How to Install Auto Sunroofs

Installing an automobile sunroof can be a do-it-yourself job. It is important that you invest in the specific sunroof kit designated for your car's make and model. You can buy a kit online or at a local auto parts retailer. Most kits will come equipped with the frame, the glass, the inserts, a set of screws and possibly a roll of weather stripping and caulk. Once you have your kit, refer to its set instructions to avoid costly mistakes and to make the installation process as efficient as possible.

Instructions

1

Park the vehicle on level ground away from traffic. Turn off the engine and disconnect the battery. Lay tarp or protective covering over the car's interior seats.

2

Mark the area where the sunroof will be positioned with a non-permanent fine point marker. To find the right position, rearrange the front seats to their rear-most position on their tracks. Align the rear-most edge of the sunroof with the seat's back.

3

Tape the paper template found in the sunroof kit atop the roof of your vehicle. Center the template between the sides of the car's roof, making sure that the rear frame is aligned with the seat's backs. Mark over the template's installation lines with the marker.

4

Select the appropriate bits to use on the electric hand drill. Use the drill to start a hole in the rear edge of the sunroof so that it is in line with your markings.

5

Use an electric hand saw with a sheet metal cutting blade to cut along the template's installation markings starting from the drill hole. Use slow and precise strokes to reduce error as you cut. Remove and discard of the cut-out metal.

6

Use a razor blade or utility knife to cut out the headliner along the installation line markings. Refrain from cutting through all of the headliner at once. According to Guide 365, "the inner frame will cover the cut edge once the sunroof is installed."

7

Install the sunroof frames from the kit. Test fit them first -- both inner and outer -- so that they position in the hole properly. Adjust the hole by sawing out more metal until the frame sits squarely and flat inside the opening.

8

Apply the gasket seal around the border of the opening as directed in the kit instructions.

9

Test-install the sunroof's outer glass so that its border is positioned snugly around the gasket seal. If you notice a gap, fill it in with weatherstripping caulk. Remove the glass and frame.

10

Fill all large gaps with weatherstripping and caulking, and then reinstall the frame and glass. Insert and secure all screws that came with the kit. Clean away all caulk residue with a rag and mild soap.