Can you manually close a 1999 Cougar's sunroof if it is stuck open?

Answer 1

I have been servicing all makes of sunroofs for over 30 years. The Cougar sunroof can be closed manually in several ways. The first thing I usually do is remove the top panel so you can see all that you are doing. You can replace the hold down screws and put the panel back in later after the sunroof is shut. The second step is to remove the motor assembly...it is located under the front dome ligh. Just pop out the lens and a couple of screws and you will ses the motor. you may have top take out the sunvisor inside clips on the headliner for a larger work area. Remove the inner trim ring of the headliner around the sunroof opening. REmove the 2 or 3 screws holding int he motor. You may now move the track assemblies manually. There are hold down tabs on the back of the tracks to hold the rear of the glass down in the closed position. once you have the sunrro closed reinstall the motor...this will keep the sunroof panel in the closed position. You will want to remove the sunroof fuse or disconnect the switch so you can not operate the unit again.

I can be e-mailed at madspinner@aol.com

the above answer has been changed since i wrote the response below MJ - July2015

------- no way Mr.MadSpinner, with your "30 years experience" you don't have a clue about cougar sunroofs. I guarantee you have not worked on a cougar before or you would have remembered it. First of all, cougars do not have a glass sunroof, it is a metal panel sunroof or moonroof. Second, the cougars break their sunroofs at the RH track usually because Ford made them out of plastic -- the 2001 & 2002 cougar sunroof rails are made of metal because of this flaw. One side will break and then the motor and the cable will then only pull on the other side .

--- So, even if you remove the motor, the sunroof will still not close because the track and pins are broken on one side. The correct answer should be to remove the rubber trim ring inside the car and then using a t-25 torx screwdriver, remove the 4 screws that hold the roof panel onto the frame/track. From the center of the sunroof, they are at the 4 corners of the roof panel facing outward and you may have to push up on the headliner cloth to be able to see them. After removing the sunroof panel, then you will be able to easily see the broken pins and slider --- use the motor to close the sunroof while unlocking and pushing the broken side down the track. Once the shuttle is pushed down the track (or you can remove it also), then you can install the panel and carefully put the 4 torx screws back in place. You can unplug the motor or remove the fuse, so no one can try to open it again.

-- Start looking for another sunroof at junk yards, but only get one out of a 2001 or 2002 cougar with the metal rails and gears. Most junk yards sell them for under $100 and the last one i found in 2014 was only $50. You can install the entire sunroof in your car in about 1 hour. The most difficult part is lowering the headliner and sliding it back out the rear hatchback --- you will use your current car's color sunroof panel and bolt it to the junkyard sunroof frame/motor with those same 4 torx bolts. It may take you 2 hours if you have never removed the visors, coat hooks, map lights, and headliner before. Don't forget to re-connect the rubber rain drain tubes.

-- any questions? Marteen_J at Yahoo com