I just purchased a 2008 Honda accord from one of my buddies for a good deal but it has a problem with the sunroof/moonroof (sorry don't know the difference have heard it called both). It tilts up in the back but doesn't do anything else not even close. I was informed of this problem before purchase and I accidentally tilted the sunroof up and it is now stuck open in the back. He told me I had to take off the sunroof and do something to it but I cannot remember what to do. I have taken off the glass and looked at it but i cannot figure out what to do next all I need is it closed i plan on taking it to a mechanic as soon as I have the money I just want it closed for right now. Thank you all for the help in advanced.

 

There is a reset to the moonroof (Honda manuals call it that) that can be done. Might be in the owners manual - if not let me know and I can post the process.

Next there are some tests that can be done to the switch - which might also lead to a way to close it......meaning there might be a pin or two we can jump with a piece of wire and see if that will close the moonroof.

Have a voltmeter or test light?

 

1. If the moonroof doesn't move, the reset won't do anything. The reset is done so the AUTO function works.

2. Even if the moonroof glass doesn't move, do you hear the motor when trying it with the switch?

• If you don't hear the motor or it is very weak, the moonroof control unit may be faulty.
• If you hear the motor; but, the glass doesn't move, there may be some obstruction or a problem with the cable assembly.

3. The moonroof control unit has the following components inside:

• moonroof open relay
• moonroof close relay
• motor
• CPU
• Hall sensor

Driver's under-dash Fuse No. 20 (20A) supplies always Hot power (+) to the control unit. The switch supplies the ground to control the unit.

Just to make sure it is not a faulty moonroof switch, you can disconnect the 12P gray connector from the switch. Then use a short jumper wire between female terminal no. 5 (Blk wire - ground) and female terminal terminal no. 8 (Gray wire - Close Output); to see if it will close. Alternately, you can use a jumper wire on female terminal no. 8 (Gray wire - Close Output) and the other end to body/chassis ground.

If it doesn't close and there is no movement or sound from the unit, the issue may be the moonroof control unit.

4. There is suppose to be a way to try to move the glass with a 4mm hex wrench; but, that may or may not require removing the moonroof control unit to do that, as it is not shown how that is done.

 

Sorry I do not understand what all that means I am not very car or tech savy. All I am trying to do is remove the sunroof which I already know how to do by removing the 2 screws on each side and manually close the sunroof because it is tilted in the back. I hear the motor go when I click the sunroof button.

 

Never mind figured it out! Had to take off the entire top part inside the car to get to the motor which was back by the rear seat light there wasn't a hole or anything had to take the top part completely off pain in the A**!!! lol Thank you for the advice though now from here is it the motor that is messed up or what? The fuse box was fine and when I click it the sunroof button it just makes a clicking noise and it will open when it is not tilted and tilt but not close at all. Once it gets to either fully open or in the back tilt it doesn't work from there and just makes a clicking noise. Sorry trying my best to explain what is wrong. So should I replace the whole motor or what?? Thank You for all the advice and everything!!

 

From what you describe, it sounds like it may be an issue with the moonroof close relay or stripped motor gears. As I mentioned in my previous post, the moonroof control unit contains the moonroof open relay, moonroof close relay, motor, CPU, and Hall sensor. The moonroof control unit is listed as a motor on Honda's parts sites; however, it actually includes the components I mentioned inside.

There is a separate open relay and close relay. They work together to operate the motor. When you press open, the open relay is energized to provides power (+) to the motor and the close relay provides ground (-) to the motor. When you press close, the close relay is energized and provides power to the motor while the open relay provides ground to the motor, and the motor goes in the opposite direction.

There is a possibility it may be an issue with the cable assembly; but, it sounds more like the moonroof control unit.

 

DEGREES OF SUCCESS...
the roof can be closed manually with a 4 mm hex wrench. Unfortunately there is NO access point to insert the wrench so the rear half of the headliner must be disengeaged.

So...
Remove the rear grab handles.
Remove the rear dome light.
Disengage the 2 rear clips of the headliner...along the rear window.
Disengage both rear door gaskets from the headliner.
Gently pull the headliner down until you can reach the moonroof motor with your hand.
The motor is directly forward of the rear dome light.
The 4 mm hex wrench iinserts on the passenger side of the motor.
Once the wrench is inserted, you can manually cycle the roof thru it's full range of travel.

I created a hole in the headliner for future use...

 

Just for informational purposes, I read that a "moon roof " is glass and a painted matching metal cover, not glass, is a " sunroof". That's my useless info for the day.

 

​​​​​​ My first stuck sunroof encounter happened 3 years ago after a couple months I finally brought it to the dealer and told him I didn't want to spend the money for the motor and that i just wanted it disabled and closed. With that being said and a $100 charge, picked my car up from the dealership and before I got home accidentally pressed the moonroof button which put it right back in the same position. Idiots didn't even disable it. For days weeks I searched the web for a fix, searched for a manual way to close it, could not find it in my manual could not find it anywhere on the web until yesterday. I just want to thank you for your valuable information!! the only thing I would like to add is all I had to do was pull the liner from the back I sat in the back seat and the place to put the Allen wrench was in arm's length and I also made a hole as you suggested. So up until yesterday my sunroof / moonroof had been open for 3 years. Again I want to thank you for your information