My manual sunroof crank is missing that black button.
 

As the title says, the sunroof crank is missing the button that depresses a small post that lets it crank. I've checked a few parts sites, but haven't seen this piece listed. As I purchased the car like this from previous owner, I have no idea how the button actually interacts with the post other than letting it out of the cylinder once.


Does anyone else know how it works? So that I may try to find or make a substitute button.

Or perhaps this is a really cheap part I can find at a radioshack or other place that sells very tiny parts and pieces? Other than this missing button, it appears my sunroof works, or will work, as intended.

that doesn't sound like any manual sunroof mechanism I've seen.

the crank is on the input shaft of a little gearbox thats screwed into the mechanism, and that gearbox drives worm gears that run the cables that open/close the top. you have to synchronize the turns of the gearbox with the travel of the top, so the stops are in the right place.

afaik all the parts are specific to mid 80s european cars, not something you'll find at radio shack, or an auto parts store.

Pardon me if my description is confusing or outright wrong. My car's manual says that I should "Depress the button prior to cranking", and that's what I am trying to express.

I've attached a picture from google search. hopefully it loads and you can see that there's the button close to the area that meets the input shaft. That black button is missing from my handle, and after removing the handle, it looks like the button is needed to push this thing up and out of the way of the handle so it can actually crank.

Your reply suggest to me that I won't be able to replace this button by itself anyway though. :( Pierce, I appreciate your constant replies to my inquiries! :)

huh, thats a different crank than I've seen on a 1987 240, a 1989 jetta, and a few others.... these cranks sort of folded up into a recess, but there was no button to extend them down, you just pulled them.

https://i.ebayimg.com/t/1988-1993-Vo...nqg~~60_35.JPG

Yes, this crank handle folds into the recess no problem. That button is what handles that tiny post I spoke of, right beside that shaft. As I said, it seems to stop the crank from having too much play when it's in a closed position. In a few hours when it becomes light, I will return to my car and make sure to take pictures. After skimming a sunroof repair page, I suppose the button works a "Detent pin" I suppose that is the "post" I've been describing.


I'm very sorry I've been confusing here. I think you've answered my question as far as replacing the button, but will provide pictures for further clarity in case other users should search and find this thread at a later date.

They used these cranks in the earlier cars, like the '87, later went to the all plastic, I'd say 1991 or so. Quite common.
I have one or two somewhere, PM me.

For reference I will post pictures of what my 1987 740 GLE manual sunroof crank looks like, with at least one picture showing what I have referred to as a "detent pin" and "locking post".

Picture 1 shows how the manual crank fits onto the sunroof mechanism and allows the detent pin to drop in, preventing the handle from being cranked. I assume this is a safety feature.

Picture 2 shows the input shaft and allows you to see the detent pin I've been speaking of.

Picture 3 is just a closeup of the handle, with emphasis on the spot where the button I've mentioned should be.

My initial problem has been diagnosed and taken care of. This post with included pictures is here for anyone else that may find themselves in a similar situation, as well as give a contrast between the manual sunroof mechanisms and handles that Pierce and I have been discussing here.

ah, that is considerably different than our 87 240's. on that 240, the crank is all plastic, and goes into a 'lozenge' (parallelogram?) shaped gearbox, which has a screw on each side, and no pin at all. silly me, I thought they were all like that.