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Intermittent sunroof. Switch works then doesn’t. Then does

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Florida, Aug 11, 2020.

  1. Florida

    Florida Junior Member

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    Sunroof works perfectly, No signs of motor wearing out and no sluggishness opening or closing.
    Then switch feels dead. Then 5 minutes or 10 hours later and the switch makes electrical contact and sunroof opens and closes again.
    Anyone have this happen? Any clues?
    2010 Prius
     
    #1 Florida, Aug 11, 2020
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    When I bought my Gen 3, the mirror adjusters wouldn't work. Dead as doornails. I tried the rocker in all directions, the seller seemed to have no clue, and I bought the car anyway, brought it home, and popped the mirror switch out of the dash. I opened it and hit the contacts with some contact cleaner (GC Jiffy Bath is the stuff I happen to have) and the mirrors have worked fine ever since.

    There wasn't anything else in the car that didn't work, just that one switch. I don't think he had thought to test the mirrors. You could see his face sort of fall when I did and they didn't work.

    Now in the name of full disclosure, Toyota has a sternly-worded technical service bulletin telling you never to attempt to repair a malfunctioning switch and that doing what I did may shrink all your laundry and kill your cat. So it's up to you whether it's worth trying.
     
    #2 ChapmanF, Aug 11, 2020
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  3. Florida

    Florida Junior Member

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    Thanks. That sounds like a good idea So I will try that. But getting at that switch is harder then your mirror switch??? I have already changed the map light bulbs near the sunroof switch. But to get at the sunroof switch it looks like it
    Is necessary to remove whole 8 inch by 8 inch unit. Anyone done that? Does it pop out? Any you tube links show that done?
     
    #3 Florida, Aug 11, 2020
  4. Florida

    Florida Junior Member

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    Before I remove the upper console, I have doubts that cleaning will solve it. Your mirror case was not turning on. Then you clean it and it works.
    But mine works for a long period then stops then starts again to work a long time again. Why would mine work again if still needed cleaning?
     
    #4 Florida, Aug 11, 2020
  5. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Because conductive metals can rust and perhaps only parts if the switch rusted and cleaning will get rid of the residue. Imagine a crackling volume knob.
     
    #5 Grit, Aug 12, 2020
  6. cjskaer

    cjskaer New Member

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    I just bought a 2014 Prius Four to replace my 2015 Prius that was totaled. I am having the same intermittent issue with the sunroof on the 2014 sunroof. It will open and close 4 out of 5 times. However, it will randomly just not close. I then let the car sit overnight in the garage and hit the close button this morning and it worked. I'm just posting here to see if anyone found a solution to this issue.
     
    #6 cjskaer, Jan 25, 2021
  7. Florida

    Florida Junior Member

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    Exactly same issue with the sunroof on my 2010 Prius switch turns it on then another time it won’t. Can work perfectly for months and then it can stay stuck open which is dangerous if raining soon. Then two hours later it will work. Like Russian roulette.
    How did you solve it?
    Looks like I will have to buy the whole map light unit($300) that also has that same bad switch. That switch can not be bought by itself.Has anyone succeeded in being able to clean that switch or fix it some way?
     
    #7 Florida, May 18, 2021
  8. Paul E. Highway

    Paul E. Highway Active Member

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    Was your switch not being used for a long time? When I bought my 2010 in 2019, the mirror adjusters didn't work-probably hadn't been adjusted since car was bought by original owner. Rocked them back and forth about 100 times and they work like new.
     
    #8 Paul E. Highway, May 18, 2021
  9. Florida

    Florida Junior Member

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    Jiggled a million times. So I finally bought a new overhead unit with switch that looks exactly like mine for only $40 on eBay.
    Only problem is I just noticed the eBay one has an additional SOS option on the black circle of light switches. I don’t need or care about the extra SOS. I only care if the rest will still fit? Will it ?
     
    #9 Florida, May 20, 2021
  10. Florida

    Florida Junior Member

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    Sunroof switch solved. Cleaning the switch useless. Don’t waste your time dreaming about cleaning sunroof switch. There is no old fashion metal contact point on the switch that can be cleaned. I took the old console apart. The switch is ONLY plastic that pushes what looks like two sets of two mini enclosed shock absorbers that the plastic switch pushes up. Nothing to clean. Just need to buy the complete map light/sun roof switch console that costs $350 new at the dealer or only 30-40 dollars from eBay. With the correct plastic wedge/ pry tools, the old console pops right out in 5 minutes. Unplug from old one and plug in replacement, snap back in, and you are good to go. But make sure replacement works by testing switch before snapping back in.
    A dealer could snap out the old one and plug in and snap in the replacement in 15 minutes but the labor book will say a lot longer. Invest in the plastic pry/wedge tool for a few dollars and do it yourself.
     
    #10 Florida, Jun 2, 2021
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