I'm LOSING MY MIND!!!
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5th Wheeling
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
I'm LOSING MY MIND!!!
2019 F350 Platinum...decided to open my sunroof this past Friday nite because it was so nice out. Returned home and tried to shut the sunroof...would move 2 inches and then retract. Mulitple attempts with no success. Researched the forums and found a re-initialization sequence to try and still no success. Took it to Ford dealer in North NJ...received a call this morning telling me that a spring had broken in the track and I need a new track. Not a new spring, mind you...but a new track. Parts, Labor and Tax will be $4065.00!!! Please talk me off the ledge on this one! Does this make sense to anyone? I'm so pissed off about this. I rarely even use the sunroof...maybe a dozen times since I purchased the truck new. What would make this repair so expensive? This could be my last Ford Truck.
Cross-Country
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 75
Likes: 28
2019 F350 Platinum...decided to open my sunroof this past Friday nite because it was so nice out. Returned home and tried to shut the sunroof...would move 2 inches and then retract. Mulitple attempts with no success. Researched the forums and found a re-initialization sequence to try and still no success. Took it to Ford dealer in North NJ...received a call this morning telling me that a spring had broken in the track and I need a new track. Not a new spring, mind you...but a new track. Parts, Labor and Tax will be $4065.00!!! Please talk me off the ledge on this one! Does this make sense to anyone? I'm so pissed off about this. I rarely even use the sunroof...maybe a dozen times since I purchased the truck new. What would make this repair so expensive? This could be my last Ford Truck.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 111
Likes: 74
arrrgh ... I feel for you .... I have two stories
1. on my 2008 F250 Lariat I had a similar problem where I only opened the sunroof every couple of years, and then a small plastic part broke one day, leaving it partially open .... I disassembled the assembly far enough that I could manually get it shut completely ... then I reassembled it all back together ... then I disconnected the switch, so that nobody could ever open it again .... granted, the 2008 did not have a motorized headliner cover like your 2019 likely does, only a hand operated manually sliding headliner cover ... if your switch powers both the headliner cover motor and the sunroof glass motor, and if they are different motors, maybe you can snip the sunroof glass motor wires
2. It was then that I learned an important axiom ... "Sunroofs should only be opened and closed all the time, or never"
1. on my 2008 F250 Lariat I had a similar problem where I only opened the sunroof every couple of years, and then a small plastic part broke one day, leaving it partially open .... I disassembled the assembly far enough that I could manually get it shut completely ... then I reassembled it all back together ... then I disconnected the switch, so that nobody could ever open it again .... granted, the 2008 did not have a motorized headliner cover like your 2019 likely does, only a hand operated manually sliding headliner cover ... if your switch powers both the headliner cover motor and the sunroof glass motor, and if they are different motors, maybe you can snip the sunroof glass motor wires
2. It was then that I learned an important axiom ... "Sunroofs should only be opened and closed all the time, or never"
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 794
Likes: 232
If 90% of it is labor, this might be one of those times it might be better to get a local shop to do it
with a cheaper hourly. Does not sound complex, just labor intensive
This is just one of the reasons I'm buying the 10 year "repair insurance".
(just this one job is more than I'm looking at for warrantee)
with a cheaper hourly. Does not sound complex, just labor intensive
This is just one of the reasons I'm buying the 10 year "repair insurance".
(just this one job is more than I'm looking at for warrantee)
Cross-Country
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 85
Likes: 39
Don't lose your mind! I had a very similar experience on a 2016 F150 sunroof. At the time, the part was $2,700 from the dealer, because they don't stock/sell the individual parts, so you have to purchase the entire sunroof assembly, hence the cost. It's not so much a labor issue as much as a parts issue, or the inability to get individual parts.
I have a friend that owns a body shop. I spoke with him and he was immediately familiar with the problem and said that he had fixed the issue many times. He knew of a source in California that sold upgraded (beefier) tracks individually. I think the total repair cost was $500. I would talk to a body shop or two, because methinks my friend can't be the only one that has seen this/dealt with it. Let me know if you can't find anyone and I can reach out to my friend for his source's contact info.
