# Rear Sunshade Problems (inoperative, clicking sounds, etc.)



## pantera1683 (Sep 11, 2010)

My new to me 04 W12's rear sunshade does not work. The fuse is fine but when I push the button the sunshade doesn't move at all and it doesn't make any sounds. Also, I have had the left battery on a CTEK charger for a couple days and the battery is fully charged. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Kris


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## dovetaildoc (Jan 3, 2009)

For what it's worth, may not be your problem, but, try pushing the button a little harder! 

When I first got mine, it didn't work either. After a couple of months, I just tried pushing it harder. It worked! And has been fine for years. 

Hopefully that works for you.

Mike


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## pantera1683 (Sep 11, 2010)

dovetaildoc said:


> For what it's worth, may not be your problem, but, try pushing the button a little harder!
> 
> When I first got mine, it didn't work either. After a couple of months, I just tried pushing it harder. It worked! And has been fine for years.
> 
> ...


No, I tried pushing the button very hard several times but got no response.


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## invisiblewave (Sep 22, 2008)

It's refusing to raise because it doesn't want to be seen with chrome wheels.


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## pantera1683 (Sep 11, 2010)

invisiblewave said:


> It's refusing to raise because it doesn't want to be seen with chrome wheels.


I don't know why you keep posting useless comments in my threads. Maybe you can't help being an ass.


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## rmcclain54 (Sep 2, 2012)

Same here. I think it was that the first owner had youngin's who wrecked whatever they could touch. The rear seat cup holder is unusable and the rear sunshade is no-op. I have probed into the sunscreen and it feels as if some of the plastic bits are broken. Have been thinking of pulling it out to see what is (not) going on ... So, if you learn anything please share! (My in laws will be visiting this summer and it would be great is that was working  ) ...


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## steveskinr (Oct 31, 2007)

I've had some problems when it's too hot, and some when it's too cold on more than one car.

When well below freezing and raised, I've waited ten minutes for it to warm up enough to go down.

Sometimes on a very hot sunny day, I can't raise it on one of mine.

Never had a switch problem though.


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## Irish Phaeton (Sep 6, 2010)

It's worth listening closely when you press the sunshade button. You should hear a relay click in the rear parcel shelf area, indicating electrics to blind work. I had a blind replaced under warranty with this problem, but it's now failed again but well outside warranty ( with only minimal usage). I can hear the relay, but no motor or any form of movement. I plan to lower the shelf and have a closer look some day soon, will report back on findings.


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## jyoung8607 (Feb 14, 2006)

invisiblewave said:


> (s**t-disturbing)





pantera1683 said:


> (over-sensitivity)


Let's all be nice and focus on the problem at hand, okay guys? We only average one Moderator Hammer per year in this forum, let's try to get further than February.

Kris, good choice on the charger. I just picked up a CTEK MUS 4.3 POLAR as I wasn't happy with my Wal-Mart unit, especially in very cold conditions. I'm very pleased with it so far.

If memory serves, the sun shade has a controller of sorts, although I don't believe it's directly addressible on its own. It may be a sub-unit of Central Electronics or Central Convenience. I'd have to consult a wiring diagram. Do you have VCDS? If so, post an Auto Scan. In the meantime I'll take a look at a wiring diagram.

Jason


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## pantera1683 (Sep 11, 2010)

Irish Phaeton said:


> It's worth listening closely when you press the sunshade button. You should hear a relay click in the rear parcel shelf area, indicating electrics to blind work. I had a blind replaced under warranty with this problem, but it's now failed again but well outside warranty ( with only minimal usage). I can hear the relay, but no motor or any form of movement. I plan to lower the shelf and have a closer look some day soon, will report back on findings.


When I push the button I don't hear any sounds at all. Where is the relay located?


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## Paximus (Aug 26, 2011)

I just happened to have some diagrams open here - sorry, I don't mean to pre-empt your reply, Jason... 
<UL><LI>The blind switch (E149) is wired direct to the rear roller blind control unit (J262) which is plugged in to the base of the blind assembly (see the parts diagram below).</LI><LI>The blind switch is fed from fuse SB66 (5A) in the fuse box under the steering wheel. This is shared with some Climatronic functions, so if nothing else is broken the fuse is probably OK.</LI><LI>The blind controller and motor (V91) share a 12V feed from fuse SC25 (5A) in the fuse box above the left battery.</LI></UL>
Invisiblewave/Martin posted elsewhere that his blind mechanism had mechanical damage at the top of the runner, which stopped it sliding.

