Fix for squeeky sun roof
05-26-05, 10:00 PM
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Fix for squeeky sun roof
There was a thread not too long ago where a few owners were complaining of all the squeeks and rattles in their 3Gs. With only 48,000 miles on it mine is still relatively tight, but it has always had a squeeky, squeeky sun roof.
Out of curiosity I was playing around with it one day on the drive home and noticed the headliner on the inside (I've got the metal roof) was vibrating wildly over every bump or gust of wind. It seemed like there were really too few anchor points to hold the headliner to the metal hatch. I also noticed that by slightly pulling it down or pushing it up, it eliminated the tendancy to squeek and rattle.
So I purchased some 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch soft foam insulation from the hardware store. I believe it is used mainly for weatherstripping around window air conditioners. It comes with adhesive already on one side and paper you just pull off to expose the sticky side. I fed the insulation in between the headliner and the metal hatch and pressed the adhesive side down on a metal lip that is on the bottom of the roof. You can feel this lip about 1 inch inside the edge of the headliner and metal roof. The foam presses the headliner out to ride a little more firmly against the metal roof. The roof no longer squeeks or rattles while it is open or closed. This fix has no adverse effects on operation of the sunroof. I can't believe I endured all those rattles for the past year.
The same trick may be useful for those with squeeks on other plastic interior pieces that press against metal or other plastic.
Out of curiosity I was playing around with it one day on the drive home and noticed the headliner on the inside (I've got the metal roof) was vibrating wildly over every bump or gust of wind. It seemed like there were really too few anchor points to hold the headliner to the metal hatch. I also noticed that by slightly pulling it down or pushing it up, it eliminated the tendancy to squeek and rattle.
So I purchased some 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch soft foam insulation from the hardware store. I believe it is used mainly for weatherstripping around window air conditioners. It comes with adhesive already on one side and paper you just pull off to expose the sticky side. I fed the insulation in between the headliner and the metal hatch and pressed the adhesive side down on a metal lip that is on the bottom of the roof. You can feel this lip about 1 inch inside the edge of the headliner and metal roof. The foam presses the headliner out to ride a little more firmly against the metal roof. The roof no longer squeeks or rattles while it is open or closed. This fix has no adverse effects on operation of the sunroof. I can't believe I endured all those rattles for the past year.
The same trick may be useful for those with squeeks on other plastic interior pieces that press against metal or other plastic.
Last edited by Mazda99Nikon; 05-26-05 at 10:05 PM.
05-26-05, 11:37 PM
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I've been planning on doing something very similar to my centre console for a while now.
When it's just me in the car it doesn't squeak that much, but when my tall friend gets in and rests his arm on it, it squeaks something cruel.
When it's just me in the car it doesn't squeak that much, but when my tall friend gets in and rests his arm on it, it squeaks something cruel.
05-27-05, 05:27 AM
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Thanks for that hint....I will be hitting my hardware shop up tomorrow I think!!!
Damn noisy sunroof ...I don't have any other rattles except for that damn thing...
Wish the Australian Spec cars didnt ALL come with the sunroof...(Makes wearing a helmet hard...I have to lay the seat back beyond optimum driving position..not nice!)
Damn noisy sunroof ...I don't have any other rattles except for that damn thing...
Wish the Australian Spec cars didnt ALL come with the sunroof...(Makes wearing a helmet hard...I have to lay the seat back beyond optimum driving position..not nice!)
06-06-05, 05:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Mazda99Nikon
There was a thread not too long ago where a few owners were complaining of all the squeeks and rattles in their 3Gs. With only 48,000 miles on it mine is still relatively tight, but it has always had a squeeky, squeeky sun roof.
Out of curiosity I was playing around with it one day on the drive home and noticed the headliner on the inside (I've got the metal roof) was vibrating wildly over every bump or gust of wind. It seemed like there were really too few anchor points to hold the headliner to the metal hatch. I also noticed that by slightly pulling it down or pushing it up, it eliminated the tendancy to squeek and rattle.
