Vista Roof closes in 6.5 seconds!

[CinnamonEdge]

Just wanted to let everyone know that when you lubricate a vista roof's tracks it can close as fast as 6.5 seconds! Mine has always taken 9 seconds to close from full open position. But recently I was in the car driving and my vista roof wouldn't close without assistance of my father pushing it. Pretty embarrassing.So that next morning I lubricated the back half of the track (under the black rubber strips). There was no residue of any lubrication at all. So I used two pea sized amounts of dielectric grease on each side of the vista roof tracks. BAM! it went from no close to super highspeed! Well for a vista roof its fast. 6- 6.5 seconds. I chose dielectric grease because it works great with high temperatures and doesnt harm rubber and plastic. Not only that but while your up there you may as well lubricate the rubber seals as they also create friction on the roof panel. Dielectric grease is what most manufacturers use to clean and lubricate any rubber door and roof seals.

 

II think i am going to make a video on how to properly clean and lubricate the vista roof.

Edited June 11, 2015 by CinnamonEdge

[enigma-2]

Sounds great. What brand did you use?

[CinnamonEdge]

It is Permatex Dielectric grease. great for conditioning rubber weather striping on your Edge too.

[Louis Ve]

Thanks CinnamonEdge!

 

Can't wait for the video

[CinnamonEdge]

waiting for rain to end. Car will be at dealer getting fixed tomorrow. So maybe tomorrow night will be a good time to film.

[macbwt]

Great!! I look forward to the video. I think that i closes pretty fast. Any faster and they would have to rename it Guillotine!. Gotta have time to get body parts out of the way. LOL

waiting for rain to end. Car will be at dealer getting fixed tomorrow. So maybe tomorrow night will be a good time to film.

[richy]

I'd really like to see the video too to know where to put it. I already have some of that grease for my old motorcycle.

[enigma-2]

Hey CinnamonEdge, any guidelines on where to lubricate? Got some lube and wondering where you put the grease.

[CinnamonEdge]

im posting a video in the next few minutes

Edited July 3, 2015 by CinnamonEdge

[CinnamonEdge]

Here it is. Hope this helps people out. Wish I had a camera man but this gets the point across.

Edited July 3, 2015 by CinnamonEdge

[richy]

Awesome! I'm assuming you ran the grease along all 5 rails that you cleaned? Thanks again for taking the time to do the video!

[CinnamonEdge]

Yes

[cmillz1331]

Followed the video and the vista roof is opening quicker and closing much quicker than before. Seems to be getting better each run through as well (helping lubricant spread evenly across rails).

 

Thanks again for the great write up and video to help with this annoying problem.

[factor99]

Thanks Cinnamon.

 

In addition to being faster, the vista roof motor should have an easier life too.

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

This TSB is for the Lincoln MKZ, but shows how Ford is handing the lubrication of the roof opening panel:

 

TSB 14-0207

PANORAMIC ROOF OPENING PANEL – SHUDDER OR VIBRATION – CLOSING OR OPENING

Publication Date: November 6, 2014

LINCOLN: 2013-2015 MKZ

ISSUE:

Some 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ vehicles equipped with a panoramic roof opening panel may exhibit a vibration or shudder when opening or closing the panoramic roof opening panel. This condition is mostly noticed in high ambient temperatures.

ACTION:

Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

The cleaning and lubrication procedure is for the panoramic roof opening panel tracks. The door latch lubricant spray specified in this procedure has unique properties that will help it adhere to the sides of the rails and prevent the rubber components from swelling.

1.Bend the handle of a 38.1 mm (1.5 inch) diameter synthetic bottle brush in a 45 degree angle. (Figure 1)

Figure 1 - 14-0207
2.Close the panoramic roof opening panel. Clean both rear panoramic roof opening panel tracks by inserting the modified bottle brush from step 1 at the center of the driver’s side rear track and slide the brush up and down the full length of the rear track 3 times. Repeat on the passenger side panoramic roof opening panel rear track.
a.Wipe the brush with a shop towel to remove any grease or debris after cleaning each track.
3.Insert an air nozzle into the top of the driver’s side panoramic roof opening panel rear track between the seals and blow out any loose debris while moving the air nozzle down the track. Repeat on the passenger side panoramic roof opening panel rear track.
4.Start at the top of the panoramic roof opening panel on both rear tracks.
a.Insert the spray applicator so it is pointing towards the inner (inside) track. Spray the Door Latch Lubricant to make sure the spray is directed at the inner side portion of the track and not sprayed directly down. Repeat on the other side rear track. (Figure 2)