The switch assembly 3D1 959 672E (plus colour suffix, eg 5W8 for anthracite) lists at around $100, the complete blind 3D5 861 325D or E or F (plus colour suffix, eg 92Y for sunny beige) at around $650 and the repair motor part 4B0 959 733 lists at about $225.

Chris










image (c) volkswagen


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## jyoung8607 (Feb 14, 2006)

jyoung8607 said:


> ... If memory serves, the sun shade has a controller of sorts, although I don't believe it's directly addressible on its own. It may be a sub-unit of Central Electronics or Central Convenience. ... In the meantime I'll take a look at a wiring diagram.


Following up to myself --

I checked the wiring diagrams. The "controller" J262 doesn't amount to much and is integral with the motor V91. Since it's integral with the motor, it'll be under the hat-shelf somewhere. The switch is directly connected to the controller; there doesn't appear to be CAN bus communication or a slave controller relationship at all. It's not likely to show up on any diagnostics. Check fuses SB66 and SC25 for the switch and the controller/motor respectively.

Edit: Chris said it better and more detailed above, so just look at what he says. The "4B0" prefix on the motor means it's not Phaeton specific, so there may be a wider availability of salvage parts if you need one.

Jason


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## pantera1683 (Sep 11, 2010)

Thanks for all the really good information. I will start working on it this weekend.


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## sean_m (Oct 6, 2010)

steveskinr said:


> I've had some problems when it's too hot, and some when it's too cold on more than one car.
> 
> When well below freezing and raised, I've waited ten minutes for it to warm up enough to go down.
> 
> ...



Same here. My sunshade will occasionally stick and require a couple of button presses before it raises.

I started raising and lowering it every couple of weeks or whenever it occurs to me. It seems to be less sticky now.

If it stopped going up at all I might use a thin plastic object to gently push up on the cap while a helper pushes the sunshade button.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Hi Kris:

In aircraft maintenance (a subject I used to teach before retiring), we carry out troubleshooting on a component by identifying and following what we refer to as "paths of influence". The same concept can be applied to troubleshooting automobile systems.

The sunshade is electrically operated. From that, it is reasonable to conclude that if electricity is not getting to it, it won't work. The presence or absence of electricity is thus a "path of influence" on the sunshade.

There are various things that could be responsible for an interruption in the electrical supply: some kind of microscopic failure inside an electronic controller, a connector is unplugged somewhere, a wire is broken or torn out somewhere... ...or maybe a fuse is blown. If you sort all those possible problems by 'ease of identification' (in other words, how quickly and easily you can rule out a particular path of influence), it becomes clear that the most appropriate thing to do first - simply because it is the easiest thing to do and requires the least amount of disassembly, intervention, labour, etc. - is check the fuses.

There are two fuses involved in the operation of the rear sunshade. One is fuse number 66 in the "B" fuse panel. The "B" fuse panel is the big fuse panel underneath the steering wheel. The other fuse is fuse number 25 in the "C" fuse panel. The "C" fuse panel is the fuse panel directly above the left battery, in the trunk of the car. Check these fuses to ensure they are satisfactory before diving into any more complex or time-consuming investigations. 

FYI I have attached a copy of the wiring diagram for the rear window shade. On the wiring diagram, the fuses are identified as 'SB66' and 'SC25'. S is the first letter in the German word for fuse (Sicherung), and the letter that follows S indicates which fuse panel the fuse is located in. Fuse SB66 also protects the power supply to the Air Conditioner control valve and the Climatronic (HVAC) controller, so, if your heating and air conditioning is working OK it is unlikely that fuse SB66 has blown. Fuse SC25 protects both the control module for the sunshade and the motor on the sunshade... that is the fuse that warrants the closest scrutiny.

Michael


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## johnnyjiang (Feb 24, 2014)

*HELP: The rear sunshade issue*

Hi everyone.
For some reasons my rear sunshade doesn't come up all the time now. When I push the button, I can hear the click sound but nothing comes up few times. And when it does work, around 5 seconds after it completes the movement, I can hear a click sound also. Is that normal? What is the problem? I think it might stuck for some reason. Is there Any way to reset or sync it? Thank you.


