[Johnboy]

When I close the sunroof (September build), the motor has started to have trouble getting it shut.
(Motor is labouring slightly and I noticed it is juddering a lot).

Anyone have any clues how to remedy this?
Does it just need piles of vaseline applied in strategic locations? If so, where?!

It never did this originally, so I am guessing that something has worn / needs lubricating.

I don't really want the hassle of taking it in to the dealers.

.

[MiNiGuY]

Check the battery charge is tip top.
If it is, and the sunroof problem gets worse then you'll have no choice but to see your dealer really. The problem sounds more likely to be in the gear housing or cables rather than the runners lacking grease. A dealer will replace the whole sunroof usually.
Hope it's sorted soon.

[Johnboy]

Thanks for the info.
Looks like it's a trip to the dealers!
I'll ask them to sort out the a/c and the throttle at the same time.
Will call them on Monday.

29/July: Update:
Well, I called the dealer, and s*d's law - It's stopped juddering!... Have therefore called the dealer and said I will leave it until it goes in for it's service.

I have noticed that it did start squealing again, after the roof was open for some time in the hot sun this weekend.... Although it didn't judder....

Could this be caused by thermal expansion of the roof rails when exposed by the roof being open? My other theory was that it may be the roof expanding width-wise.

[Johnboy]

It appears to be ambient temperature related.
The roof started juddering again on closing, in temperatures this weekend of approx. 29-30 Celsius in sunshine.

At other times, it's fine!

I noted that my roof has wood (it appears to be untreated wood ) anchoring the front section of the runners.... Are BMW still using wood in the sunroof?

[chiph]

What color is your roof?

I'm wondering if you're being affected by the dreaded "black roof ripple"

Chip H.

[Johnboy]

My roof is white.
I doubt it's suffering from expansion of the roof's metalwork, as there is significantly less of it when there's a sunroof.
Also, I am guessing that the strengthening and framework invovled would rule this out.

I'm guessing that what is actually happening is that there is some sort of thermal expansion going on either between the runners and the "rollers"/bearings, or the metal lateral braces attached to the moving glass section, and the runners, or possibly just some sort of expansion of the frame on which the sunroof is mounted.

I doubt it's expansion of the glass area, but it does seem to point to something like this. Why else would it only affect the car in hot conditions....

Oh, the temp. was the temp. reading on the in-car guauge, not the temperature in the sunlight... which I guess was a lot higher.