https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SJQckNfIjA
Video Tutorial on how to replace the sunroof rails on a BMW E39. This particular tutorial was done on a 1997 BMW 540i with a glass style sunroof. The sunroof rails do have plastic parts which can break over time due to a lack of lubrication, sunroof being forced open/closed, or just from the plastic fatiguing over time. I would recommend replacing both sunroof rails while you are doing this procedure. This can be a time consuming procedure and the old sunroof slider may break and put excessive strain on the new rail which could also cause it to break. You can only buy a kit from the dealer which comes with all the new parts rather than just the individual part you want to replace. I did use OEM parts for this repair as well. An easy way to detect if the sunroof rail is broken, you should be able to tilt the sunroof by hand, but the sunroof will not tilt on it's own by the sunroof motor.
Tools/Supplies Needed:
-flat screw driver
-T-25 torx bit
-small Phillips screwdriver
-brake cleaner
-lithium grease
-right control rail kit PN 54-12-8-202-296
-left control rail kit PN 54-12-8-202-295
Procedure:
-when doing this repair, make sure you don't get any grease on your headliner
-start my pulling back the rubber accordion pieces on each side by simply pulling straight out
-tilt the sunroof up by hand and use a rolled up cloth to hold it into place
-remove the 3 T-25 torx bolts on each side (total of 6)
-lift sunroof glass out and place in a safe area (I used my trunk)
-next remove the wind louver at the front of the sunroof opening by popping out the 2 springs on the front side, then pulling the louver straight up, and sliding out the arms on each side
-remove the stoppers at the front of each sunroof rail which are held in with T-25 torx bolts (1 on each side)
-remove the sliders from the rails on both sides
-now in this particular tutorial, we won't be replacing the rear sliders because that does involve removing the sunroof driver cables
-on the metal flat brackets at the rear, remove the T-25 torx bit (1 on each side), then slide the pin out
-slide the arm portion of the sliders from the rails out on each side
-clean sunroof rails out using brake cleaner or some other form of de-greaser, then re-lubricate sunroof rails with lithium grease
-split down new rear sliders and reinstall on existing rear slider
-re-installation in reverse
-as for re-installing sunroof glass, remove the brackets from the front slider rails by removing the Phillips screws (1 on each side) and install on the sunroof glass itself
-place sunroof glass back into place, then push front sliders forwards
-align sunroof and tighten bolts
-pushing sunroof back into roof, then tight Phillips screws on front sliders
-recheck to make sure sunroof is aligned with roof properly
-reinstall rubber accordion pieces
PS. Been trying to get the YouTube video thing to work, but it's not so I just left the link instead.
Video Tutorial on how to replace the sunroof rails on a BMW E39. This particular tutorial was done on a 1997 BMW 540i with a glass style sunroof. The sunroof rails do have plastic parts which can break over time due to a lack of lubrication, sunroof being forced open/closed, or just from the plastic fatiguing over time. I would recommend replacing both sunroof rails while you are doing this procedure. This can be a time consuming procedure and the old sunroof slider may break and put excessive strain on the new rail which could also cause it to break. You can only buy a kit from the dealer which comes with all the new parts rather than just the individual part you want to replace. I did use OEM parts for this repair as well. An easy way to detect if the sunroof rail is broken, you should be able to tilt the sunroof by hand, but the sunroof will not tilt on it's own by the sunroof motor.
Tools/Supplies Needed:
-flat screw driver
-T-25 torx bit
-small Phillips screwdriver
-brake cleaner
-lithium grease
-right control rail kit PN 54-12-8-202-296
-left control rail kit PN 54-12-8-202-295
Procedure:
-when doing this repair, make sure you don't get any grease on your headliner
-start my pulling back the rubber accordion pieces on each side by simply pulling straight out
-tilt the sunroof up by hand and use a rolled up cloth to hold it into place
-remove the 3 T-25 torx bolts on each side (total of 6)
-lift sunroof glass out and place in a safe area (I used my trunk)
-next remove the wind louver at the front of the sunroof opening by popping out the 2 springs on the front side, then pulling the louver straight up, and sliding out the arms on each side
-remove the stoppers at the front of each sunroof rail which are held in with T-25 torx bolts (1 on each side)
-remove the sliders from the rails on both sides
-now in this particular tutorial, we won't be replacing the rear sliders because that does involve removing the sunroof driver cables
-on the metal flat brackets at the rear, remove the T-25 torx bit (1 on each side), then slide the pin out
-slide the arm portion of the sliders from the rails out on each side
-clean sunroof rails out using brake cleaner or some other form of de-greaser, then re-lubricate sunroof rails with lithium grease
-split down new rear sliders and reinstall on existing rear slider
-re-installation in reverse
-as for re-installing sunroof glass, remove the brackets from the front slider rails by removing the Phillips screws (1 on each side) and install on the sunroof glass itself
-place sunroof glass back into place, then push front sliders forwards
-align sunroof and tighten bolts
-pushing sunroof back into roof, then tight Phillips screws on front sliders
-recheck to make sure sunroof is aligned with roof properly
-reinstall rubber accordion pieces
PS. Been trying to get the YouTube video thing to work, but it's not so I just left the link instead.