Last night I started hearing an annoying rattle that sounded like it was on top of the sunshade. I tried opening and closing the shade a number of time to figure it out with no luck. This morning the noise has moved behind the shade and actually rolls forward at stops and then back at acceleration.
Any ideas on what it is and how best to get at it?
thanks

 

Although I don't remember experiencing either a rattle or rolling of any kind, I had a problem with the sunroof. I had to take off the hole headliner to figure out what was wrong.
However, I remember also someone having an item wedged in between the headliner and the roof, and it was suggested that the easier way to retrieve the lost item was by removing the sunroof glass (3 torx screws on both sides), without going through the whole cumbersome headliner removal thing.
By removing only the glass you may or may not be able to diagnose what's loose up there.
Beside that "rain tray" (or cross member) I don't think there's anything else that can roll forward and back as it gets loose.

This "suggestion" may or may not help you, but I thought it may give you a general idea of what's going on behind the headliner.
The entire thread containing my experience is here.
The next rain (and a leak) probably will give a clue if the cross member is the source of rattling/rolling or not.
Good luck.

 

Was your sunroof propped open for air? Maybe some sick puppy dropped a marble in there. I lost a small notebook up there and the upholstery shop guy opened the sunroof, stuck his head up there so he could see in the slot, and using a flashlight and one of those spring grapper tools pulled the notebook out. Suggest you get a flashlight and take a look for something loose up there.

 

I read about this somewhere... a spring comes loose due to a crappy plastic bracket and rolls around... something like that. Do a search on Audiworld.

 

I had a similar issue. Here's what was rolling around up there:



I suspect they are for the moon roof shade as it does not tilt up when I tilt up the moon roof.

Any idea where exactly these would attach? Any idea on the best way to get to them? I've searched and seen a reference to removing the sunroof glass, but I'm not sure I'd be able to see/find where these things would attach.

If somebody can help me get the headliner off my 2005 A6, I'll happily photograph the process and detail how to do this fix.

That I'd score a bunch of points with my wife for fixing this is a strong incentive indeed, but helping you guys out would be nice too!

 

Well, turns out those springs are for either side of the moon roof shade and the repair was easier than I thought. I did NOT involve taking the headliner off. They go on the top part of the moon shade. If you remove the glass for the moonroof with 3 torx on either side (beside the rail covers), you can install these easily and you can see where they hook in. One side apparently broke where the spring attaches so I attached to a slightly different spot - easy to see when you are looking at it!

SO relieved I didn't have to mess with the headliner.

One note - don't drop the screws closest to the front. They are a PAIN to get back out from under the track.

Okay, 2 notes - Wipe your hands off FREQUENTLY to avoid getting grease spots on your headliner. I used some Simple Green after I was done to get rid of any sign that I had worked on it.

 

I have the same problem. So I am reading this correctly that you took the glass out from the topside. How did you retrieve the spring that let loose? Is there an easy way to drop a side of the headliner just to get the spring out?

Thanks

Jeff