Sunroof / Moonroof: Description and Operation

The Saturn sunroof features a sliding glass panel with a manually operated sunshade. The sunroof is operated by a two position rocker switch located on the map lamp panel at\he front of the headliner. The sunroof has three positions: OPEN, CLOSED and VENT position.


The rocker switch is only operational with the ignition switch in the RUN position. The OPEN/VENT side of the switch has two positions and the CLOSE side has one position. Pushing the rear of the rocker switch to the first position and holding it, puts the sunroof in the VENT position. Pushing it to the second position and holding it will put the sunroof in the OPEN position. The sunshade can be manually opened to achieve vent position air flow. To close the sunroof, push the front of the rocker switch and hold it until the sunroof closes.


The glass panel will raise at the rear and retract during the opening cycle. As the panel opens, it moves the sunshade to the open position as well. The sunshade can be manually opened and closed from inside the car while the glass panel is in the closed position. The sunshade is designed to stay in the open position while the glass panel is in the open position.


As the glass panel retracts, the wind deflector will rise up to slightly above the roof line. When the glass panel closes, it lowers the wind deflector as it approaches the closed position.


Any water that passes the roof seal is drained from the sunroof tray by four tubes that lead from the corners of the tray to the rocker panels of the car. The tray which acts as a framework for the sunroof assembly. has a water channel that encircles the sunroof opening and directs water to the drain tubes.


IMPORTANT: With the headliner removed, the sunroof can be manually cycled with a key shaped tool. This key fits into the drive gear, and when turned will operate the sunroof drive cables and simultaneously open or close the sunroof.

Operation

If the roof panel is in the closed position when the operator moves the control switch to the VENT position, current flows through the sunroof power feed, the tilt contacts of the control switch, the closed contacts of the micro position switch, and the coil of the Vent/Open relay to ground. This energizes the Vent/Open relay, allowing current to flow through Vent/Open relay. through the sunroof motor. through the closed contacts of the dc-energized Close relay to ground. The sunroof motor turns in the tilt and open direction. When the sunroof reaches the tilted position. the micro position switch opens and de-energizes the coil of the Vent/Open relay. This causes the contacts of this relay to return to their normally open position. The sunroof motor stops with the panel in the tilted position.


If the roof panel is already in the tilted position when the operator moves the control switch to the VENT position. then the open contacts of the micro position switch prevents additional movement.


When the operator moves the control switch to the OPEN position, current flows through the sunroof power feed, the closed contacts of the control switch, and the coil of the Vent/Open relay to ground. This energizes the relay, allowing current to how through the Vent/Open relay, through the sunroof motor. through the closed contacts of the de-energized Close relay to ground. The sunroof motor turns in the tilt and open direction. If the roof panel is in the closed position when the switch is initially moved to the OPEN position, the turning motor drives the rear of the panel upward into the tilted position and then the entire panel is driven rearward, while maintaining the tilted position. If the roof panel is already in the tilted position when the switch is initially moved to the OPEN position, the turning motor immediately drives the panel rearward. In either ease. the panel continues to move until either the switch is released or the panel is frilly open.


When the operator moves the control switch to the CLOSE position, current flows through the sunroof power feed, the close contacts of the control switch. and the coil of the Close relay to ground. This energizes the Close relay, allowing current to flow through the Close 5relay, through the sunroof motor, through the closed contacts of the dc-energized Vent/Open relay to ground. The sunroof motor turns in the close direction. The panel continues to move until either the switch is released or the panel is fully closed.


If the control switch is held in the OPEN or CLOSE position after full sunroof panel travel has been achieved, no damage occurs to any of the components.