I am considering buying a 1995 940 with a moonroof that has been closed for years and the wiring to the moonroof disabled because of leakage and sloshing of water which I suppose is in the channels and the drain tubes are plugged. I checked the gasket around the moonroof glass and it is pretty rotted out by the sun and after checking a couple websites find the gasket is unavailable.
Has anyone had this problem and what would you folks with moonroof experience do? I suppose the last resort would be to go around the seam with some caulking type tape used to seal RV seams.
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Mine:4-940s running, 2-740, 1-940 parts, dtrs:4-940s

I have dealt with the leakage issue on both my 1995 940 and my 1997 960, and here is my take on it. I don't think it is necessary for the rubber seal to be water tight, as the moonroof drainage channels and drain tubes are designed to handle leakage past the gasket. In both of my cars, the leakage turned out to be between the vinyl casing that surrounds the glass and the glass itself. I attempted to reseal the glass and its surround with appropriate sealant without success. I finally fixed the leak by purchasing a used sunroof glass panel from Pick n Pull. the installation was relatively simple and has been water tight for a couple of years now.

John

Did Volvo even offer a glass moonroof in the 940? Makes me wonder if it is aftermarket and therefore potentially still available for the seals.

So the most part, the 7/9 sunroof seals are made of unobtainium but it is only a noise issue if you keep the drains clear.

The 1995 model year 940 had the moonroof as an option, but not the sunroof.
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john

John, so the Moonroof wasn't available before 1995 in the 940s?
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Mine:4-940s running, 2-740, 1-940 parts, dtrs:4-940s

The sunroof was the option in 1994 and earlier. The moonroof was the option in 1995.
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john

The moonroof was not available in the 940 series prior to the 1995 model year.

The moonroof was an option in the 960 series prior to 1995.
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john

I measured the openings in my cars and looked at the gaskets. The gaskets for the Sunroofs and Moonroofs are much different. The Sunroof gaskets are a synthetic velvet like material and the Moonroof gaskets are all rubber and much wider. The openings for the SR and MR are the same:

Here are the measurements at the widest parts of the opening (not a true rectangle):
91 740 SR, 93 940 SR, 94 940 SR, and 95 940 MR: 37 7/8" X 19 3/4"
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Mine:4-940s running, 2-740, 1-940 parts, dtrs:4-940s

Dear jd620,

Hope you're well. Thank you for confirming that openings in the roof plate are the same for sunroof and moonroof. I'd bet that from year-to-year, moonroof gaskets interchange, just as sunroof gaskets interchange, even though the two types of gaskets do not interchange.

Thus, a '95 940 moonroof gasket should interchange with the moonroof gaskets used on '95-'96 960s and '97-'98 S/V 90s.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

If the seals for the moonroof are similar to the ones for a sunroof and they can't be had through a Volvo dealer--I'd look to VW since their sunroofs are from the same company. -- Dave

Dear jd620,

Hope you're well. The moon-roof gaskets/sealing strips likely are dealer only. Ask a Volvo dealer if the main moon-roof gasket (Part #3528663 ???) is available. An on-line database I consulted suggests that this gasket is available.

As I do not have a sunroof-equipped car, I cannot be sure that the item I see on a parts diagram is the part to which you referred.

If the gasket(s)/sealing strip(s) can be had from a Volvo dealer, it should be possible to restore the moon-roof.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

Thanks Spook. The part number I believe is for a 1994 and maybe I'm wrong but thought I read somewhere that the moonroof was only made in 1995.
http://www.volvopartswebstore.com/products/Seal--front/1140125/3528663.html
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Mine:4-940s running, 2-740, 1-940 parts, dtrs:4-940s

Dear jd620,

Hope you're well. You're correct. The sunroof's shape is determined by the cut-out in the sheet metal. The 1994 and 1995 940 and 960 sedans have the same "roof plate" (roof sheet metal). The part number is 3526494.

That opening in the metal determines the size of the glass sheet (for a moonroof) or a metal panel (for a sunroof). Similarly, unless Volvo changed suppliers, the seals for the glass sheet or the metal panel should be the same from the '94 to the '95. Volvo will sometime change the part number, if there's a supplier change.

It is also sometimes the case, that a part for a later model will fit an earlier model, without there being an explicit link.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

Try FCPEuro. Years ago, I bought a gasket for my 90 240's sunroof from them. Even if they don't have one, they are pretty good at obtaining parts not in stock. Probably a lot more helpful than a dealer's parts department!

Never have owned a 940, but almost bought one numerous times. So I'm surprised to hear that the moonroof might only be available on 95's. I seem to remember that a 93 and a 94 that I test drove both had moonroofs not sunroofs. Could be mistaken as it was a while ago...

The following might help restoring the moonroof:

https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/BodySunroof.htm