Figure 2 - 14-0207
b.Insert the spray applicator so it is pointing towards the outer track. Spray the Door Latch Lubricant to make sure the spray is directed toward the out side portion of the track and not sprayed directly down.
c.Spray the Door Latch Lubricant while moving the applicator down the track stopping about 152 mm (6 inches) from the bottom of the back glass. It should take approximately 4 seconds to spray from the top to the bottom of the track.
5.Move the panoramic roof opening panel to the full open position. Cover the opening to protect the vehicle interior from over spray.
6.On both panoramic roof opening panel tracks place a shop towel in the center of the track which is part of the front S curve. The section of the track which pulls the roof down. (Figure 3)
a.If a shop towel is not in place, excess lubricant may seep through the seam in the center of the S curve and drip onto the top of the headliner.
7.On both panoramic roof opening panel tracks start at the front of the track.
a.Position the spray applicator so it is pointing towards the inner side portion of the track and slightly rearward. While moving the applicator rearward down the track, apply the lubricant to within 51 mm (2 inches) of the front lifter arm. (Figure 3)

Figure 3 - 14-0207
b.Position the spray applicator so it is pointing toward the outer side portion of the track, and slightly rearward. While moving the applicator rearward in the track, apply the lubricant to within 51 mm (2 inches) of the front lifter arm.
c.Application should take approximately 3 seconds of spraying time when spraying from the front of the track to the rear.
8.On both panoramic roof opening panel tracks place a shop towel around the end of a plastic trim tool that will fit down in between the tracks. Run it up and down the front track assembly to wipe the excess lubricant from the center of the track that might have drained from both side rails.
9.Remove the shop towels and cycle the panoramic roof opening panel open and closed 3 times.
10.Open the rear decklid and on both sides, wipe the excess lubricant that may have drained from the rear track onto the luggage compartment surrounding trim.

Obtain Locally
Synthetic Bottle Brush – 38.1 mm (1.5 inch) diameter

PART NUMBER PART NAME

5U7Z-19A501-A Door Latch Lubricant

OPERATION DESCRIPTION TIME

140207A 2013-2015 MKZ: Clean And Lubricate Panoramic Roof Opening Panel Rails Following The Service Procedure (Do Not Use With Any Other Labor Operations) 0.4 Hr.

WARRANTY STATUS

Eligible Under Provisions Of New Vehicle Limited Warranty Coverage.
Warranty/ESP coverage limits/policies/prior approvals are not altered by a TSB. Warranty/ESP coverage limits are determined by the identified causal part and verified using the OASIS part coverage tool.

DEALER CODING

BASIC PART NO. CONDITION CODE

54502P68 41

[CinnamonEdge]

Awesome find. I bet that is a synthetic lube that they use. The only problem with the vista roof is the way the rear section of roof is exposed to the weather and rain water, sand and dirt get washed past the rubber seals and into the lubricant of the tracks. My thoughts are that it should be cleaned and lubed at least every 10,000 miles or at every oil change.

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

This is what Ford lists on their lubricants/greases page:

http://www.fordparts.com/Products/Chemicals-Greases.aspx

 

And here is the specific product mentioned in the TSB:

https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/Main/msds/us174336us_supplier.pdf

 

Ford Multipurpose Dry Film Door Latch Lube - Aerosol 5U7Z-19A501-A.pdf

 

LONG LIFE LUBRICATING (XL5)

 

Could be Teflon, Silicone, Graphite ???

[CinnamonEdge]

 

Could be Teflon, Silicone, Graphite ???

Probabbly Teflon. The problem with dry film is that it wears down fast on the aluminum tracks. Then you have the silicone(dielectric) or Lithium grease used on most sunroofs. Greases collect dirt over time but dont wear away as fast. So both require frequent cleaning and reapplication. Can't win.

[trickington]

Here it is. Hope this helps people out. Wish I had a camera man but this gets the point across.

 

Thanks for the video - very helpful. Our Vista Roof barley moved without being helped the last 10" or so. Cleaned the tracks using your video as a guide, and then chose to use the PTFE Lube (XG-8 ESB-M1C111) for the s-curve tracks at the front and the Silicone Spray Lube (XL-6 ESR-M13P4-A) on the aluminum tracks. Now it closes in half the time and does not noticeably slow near the full close position. Now to see how long it lasts!

[netizenX]

Awesome HOWTO video.

[Navihawk]

CinnamonEdge, thanks so much for the terrific and informative video (and thanks to others for alternative lube and grease suggestions). I followed your instructions almost exactly, although after (I thought) I was done, I realized that I did not have the sunroof all the way open, only as far as it goes with the "one-touch". I felt like an idiot! It seemed to open and close a little better after I did it, though, but I do need to go do it again; I just haven't had a chance to. And now the middle of a heat wave doesn't really seem to be the best time to stand next to or over (with a stepladder) a hot car! I'll get back to it soon.

 

But one unintended consequence I noticed a couple of days after I did it was the long rubber/plastic "accordion" pieces on the inside of the tracks and under the sunroof sometimes move back from where they pop in at the front when I open the sunroof, and they've also come detached from the track a couple of times. It's happened on both sides of the roof. And both problems are easily remedied; I just press the piece back onto the track, and I can slide it forward so it's back in place. But it's happened more than once since I cleaned and lubed the sunroof (so obviously I did something; it was in no way the fault of your video instructions). Have you, or anyone else, had this happen? And any ideas on how to prevent it? Thanks!

[blueovalbubb]

awesome tips and videos! thanks!