So I purchased some 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch soft foam insulation from the hardware store. I believe it is used mainly for weatherstripping around window air conditioners. It comes with adhesive already on one side and paper you just pull off to expose the sticky side. I fed the insulation in between the headliner and the metal hatch and pressed the adhesive side down on a metal lip that is on the bottom of the roof. You can feel this lip about 1 inch inside the edge of the headliner and metal roof. The foam presses the headliner out to ride a little more firmly against the metal roof. The roof no longer squeeks or rattles while it is open or closed. This fix has no adverse effects on operation of the sunroof. I can't believe I endured all those rattles for the past year.
The same trick may be useful for those with squeeks on other plastic interior pieces that press against metal or other plastic.
Out of curiosity I was playing around with it one day on the drive home and noticed the headliner on the inside (I've got the metal roof) was vibrating wildly over every bump or gust of wind. It seemed like there were really too few anchor points to hold the headliner to the metal hatch. I also noticed that by slightly pulling it down or pushing it up, it eliminated the tendancy to squeek and rattle.
So I purchased some 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch soft foam insulation from the hardware store. I believe it is used mainly for weatherstripping around window air conditioners. It comes with adhesive already on one side and paper you just pull off to expose the sticky side. I fed the insulation in between the headliner and the metal hatch and pressed the adhesive side down on a metal lip that is on the bottom of the roof. You can feel this lip about 1 inch inside the edge of the headliner and metal roof. The foam presses the headliner out to ride a little more firmly against the metal roof. The roof no longer squeeks or rattles while it is open or closed. This fix has no adverse effects on operation of the sunroof. I can't believe I endured all those rattles for the past year.
The same trick may be useful for those with squeeks on other plastic interior pieces that press against metal or other plastic.
Are you reffering to these two metal surfaces?
06-06-05, 10:06 PM
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Sorry for the failure to post pics. I've forgotten how to post to my website.
I did not remove the sunroof headliner as is shown in EFS.O's pics. If you look at his headliner, removed in picture number 1, you want to force the insulation tape over the edge of the headliner about 3/4 to 1 inch. You can just open the sunroof and sit in the drivers seat and work the tape in from the bottom. Make sure the sticky side faces up, because you want to attach it to the underside of the metal sunroof.
Sorry for the confusion. It is possible some may have rattles that can be fixed as in the location of the tape in EFS.O's second picture, but I didn't have to go that far. My rattles were strictly from the loose fit between the headliner and the underside of the roof itself, not the rail picture.
I took some photos tonight. I'll try to get the photos posted.
[IMG]ftp://mysite.verizon.net/res0nnpb/TEST%20WEB/Tape1.jpg/[/IMG]
I did not remove the sunroof headliner as is shown in EFS.O's pics. If you look at his headliner, removed in picture number 1, you want to force the insulation tape over the edge of the headliner about 3/4 to 1 inch. You can just open the sunroof and sit in the drivers seat and work the tape in from the bottom. Make sure the sticky side faces up, because you want to attach it to the underside of the metal sunroof.
Sorry for the confusion. It is possible some may have rattles that can be fixed as in the location of the tape in EFS.O's second picture, but I didn't have to go that far. My rattles were strictly from the loose fit between the headliner and the underside of the roof itself, not the rail picture.
I took some photos tonight. I'll try to get the photos posted.
[IMG]ftp://mysite.verizon.net/res0nnpb/TEST%20WEB/Tape1.jpg/[/IMG]
Last edited by Mazda99Nikon; 06-06-05 at 10:35 PM.
06-06-05, 10:46 PM
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Let's try this. This shows the area between the headliner and the metal sunroof. Note how tape is forced up in between the headliner and sunroof. Remember, tape gets stuck to the metal sunroof.
Last edited by Mazda99Nikon; 06-06-05 at 10:50 PM.
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