1997 mpv sun roof opens, but doesnt always close. I can't hear the motor trying to cloe it at all.

need service get it?
the channel tracks are bad or broken or dirty.
clean out?
that is never strange, broken or thermally.
I hate sun roofs most are made with cheesy weak cheap plastic parts. that LOVE TO FAIL. my Jeep is a convertible; vastly better
google sun roof fails, and cry. (vast did)
and always fails (stuck open) when it rains, (murphy;s law)

sure in physics 101 google how materials expand hot.
icing too.fails (packed in ice)
even the car body can expand hot,and does.
google material thermodynamic expansion and contraction.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_expansion

theres a way to close it by taking off the panel above that covers the motor and putting a allen wrench into the middle of the motor unit and turning it i think clockwise. If the gears are stripped it wont work...but if its just the motor then manually turning the gear should close it. I figured out which way it needed to be turned to close then put a allen attachment on my cordless drill and made it easier cause it will take awhile

Sounds like the motor is worn out try applying some finger pressure on the sun roof and actuate the closer button and it should close it until you can pull your roof panneling back to expose the motor to be change

Hi.
I was having trouble with my sun roof on a 2004 Montecarlo. I had two issues water coming in and would not operate fully. I could toggle the switch and it would not move very far. this is what I found. I started to pull down the lining and saw that the motor was in front of the sun roof.
I found the drain lines on the front side corners of the tray around the inside of the sun roof. I found that the tube ran down the pillar's and out between the door hinge's. I took them off and blow them out one was plugged up. That fixed the water problem. The roof would move with help from me pushing. I got it opened and noticed the grease was hard. I cleaned up the grease and removed most of it with WD40.
Now the sun roof works good as new.
I thought the water problem was because the roof was not fully closed but I guess it is designed to have water pass by the roof seal and have it drain away. I always noticed water under the car after a rain or a car wash but did not realize iit was the sun roof draining.

caution if it opens you may not be able to close it again, this sounds like the track broke or something in the motor. lets hope its the motor as if its the track then the whole track needs to be replaced, there is no repairing a broken sunroof track.

yes there is a manual winding mech. i think under around rear seats,thats where the relay and fues are for the auto roof, normally its quite easy to get the motors working on mech, you need multi meter , fuses and a psare relay.

replaced it with a junkyard switch.

I was lucky, the owners manual was still with the car and it addressed this problem. Tells you to remove the cover for the controls to the sun roof. Then remove the screw plug that is located in the forward left side of the control box hole (Need big screw driver to break it lose). Then remove the slug surounding the inner adjustment screw, being careful not to lose any shims or washers. Trun the adjustment screw counter clock wise to close the sunroof down and clock wise to shut the sunroof from the open position.
Looks like the motor is shoot. To prevent this from happening again I disconnected the white with black strip wire to the control pad and unsulated the lead. It can easiely be hooked back up in the future if the motor is replaced.
Good luck all!

check fuse F1.401, 30 amp in central junction box (in truck). Check your owner manual for fuse information.
Headliner must be removed to access motor.



Visual Inspection Chart Mechanical Electrical

• Roof opening panel
• Roof opening panel frame
• Roof opening panel drain hoses
• Roof opening panel lifter assemblies
• Roof opening panel water trough
• Roof opening panel air deflector assembly
• Roof opening panel seal
• Roof opening panel shield

• Battery junction box (BJB) fuse
• Circuitry
• Accessory delay relay
• Roof opening panel switch

• The roof opening panel does not open or close

• Roof opening panel adjustment.
• Battery junction box (BJB) fuse.
• Circuitry.
• Roof opening panel switch.
• Roof opening panel motor assembly.
• Roof opening panel lifter assemblies.

• The roof opening panel does not open or close — one direction only

• Circuitry.
• Roof opening panel switch.
• Roof opening panel motor assembly.

It sounds like it can be a problem with the switch. Try pulling the switch out of the dash. Are you any good with using a Digital Multi Meter?