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## johnnyjiang (Feb 24, 2014)

Please help!!'((


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## Jxander (Aug 5, 2008)

It seems to be a fairly common problem and I've never seen any simple and inexpensive solutions. I assume it is generally associated with sticky or binding joints in the plastic mechanism. 

Maybe the following link will help... http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?6921743-Rear-sunshade-inop&highlight=rear+sunshade

Jim X


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## invisiblewave (Sep 22, 2008)

If you look underneath the top rail, you can see where the mechanism slides, that's where mine broke. Having seen the break, it looked as if some sort of silicone lubricant might help. I've been planning to lubricate mine but haven't got round to it yet. If it's sticking, that's likely where it is.


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## SolusNonSum (Feb 25, 2014)

@Johnnyjiang - I notice the same clicks on my rear sunshade as well. My shades seems to have no problem going up and down when it's cold or have been parked in the garage. After sitting out in the sun for a couple hours and the interior warms up, it refuses to come up and makes those clicks. Not sure why it does this, but I have noticed this issue to only come up when my Phaeton sits out in the sun. I assume that some component in my rear sunshade expands when the vehicle interior heats up preventing the sunshade from coming up. I have gone as far as leaving it up in the mornings and retracting it after being parked outside for a while. Once it retracts the first time, it won't extend again until later at night when temp drop.


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## johnnyjiang (Feb 24, 2014)

*Rear sunshade clicking sound?*

Hi everyone.
Also I wonder if your phaetons rear sunshade makes a click sound about like 5 seconds after it completed the movement? Both going up and going down.
Thank you all! Sorry for having too many questions!


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## pantera1683 (Sep 11, 2010)

So today, my rear sunshade started working again without me doing anything to it. I don't know if it matters but it was about 80 degrees F today and I had the car parked outside for a couple of hours before I tried the sunshade. Now that it is working again I'd like to keep it that way. Do you recommend lubing the arms? If so what type of lube?


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## Irish Phaeton (Sep 6, 2010)

Hello all
this evening I finally got around to lowering the rear panel and having a look at the electric blind mechanism. Item 36 in the diagram above is a small relay/timer assembly mounted close to the motor (item 38) for the mechanism. When the dashboard button is pressed this relay engages for approx 20 seconds and provides power to the motor to complete the blind expansion or contraction. Using a multimeter I see that the motor is being provided with power but makes no effort to move. I had someone operate the button with my fingers on both the relay & the motor; I can hear & feel the vibration of the relay, but there is nothing from the motor: no twitch or vibration; nothing. 

*This my question: does anyone have instructions on removing the blind?* I can do it without instructions, but it will take that much longer: it looks tricky to manouver it out.

*OK, a day later *and I have had a closer look. As far as I can see, to remove the blind assembly it will have to be from the passenger compartment as well as the boot/trunk. I just can't see a way to get the blind (or the motor assy) out from trunk only. All indication are that it's hat-shelf removal, which required the rear seats & c-trim panels to be removed. All for a $%%£ blind that was rarely used at 53 Deg N 

Another hour later, here is the answer: hatshelf removal
I guess it could be worse: first, remove the engine...

I can then have a close look at the motor, see if I can identify the source and maybe disassembly and see if it's something simple (and report back).

Thanks
Hugh
Dublin


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## cbh123 (Aug 25, 2013)

Mine does the same thing


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## coolsig (Jan 4, 2011)

same here.


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## rmcclain54 (Sep 2, 2012)

coolsig said:


> same here.


Fremont?

Same here as well, from Milpitas.


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## invisiblewave (Sep 22, 2008)

I listened for a click on my new one, and I don't hear anything. Have no idea if that's significant or not.


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## maccd87 (Dec 20, 2015)

Bumping this thread back up.

When I test drove my car, the sunshade worked flawlessly. A few weeks after purchase, the relay would click, but the shade would not extend . Randomly the other day I tried it and the shade came up, went back down. I had heard that lack of usage caused problems so I decided to use it more frequently. Unfortunately now it gets stuck trying to go back down. Which is far more aggravating. Are there lubrication points I need to hit? It sticks about 1/8th of the way down, the scissor action of the upper section of the rail is visible when it gets stuck. I can get it to go down by having one person click it and I help it down gently. 

Anyone have this issue? Is there some lubrication needed? Adjustment/maintenance?


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