Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

[wallon Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close wallon]

G'day all
New to this forum so, hello to all,
I have a 2003 Prado Grande, last Friday the roof failed to close.....
Dealer diagnostic is a bend frame cost to repair $4500.00 plus labour.
What to you think is that realistic?
I'm tempted to just leave close and disabled the switch (cost $385.00)
Or is do I have a second hand choice???
Cheers Thierry

[croozza Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close croozza]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

G'day all
New to this forum so, hello to all,
I have a 2003 Prado Grande, last Friday the roof failed to close.....
Dealer diagnostic is a bend frame cost to repair $4500.00 plus labour.
What to you think is that realistic?
I'm tempted to just leave close and disabled the switch (cost $385.00)
Or is do I have a second hand choice???
Cheers Thierry

One has to ask, how did the frame bend. I doubt it is a bent frame. Take it to a sunroof specialist and get a quote.

[wallon Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close wallon]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

G'day all
New to this forum so, hello to all,
I have a 2003 Prado Grande, last Friday the roof failed to close.....
Dealer diagnostic is a bend frame cost to repair $4500.00 plus labour.
What to you think is that realistic?
I'm tempted to just leave close and disabled the switch (cost $385.00)
Or is do I have a second hand choice???
Cheers Thierry

One has to ask, how did the frame bend. I doubt it is a bent frame. Take it to a sunroof specialist and get a quote.

Left motor failed, leaving the other one to do all the work, which put pressure on the frame???
Will be seaking other quote.
Cheers Thierry

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

I was going to buy a grande and after looking at 3 of them with rust in the sunroof (common problem) decided against a grande, Wanted VX but extremely rare so settled for a GXL. When I got some prices for a new sunroof (glass only, metal shround and rubber seal. all one piece) it was $1300 plus $1500 for fitment so $2800 all up. I suppose with your quote there is the frame and obviously the motors included. Might be cheaper to look for wrecked one and strip it down?? Regards Steve

[croozza Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close croozza]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

I was going to buy a grande and after looking at 3 of them with rust in the sunroof (common problem) decided against a grande, Wanted VX but extremely rare so settled for a GXL. When I got some prices for a new sunroof (glass only, metal shround and rubber seal. all one piece) it was $1300 plus $1500 for fitment so $2800 all up. I suppose with your quote there is the frame and obviously the motors included. Might be cheaper to look for wrecked one and strip it down?? Regards Steve

Might have something to do with the way the vehicle is looked after, My vehicle doesn't have any rust where the sunroof is.

[tassie tiger Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close tassie tiger]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

I was going to buy a grande and after looking at 3 of them with rust in the sunroof (common problem) decided against a grande, Wanted VX but extremely rare so settled for a GXL. When I got some prices for a new sunroof (glass only, metal shround and rubber seal. all one piece) it was $1300 plus $1500 for fitment so $2800 all up. I suppose with your quote there is the frame and obviously the motors included. Might be cheaper to look for wrecked one and strip it down?? Regards Steve

Might have something to do with the way the vehicle is looked after, My vehicle doesn't have any rust where the sunroof is.

How do you 'look after' a sunroof? :?:

[croozza Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close croozza]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

[quote=tassie tiger]

I was going to buy a grande and after looking at 3 of them with rust in the sunroof (common problem) decided against a grande, Wanted VX but extremely rare so settled for a GXL. When I got some prices for a new sunroof (glass only, metal shround and rubber seal. all one piece) it was $1300 plus $1500 for fitment so $2800 all up. I suppose with your quote there is the frame and obviously the motors included. Might be cheaper to look for wrecked one and strip it down?? Regards Steve

Might have something to do with the way the vehicle is looked after, My vehicle doesn't have any rust where the sunroof is.

How do you 'look after' a sunroof? :?:[/quote:182ayfng]


Sunroof needs lube on the slides.

But I was mainly talking about rust, if you look after it, ie wash and polish, touch up any chips, ect you shouldn't get rust in the sunroof cavity.