I have a friend that owns a body shop. I spoke with him and he was immediately familiar with the problem and said that he had fixed the issue many times. He knew of a source in California that sold upgraded (beefier) tracks individually. I think the total repair cost was $500. I would talk to a body shop or two, because methinks my friend can't be the only one that has seen this/dealt with it. Let me know if you can't find anyone and I can reach out to my friend for his source's contact info.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 243
Likes: 33
From: Montana
Not sure about the broken spring, but replacing the broken rails is fairly simple, and no where near $4,000! No need to drop the headliner either. There are YouTube videos showing the procedure with links to aftermarket rails you can buy.
Here's one:
Here's one:
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More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 548
Likes: 462
Ask them to get it closed for you before you pick it up and fight the urge to use it once every 16 months or so......
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 177
Likes: 7
I had a 2013 super duty KR that I opened the sunroof maybe 3-4 times. The last time, maybe 40,000 miles, something broke and it wouldn’t close. Took it to the dealer, and was quoted over $1000 to replace a plastic gear piece. Went to a small shop in the barrio that installed aftermarket sun roofs in lowriders. The owner was making a nice income repairing ford sunroofs. I think he charged around $200, I never opened it again, and my 2019 and 2024 Lariats didn’t have sun roofs. I’d look for a small shop that installs sun roofs.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,429
Likes: 487
From: North Carolina
2019 F350 Platinum...decided to open my sunroof this past Friday nite because it was so nice out. Returned home and tried to shut the sunroof...would move 2 inches and then retract. Mulitple attempts with no success. Researched the forums and found a re-initialization sequence to try and still no success. Took it to Ford dealer in North NJ...received a call this morning telling me that a spring had broken in the track and I need a new track. Not a new spring, mind you...but a new track. Parts, Labor and Tax will be $4065.00!!! Please talk me off the ledge on this one! Does this make sense to anyone? I'm so pissed off about this. I rarely even use the sunroof...maybe a dozen times since I purchased the truck new. What would make this repair so expensive? This could be my last Ford Truck.
You could have had the roof replaced and painted for around that cost or cheaper and never had to deal with it again.
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 950
Likes: 330
From: Colorado Rockies
These sun roofs have a lot of problems. My '19 leaked and they replaced the whole thing under warranty (the reason my '22 does not have a sun roof). With all of them that have been pulled out, seems like there should be some used tracks laying around. Talk to your Ford body shop.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 103
Likes: 55
Not sure about the broken spring, but replacing the broken rails is fairly simple, and no where near $4,000! No need to drop the headliner either. There are YouTube videos showing the procedure with links to aftermarket rails you can buy.
Here's one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgF9ggMhPa8
Here's one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgF9ggMhPa8
2019 F350 Platinum...decided to open my sunroof this past Friday nite because it was so nice out. Returned home and tried to shut the sunroof...would move 2 inches and then retract. Mulitple attempts with no success. Researched the forums and found a re-initialization sequence to try and still no success. Took it to Ford dealer in North NJ...received a call this morning telling me that a spring had broken in the track and I need a new track. Not a new spring, mind you...but a new track. Parts, Labor and Tax will be $4065.00!!! Please talk me off the ledge on this one! Does this make sense to anyone? I'm so pissed off about this. I rarely even use the sunroof...maybe a dozen times since I purchased the truck new. What would make this repair so expensive? This could be my last Ford Truck.
Official Ford Pro Rep
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 1,351
Likes: 1,285
2019 F350 Platinum...decided to open my sunroof this past Friday nite because it was so nice out. Returned home and tried to shut the sunroof...would move 2 inches and then retract. Mulitple attempts with no success. Researched the forums and found a re-initialization sequence to try and still no success. Took it to Ford dealer in North NJ...received a call this morning telling me that a spring had broken in the track and I need a new track. Not a new spring, mind you...but a new track. Parts, Labor and Tax will be $4065.00!!! Please talk me off the ledge on this one! Does this make sense to anyone? I'm so pissed off about this. I rarely even use the sunroof...maybe a dozen times since I purchased the truck new. What would make this repair so expensive? This could be my last Ford Truck.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 178
Likes: 60
As the old saying goes if you don't use it you loose it. The SR needs a massage ever now and then, or all the component's will be stiff and break, Maintenance is key, use lube, and make sure its clean. Treat her right and she will reciprocate....
Cross-Country
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 59
Likes: 33
From: NY
The main reason I avoided sunroof was the reduced payload. Not exactly sure how much reduction on a superduty... just moved up to a '22 350 from a '17 150 and the payload reduction on the 150 was 400+lbs.