lucky and give it a shot since you made it look so easy to take apart the interior and get it out. I have it out on my dinner table and I got the shaft out but the dirt on the copper area minimal to none. The bearing right under had a little bit of dirt on it but not much. So now I'm worried that maybe this might not be the fix. I'm gonna aim to put it back together tomorrow since it's a bit late already. Any suggestions before I put it back together?

[@Leonsk08]

You can still test the motor outside of the system to ensure that it actually works. If it works, then your problem lies elsewhere, such as fuses/relays, dirty connector plugs, bad solder joints on the green board, bad/dirty button switch panel, or possible debris in sunroof track. If it doesn't work, the motor either has dirty contactors, or the motor is simply shot. I would still clean the copper contacts on the shaft and the carbon contactors that pinch it. This will leave you without any doubt that it has a clean connection. Look over the green board and ensure that there aren't any burn marks or bad solder joins. Make sure the connector that joins the green board to the motor is clean. Also, check the connector on the sunroof motor itself. Its fine if it has a grease on it, but corrosion is not acceptable. Once you get it in, check any fuses that power the sunroof and that the sunroof track is free of any debris. I actually found a solid metal pen in mine. Good luck. I hope you ending up tracking down your issue.

[@typesgsr]

+Leon K thanks for getting back so quick. I started to worry and went back to the first original video you did about it. And basically I'll be doing all that tomorrow. Right now I'm just sitting here with the shaft in hand and steel wooling the copper contact. Your looks cleaner than mine so I'm gonna go over it while I watch tv lol. Again thanks for being there.

[@Leonsk08]

+Gam Bini No problem. Sometimes things that may not seem like an issue, end up being the culprit. One time a friend of mine was having issues with his car running rough. We checked everything that we thought could possibly be causing the issue and even changed a few parts along the way. But all of this effort lead to no avail. Finally, after exhausting all avenues, my friend suggested that we change the distributor cap and I was like, but it's perfect, as there was no corrosion or obvious wear. Well, despite my reluctance to agree, his suggestion, the distributor cap, ended up fixing the issue.

[@typesgsr]

+Leon K I can relate to that story. I knew someone with a similar end to the story. Her car would shut off randomly and so many things could cause and I ended up changing so many parts and still the same problem existed. Finally it came down to one more try and if it didn't work then the car was gonna be sold. Spark plug wires. Car was perfect.😩

[@Leonsk08]

+Gam Bini Lol. I know how it feels being at wits end. I didn't use a gaming computer for roughly a year because the power on switch was faulty and was causing random shut downs. I changed everything, and swore it off until I narrowed it down.

[@shreda125hilux7]

Hey bro, i have this exact same motor and even the buttons are the same on my 2001 IMPORT TOYOTA CALDINA GTT. The problem i am Having is my sunroof is closed and not opening, when i press the Buttons i can hear and see the motor struggle to work, will this fix it?

[@Leonsk08]

Hi, it sounds like you may have something lodged in the sunroof track/rails. Try unbolting the motor from the track system and see if it operates freely. If it works, I would look into something obstructing the track. If it doesn't work or it's intermittent, I would try the fix in the video. Best of luck.

[@shreda125hilux7]

@@Leonsk08 I took out the motor last night, was abit harder in the Caldina as it had 3 bolts and I had to remove more like the mirror and parts of the sunvisors to remove the lining.. anyway I took out the motor and the gear that connects to the belt gear was SO SO SO DIRTY , literally you cant even make out that there is actual gear teeth haha. Its certainly not the motor as i tested it on the car with the original switches and it works perfect! I'm going to clean the connecting gears out later and see what happens.. for the belt gear in the sunroof i am going to use a screw driver to move it along as it looked rather stuff with dirty etc..

[@shreda125hilux7]

@@Leonsk08 Also thank you for the reply, appreciate your time

[@Leonsk08]

@@shreda125hilux7 A good cleaning goes a long way. I believe you may just have something stuck in your track. By your reply I'm confident that you will get to the bottom of the situation. Regardless, let me know how it all works out.

[@c1rca23]

Hey brother, I know this video is kind of old but my sunroof stuck on my 2012 tundra crew max platinum. I know, 2 different beasts but it looks about the same mechanism. So I took it apart and got the sunroof to close. It’s not doing a smooth shut or open, it opens like 1” every time I hit the button and have to keep repeating until the sunroof is all the way open. Any thoughts? I have yet to take the Aisin part off and clean inside there. Any info would be great. I just want a normal sunroof!

[@Leonsk08]

David Robitaille Hi, I would start out with the basics. First, I would check the sunroof rail/track and ensure that there are no obstructions. Next, I would ensure that all of the electrical connectors which run to the sunroof motor/button mech are free of any debris or corrosion. Additionally, if you have a multimeter you can perform a continuity (good connection) test on the button mechanism. You should be able to trace the contacts back to a point where your multimeter leads can get a reading. Also, sometimes, buttons can get gunk under them and potentially cause issues. You could also check that your Sunroof relay is working properly, by switching it with a similar and known working one inside your junction/fuse box. It needs to be the exact same relay. The numbers on top or side should indicate this. Besides those suggestions, I'm not sure what else it could be, besides the motor itself. Personally, mine would work if I pounded the area where the motor sat. Bashing it caused the corrosion on the motor to loosen, thus allowing it to work temporarily. The same trick can be used on problematic starter motors. Best of luck.

[@lennex04]

Mine sounds so noise and it's so squeaky.

[@livesimplyandhumbly]

Lexus dealers (nothing more than scam artists) wants $2000 for this job ...

[@Leonsk08]

Ouch. I would hate to see what something more intrusive would cost. If you're going through the process now, I have a few videos that show what needs to be taken apart and how to access the sunroof motor. A $2,000 job quote quickly crumbles once you attain the proper knowledge.

[@livesimplyandhumbly]

Leon K I already paid for it several years ago. But the problem has resurfaced. I had absolutely no complaints about Lexus quality, except for the sunroof. Sooo many problems. Thanks for sharing your experience and expertise.

[@kingreyes7917]

KZbin is like College, by the year 5,000 everyone is going to be genius =D