[wallon Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close wallon]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

Car has no sign of rust at all and has been wash regulary, I'm thinking to leave it closed and spend the $ 0n accessories
Cheers Thierry

[croozza Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close croozza]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

Car has no sign of rust at all and has been wash regulary, I'm thinking to leave it closed and spend the $ 0n accessories
Cheers Thierry

I wasn't talking about your car in particular wallon.
Steve M said he had a look at 3 Grande's and they had rust in the sunroof cavity, this is because they dont clean the cavity and lube the sunroof slides or linkages.

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

Hi Croozza, the rust wasnt in the rails or anything they were all in the same spot which was right at the front of the sunroof on the glass panel itself. As you obviously no there is the glass then a metal panel then the rubber is attached to the metal panel. The rust was right at the front on all of them. Eg open sunroof halfway, feel the rubber along the front of the sunroof, and sort of sqeeze the rubber between fingers and you could feel it crumbling then come out from under rubber and dropped over drivers seat. All three had it across the front edge where is closes against the metal roof. All three were local cars (sydney area but not near salt air) eg Glenhaven, Campletown, and Windsor downs, all one owners. The one at Glenhaven had been off road but nothing extreme. Other two had never been taken off road, clean as a whistle under neath, no signs of off road use, mud, sand blasting nothing. One was an 03 04 and a black 05 which is still for sale at the dealer. The one at Glenhaven sold last week and the bloke dropped the price from 31,500 to 29 which if he had dropped it to 29500 which is what I offered him 4 weeks ago he would have sold it. I was even at the garage in Penrith the other day and bloke had a 06 grande he was a salesman for a yard and we were talking about filling the two tanks and I asked him any rust in his sunroof, na mate clean as. I said do you mind if I have a look, so after filling up we moved from the pumps. I opened it up and felt around the rubber and quess what, was just starting to rust could feel it, he nearly died in the arse when I showed him. They wont leak water into the cabin untill the rust is just about to the glass as the metal tray around the sunfoor frame will catch any water and send it out the 4 drain holes (one on each corner). His was immaculate condition two, pearl white in colour beautiful looking vehicle. If ever checking DONT pull the rubber back as once you do that its stuffed. Must be a reasonably common thing 4 out of 4 for me. washing I doubt will have any effect on it unless it has been near salt air, and as far as polishing goes, there is nothing in there to polish except to lubricate the tracks which my old 95 grande had like a white coloured grease Toyota use to put on it. Regards Steve

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

Hi there Wallon, Id be interested to ask if you have actually checked it for rust, as per my reply below, its not the body of the car that rusts it the metal plate that is attached to the glass itself, Reply below on how I found it. Regards Steve

Car has no sign of rust at all and has been wash regulary, I'm thinking to leave it closed and spend the $ 0n accessories
Cheers Thierry

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

Pictures of a rusted 120 grande sunroof and where to look The ones I looked at were not as bad as this but one was working its way to the edge of the rubber so was more easy to see. You wont know its there unless its as bad as these pics or unless you feel for it. I think the worse thing is washing the car then putting straight back into garage. Anyone with a sunfoof I would be opening it either after you wash it and let it dry out or if been driving in the rain and are lucky enough to have a carport or garage and open slighly and let it again dry out to prolong any rust problems. Have never seen this in a 95 series and I have had two of them in grande's. Regards Steve








Regards Steve M

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

Check this out.. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3477 ..........Regards Steve

[croozza Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close croozza]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

I think the 95 series sunroof is different, as it is has a graphite fibreglass frame. I have not noticed any metal in the sunroof except for the linkages/hinges.
Are they the same size between the 95 and 120, if so, then it could be possable to put a 95 series frame into the 120 as long as the slide/tilt is the same.

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Re: Sunroof Prado 2003 Grande

You could be right Croozza ?? I never eally payed much attention to it except checking for rust when I bought it and must say I never saw a 95 grande with rust in the roof/sunroof, not to say it doesnt happen but I definately didnt see it for myself in any I looked at or owned, the 120 on the other hand obviously has a bad design fault. If the 95 did have a plastic/fibroglass/graphite it was a bloody good idea. Regards Steve

I think the 95 series sunroof is different, as it is has a graphite fibreglass frame. I have not noticed any metal in the sunroof except for the linkages/hinges.
Are they the same size between the 95 and 120, if so, then it could be possable to put a 95 series frame into the 120 as long as the slide/tilt is the same.