Moon roof / panoramic roof rattles, cracks and creaks fixed!

[SB active X estate]

My Mk4 estate has been plagued with an annoying clicking and cracking sound from the panoramic roof - mainly around the B pillar area, from about week 2. Been back to the dealer twice who fobbed me off with the usual. 

Finally solved this last week after getting hold of the TSBs. [see attached below]. Why, you may ask, did I not go back to the dealer and tell them to sort this? Well, my dealer said they only do roof repairs on Anglesea which is almost a 2 hr drive from me, so I thought I'd do it myself. 

The culprit for me was the central black plastic trim underneath the moon roof. Basically the clips for this are hard plastic into metal and while they are a reasonably snug fit, as the car heats up the plastic expands and you get some clicking and cracking sounds. you also get some cracks and noises as the car flexes over bumps etc. 

Anyway it is a really easy fix to do yourself which will save you the hassle of a drive to your dealer. The TSBs also give some fixes for if you have noise coming from the front of the moon roof above the drivers seat which I did too but wasn't actually a problem for me. 

I've added some notes to the TSB regarding the central black plastic trim as it wasn't immediately obvious to me exactly what they were driving at. Also I used regular electrical insulation tape instead of the ford teflon tape and cheapo foam backed adhesive tape off eBay instead of the ford part. Both were absolutely fine. 

Once you've got the black plastic trim off you'll see there are a few places the metal can potentially touch the plastic and I basically put insulation tape anywhere I thought there could be contact. It's all hidden so you won't even know it's there.

The TSB talks about removing the roof but you only have to do this if you want to add some foam tape between the runner attached to the glass and the runner attached to the car. I didn't do this as it wasn't necessary for me but actually it wouldn't be hard to do this as it is only 2 bolts each side and you could do one side at a time without actually having to remove the roof so far as I can see. 

Useful videos too in the TSBs (links don't work in the versions I've uploaded so have added the links at the foot of this post).

Anyway this has absolutely nailed the problem for me so I thought I'd share! Hopefully this restores peace and quiet for y'all too!

Good luck!

Simon

PS links to videos from TSB2187:
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V458.mp4
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V459.mp4
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V460.mp4
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V461.mp4

links to videos from TSB2188:
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V462.mp4
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V463.mp4
 

 

TSB2187copy.pdf TSB2188copy.pdf

[StephenFord]

Looks an easy enough fix, especially if you have your panoramic roof sitting on a work bench... 🤣

[noboundaries]

I have this very issue going on right now with my mk4 wagon, with a dealer in Australia, the rattles coming out of the panorama roof at the back left of it. is just mind boggling, but we will see how they go. this has been 14 months of rattle and creeks. door trims replaced, left hand pax door, just bad build process.

[SB active X estate]

3 hours ago, noboundaries said:

I have this very issue going on right now with my mk4 wagon, with a dealer in Australia, the rattles coming out of the panorama roof at the back left of it. is just mind boggling, but we will see how they go. this has been 14 months of rattle and creeks. door trims replaced, left hand pax door, just bad build process.

That is exactly what I was finding and this fixed it for me. Maybe worth giving them these tsb’s and getting them to do this for you. Good luck! Fingers crossed that it fixes it for you

[SB active X estate]

5 hours ago, StephenFord said:

Looks an easy enough fix, especially if you have your panoramic roof sitting on a work bench... 🤣

I don’t reckon you even need to take the glass fully out. Just undo the bolts one side at a time and lift it slightly so you can stick on the foam tape between the runners. I didn’t bother with that part of it though and touch wood doing all the other elements in the TSBs has cured all the creaks and rattling for me. 

[noboundaries]

Update, they found  rattle in the left hand rear passenger door, the window runner frame was not secured properly, they fixed this, did it solve my rattle, no, well in part, i still have the  rattle in the pano roof, I showed them the TSB and too much problem for them, so I will deal with it myself.

[Albi1]

Thank you I removed the plastic cover for several days there was no creaking so followed instructions now nice and quiet. Thanks for video's and pictures.

[Wheelyb]

I have a similar problem, although it’s in a mk3 focus RS with sunroof.

creaks and cracks in the headlining but it seems to come from above both B pillars just above your head.  Someone suggested it could be the black roof channels that are contracting and expanding and general moving in the fixings.  But I believe they’re stuck down and can be removed, dunno

[unofix]

I seem to remember that there was something of a Ford fix for this.

Log on to ETIS and put your VIN number is to see if there are any outstanding notifications

[Jim H]

I wonder if these fixes can be done on a Fiesta roof? Mine has an annoying creek which I think is coming from up there. I have asked a dealer to look at it whilst having a service, but they didn't do anything about it, only identified the noise as coming from the roof!! 

Actually, this is the first car I have owed with a sun/moon roof, so is there any maintenance that can/needs to be done on these things? Does it need greasing, does it have drain holes, etc?

[StephenFord]

Just now, Jim H said:

... Mine has an annoying creek...

