Morning all,

Just wondering if there are recommended lubrication points on the opening pano roof?

Considering a light drop of WD40 on visible pivot points, tracks etc or is there an alternative, preferred product.

I remember on Porsche Targa roofs (996/997) applying grease to the roof mechanism was a big no - no, hence wondered if any guidance available for the L405 pano roof.

Thanks in advance! Current
2016 MY L405 SDV8
2018 VW Golf GT EVO
2001 BMW Z3 2.2
Previous
2002 L322 TD6
2004 Mercedes R230 SL350
1994 993 Carrera
Range Rover P38 x3
Range Rover 3.9 EFI

Would be interested in this also. My roof can be slow to close. I lubricated with a dry lubricant which appeared to help for a period but would like to know the proper lubrication regime. 2013 L405 AB 4.4SDV8 Luxor/Ivory, 2007 Vogue TDV8 Epson Green/Sand, 2008 Vogue TDV8 Buckingham Blue/Sand, 2003 Vogue 4.4 LPG Epsom Green/Sage, 1998 Vogue SE 4.6 LPG Epsom Green/Cream

Every now and then mine starts to squeak and opening/closing it stops it for a while, then I apply some silicon spray (from Lidl, for rubber joints) all along the closure and this kills the noise for a week but not permanently... Our mechanic said that the recommended treatment for roof mechanisms is this: https://products.liqui-moly.com/silicone-g...ent-2.html
It actually shows a panoramic roof on the tube! Still, it didn't stop the squeak, at least not for long...

I have used a product called Houdini which is a specialist lubricant used by locksmiths. Advantage is it’s a dry lube which doesn’t get sticky or effect rubber seals. It appears to be a graphite base. Alternative is synthetic gun oil which has similar properties.

There's a specific product for pan. roof mechanisms, I've only ever seen it sold with car manufacturers part numbers on and hugely expensive (~£35 for a 25ml bottle), however, it's a similar 'feel' and viscosity to air tool oil which tends to get used instead. The trick is knowing which bits to apply it to - certainly not the rubbers which should just be cleaned, usually with a bit of neat screenwash on a non-lint cloth.
You also don't want to over-lubricate as all that will happen is that airborne dust and dirt particles will stick to the excess exposed lubricant and make a nice grinding paste over time, with the attendant crunching noise every time you open and close it.

WD40 or similar will do a good job of flushing out any existing lubricant and due to it's low viscosity, would be worse than leaving as-is.

Some manufacturers (VWG in particular) specify a full 'clean out & renew' of all lubricants, typically it'll cost ~2 hours and involves three different lubricants, I've not checked recently but as far as I remember, JLR is basically 'wipe clean and reapply' with a liquid lubricant.

ETA - just had a quick look, there is LTB01141v2 which references creaking on tilt on L405

Read this, more info
https://www.rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic53742.html 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

I think ramirezlawt has identified both the issue and the solution, at least in my case, as applying silicone grease cures it for a while, probably if insisting with the card, a lot longer...

"The issue is however caused by the sunroof liner on the outside of the car. (My car has a fixed panoramic sunroof that does not open). I know it sounds odd and you are probably thinking it's not causing the rattle however I can assure you that it solved my issue.

All you need to do is buy silicone grease ... and apply it to both sides of the rubber lining at the front and rear of the sunroof (on the outside of the vehicle). The gaps are really small and tight so I used an old credit card to slide between both sides as I applied the grease. Once done simply wipe any excess away and the issue will go.

The issue is essentially caused by the rubber creaking (although it sounds like a rattle) and occurs when the car's chassis bends slightly as you drive over bumps, etc. This same issue occurs on almost all cars with sunroofs and is the result of the rubber drying out slightly. For reference my car is literally brand new with less than 5K miles on and is a 2020 model. The rubber looks brand new so don't think it only occurs in aged vehicles."