Helping my son with his newly acquired 2001 S60 2.4T. The apron moldings on his sunroof were all broken apart and had fouled the tracks. I removed all the pieces, removed the glass, removed the cross-piece (drain), removed the fabric covered plastic panel that rides beneath the glass. I cleaned and inspected all the parts that can be seen after this removal.

The carriers for the cross-piece (drain) move clearly over the full extent of the tracks in which they ride (I hooked a long steel rod to the lever that moves them and pushed them all the way to the rear and then pulled them forward. The carriage (the one that is secured to the cable mechanism by two vertical screws) appears to move smoothly, at least as far as it can be observed with the headliner in place.

With the glass in place the sunroof properly opens to its vent position (i.e., it tilts up the rear of the glass). It also returns to a proper sealed closed position when the switch is pulled down after pushing up on it to open as a vent.

But ... after all this inspection, the sun roof only opens about eight inches before a loud "clack, clack, clack" noise commences and no further rearward (opening) movement happens. I can only hope this is a ratcheting that is designed to prevent further damage and that it doesn't signify a broken part in the motor unit. When the noise happens I can see that it is just one of the carriages that is stopping - it appears as though it has hit an obstacle.

At this point I suspect a blockage that is invisible (i.e., back up under the headliner) or a defective cable. It is my understanding that to go further will require headliner removal, something I'm not keen to do (I do have the manual so at least I have guidance on going about it).

Anyway, I'm appealing here for any suggestions of something I may have overlooked before dropping the entire sunroof mechanism after pulling the headliner.

I have done the <lock><unlock> five times with the key routine and that has done nothing. Also, with the glass removed, the motor/cable mechanism moves one carriage fully, the other stalls and makes the "clack, clack, clack" noise.

Thanks for any guidance.

 

I have had the same issue on my '03 for a couple of years now but have not done it yet as I assumed that I had to remove the head liner to get at the slipping gear.
Please post your findings I would not mind getting it fxed myself eventually.
See the picture of a junk yard sunroof

 

I have the same problem with my 01 S60. Please let me know if you figure it out, I really don't want to drop the headliner if I don't have to.

 

Did no-one ever resolve this problem? I have the same "clack clack clack" on my 2001 V70