There's your problem! That volume of water sitting on your roof is bound to be an issue 🤣

[unofix]

Does it make more noise when hot ?

 

[Dragunov404]

Here it does on my Fiesta MK8 ST. 

I wonder aswell if they can use this TSB, cause we don't have those plastic cover

[HR1]

Hi guys - new member here. 
 

Technically not yet an owner, but currently speccing an ST.

I was going to spec the pan roof, but having read this and other threads, I’m a bit hesitant. Appreciate there’s a fix, but as a pan roof is only a nice-to-have for me, I’d rather avoid the bother if there’s a good chance I’ll need a few trips to the dealer / have to take matters in my own hands implementing a fix. 
 

One would like to think they’ve fixed it in the facelift given it’s a known issue but you never know!

So, my question is: does anyone have any experience of the pan roof on the Mk4 facelift and is it any better?

Ta in advance

Harry

 

[mepeternicholls]

On 11/15/2021 at 5:52 PM, SB active X estate said:

My Mk4 estate has been plagued with an annoying clicking and cracking sound from the panoramic roof - mainly around the B pillar area, from about week 2. Been back to the dealer twice who fobbed me off with the usual. 

Finally solved this last week after getting hold of the TSBs. [see attached below]. Why, you may ask, did I not go back to the dealer and tell them to sort this? Well, my dealer said they only do roof repairs on Anglesea which is almost a 2 hr drive from me, so I thought I'd do it myself. 

The culprit for me was the central black plastic trim underneath the moon roof. Basically the clips for this are hard plastic into metal and while they are a reasonably snug fit, as the car heats up the plastic expands and you get some clicking and cracking sounds. you also get some cracks and noises as the car flexes over bumps etc. 

Anyway it is a really easy fix to do yourself which will save you the hassle of a drive to your dealer. The TSBs also give some fixes for if you have noise coming from the front of the moon roof above the drivers seat which I did too but wasn't actually a problem for me. 

I've added some notes to the TSB regarding the central black plastic trim as it wasn't immediately obvious to me exactly what they were driving at. Also I used regular electrical insulation tape instead of the ford teflon tape and cheapo foam backed adhesive tape off ebay instead of the ford part. Both were absolutely fine. 

Once you've got the black plastic trim off you'll see there are a few places the metal can potentially touch the plastic and I basically put insulation tape anywhere I thought there could be contact. It's all hidden so you won't even know it's there.

The TSB talks about removing the roof but you only have to do this if you want to add some foam tape between the runner attached to the glass and the runner attached to the car. I didn't do this as it wasn't necessary for me but actually it wouldn't be hard to do this as it is only 2 bolts each side and you could do one side at a time without actually having to remove the roof so far as I can see. 

Useful videos too in the TSBs (links don't work in the versions I've uploaded so have added the links at the foot of this post).

Anyway this has absolutely nailed the problem for me so I thought I'd share! Hopefully this restores peace and quiet for y'all too!

Good luck!

Simon

PS links to videos from TSB2187:
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V458.mp4
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V459.mp4
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V460.mp4
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V461.mp4

links to videos from TSB2188:
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V462.mp4
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/videos/tsb/V463.mp4
 

 

TSB2187copy.pdf 2.14 MB · 60 downloads TSB2188copy.pdf 2.22 MB · 55 downloads

Sir. You are a star! This is the sort of help I love to see on forum.  Thank you

[mepeternicholls]

On 11/20/2021 at 10:18 AM, noboundaries said:

Update, they found  rattle in the left hand rear passenger door, the window runner frame was not secured properly, they fixed this, did it solve my rattle, no, well in part, i still have the  rattle in the pano roof, I showed them the TSB and too much problem for them, so I will deal with it myself.

Interesting. My doors are irritating me and dealers just go ‘nah can’t hear anything’… seems we’re left to our own devices these days. 

[mepeternicholls]

Sorry to spam this topic. In addition, has anyone experience road noise coming through the roof? It sounds like a window isn’t quite up, but all windows are tight. 

[SB active X estate]

Just a quick update to this thread on moon roof creaks and clicking noises.  All the mods in TSBs I posted have continued to keep my mk4 quiet and rattle-free. Have now done 70k so they have had a decent road test. One creak/click I have started to notice is from the roof blind when it is fully retracted. Difficult to see what is going on with this as it’s not so easy to access the blind mechanism but I’m definitely getting a repetitive small creak noise when going over bumps when the blind is fully retracted. Work around I’ve found is to not have it completely retracted and then the creak doesn’t happen. If anyone’s got a fix for this then please share. Cheers! 

[Avose55]

On 5/19/2022 at 12:17 PM, Albi1 said:

Thank you I removed the plastic cover for several days there was no creaking so followed instructions now nice and quiet. Thanks for video's and pictures.

How did you remove the plastic cover? I got the 4 rear clips out but cannot get the remaining 5 in the front.

[SB active X estate]

Hi Andrew,

see attached, hopefully will help.

ATB,

Simon