Cant get the soft top down manually, help pls!

Jarppa · Post by **Jarppa** » Tue May 26, 2020 8:13 pm

Hi, I have this same problem. Indeed now second time. Thanks for this thread I got a solution to manually open soft rooftop! Right in time for the summer! Thanks Tug & co! So here is what happened ...

I have 2007 Z4 3.0Si, and it was around 2010 I had issues with the top. That time warranty saved me and BMW fixed the issue. If I got it right electric pump is sealed in plastic cover. This cover was filled with water and pumps were rusted. Mechanics changed the pumps and replaced plastic covers and told me they now drilled hole to the bottom of plastic cover so that pumps would not lay in water.

Now 2020 May I took Z4 from winter cave and noticed top is not opening again. As I press the opening button at console the front electrical engine seem to work and open the screen release (and windows open) but pumps at the back do not give any sign of life. Just like many of you write in here. I remembered from 10 years back that I was able to manually work with the top. I was not able to do so before my first visit at garage and they did something like "we released a thing".

Again this time 2020 top was very reluctant to fold manually. Lot of resistance and not willing to push too hard. I had a wake idea that at the trunk there is "this thing" - red plastic release ring. I tried to work with it few times but it felt like it was stuck and gave no response. I tried with more power and was worried I brake it (indeed I managed to detach the red plastic ring from the wire, luckily I managed to place ring back. But being violent with the release thing did not help! I was bit desperate. Came here and read the same symptoms and care. I decided to try one more time.

This time I opened the screen locking and top was lifted few centimeters. I went to trunk side and pull the red ring. It felt like no response. But I was encouraged by your advices here and was not ready to give up. I tried to "w**k" boden ring back and forth several times. I did not use too much power, my grip was firm but pull power was far from braking the plastic ring or wire. Even it felt like wire was not moving at all, it eventually moved a bit at the far end and "emptied the cylinders or something". This trick worked for me! Top gave up the resistance and was extremely easy to open. Closing was bit harder and recommend two persons to do it. Thanks guys! I usually do not write in these forums but I was so grateful for your advices and saw some still have issues with this so decided to give some hope

Jas- USA · Post by **Jas- USA** » Wed May 27, 2020 1:35 am

Jarppa

I can't tell if you've had your motor/pump relocated to your trunk/boot. You folks in the UK have about 4 or 5 guy's who will relocate the motor to the trunk for a really reasonable fee. We in the States don't have these guy's & are either on our own or at the mercy of the dealership.

The reason I'm telling you this is because using the red emergency handle to move the top could have really bad things happen if your motor isn't in the trunk/boot. In that, it totally locks up at the motor. You can pull on the red handle as much as you want with zero results. If your tops up when this happens (happened to me this way) you'll be able to reach the motor thru the trunk as I did. However, if the tops down when this fails...…...your really totally sc***ed. Basically your top is then folded down on top of the motor under great hydo pressure with either no way of releasing it or reaching the motor. The only way that I know of to fix this is to cut the hydo lines on the passenger(American) side.

I would urge you to take advantage of the folks you have in the UK to move your motor/pump to your trunk/boot. There rates are really reasonable. You want at all costs to avoid having your emergency by-pass system fail top down

Mr Chainsaw · Post by **Mr Chainsaw** » Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:04 am

Hi, I'm having same roof issues on my 04 2.2 as some of above posters.
Ie, roof latches open/close normally then nothing. No sound from roof motor presuming it's knackered.
Boden cable into manual and roof extremely difficult to manoeuvre up or down.
Does anyone know someone in the North East of England who would fix / replace the motor?......indies I've tried so far dont want to know.
Cheers in advance

bigwinn · Post by **bigwinn** » Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:40 am

Mr Chainsaw wrote: ↑Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:04 am Hi, I'm having same roof issues on my 04 2.2 as some of above posters.
Ie, roof latches open/close normally then nothing. No sound from roof motor presuming it's knackered.
Boden cable into manual and roof extremely difficult to manoeuvre up or down.
Does anyone know someone in the North East of England who would fix / replace the motor?......indies I've tried so far dont want to know.
Cheers in advance

Search for Durham Dave on hear, sounds like he isnt too far away from you!?

Mr Chainsaw · Post by **Mr Chainsaw** » Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:49 am

Many thanks bigwinn yes anywhere in Durham is near...much appreciated!

bigwinn · Post by **bigwinn** » Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:52 am

Dave comes very highly rated... and cheap too!

Likelihood is he may also get your waterlogged motor running again too

good luck

Mr Chainsaw · Post by **Mr Chainsaw** » Wed Jun 16, 2021 1:01 pm

Thanks again bigwinn....unfortunately I've searched for the username Durham Dave and cant seem to locate him.
Probably something I'm doing wrong...any suggestions appreciated!
Cheers.

Z4inOz · Post by **Z4inOz** » Tue Aug 24, 2021 2:26 am

Hi,
I’ve tried to manually on lock the roof latches with no luck. Has anyone had this? Or know how to unlock the roof then the key just turns and doesn’t unlock anything?

Number5 · Post by **Number5** » Tue Aug 24, 2021 7:34 am

Remove the sun visors and then you can unbolt the claw receivers from the top of the windscreen. Once open you can then unhook them from the claws.

Argyll Andy · Post by **Argyll Andy** » Tue Aug 24, 2021 9:08 am

Mr Chainsaw wrote: ↑Wed Jun 16, 2021 1:01 pm Thanks again bigwinn....unfortunately I've searched for the username Durham Dave and cant seem to locate him.
Probably something I'm doing wrong...any suggestions appreciated!
Cheers.

Here you go

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=123017&hilit=Durham+Dave

Z4inOz · Post by **Z4inOz** » Tue Aug 24, 2021 10:21 am

Thanks Number5. I will try that

jeff11214 · Post by **jeff11214** » Fri Sep 02, 2022 7:38 pm

Yet another guy with same issue as others here.
Console down button does unlatch the top, but top can only be manually pulled down maybe half foot.
I tried pulling on boden cable numerous times, but did not make any difference.
Assuming boden cable is the only issue not allowing fluid in the cable, would replacing the drowned hydro top motor resolve the issue so top can move automatically or manually?

enuff_zed · Post by **enuff_zed** » Fri Sep 02, 2022 7:43 pm

jeff11214 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 02, 2022 7:38 pm Yet another guy with same issue as others here.
Console down button does unlatch the top, but top can only be manually pulled down maybe half foot.
I tried pulling on boden cable numerous times, but did not make any difference.
Assuming boden cable is the only issue not allowing fluid in the cable, would replacing the drowned hydro top motor resolve the issue so top can move automatically or manually?

Hi there, whereabouts are you?
A few on here that can help out. Tbh you need to get the motor into boot to investigate before you can decide the next step.

jeff11214 · Post by **jeff11214** » Fri Sep 02, 2022 7:55 pm

I'm in New York. I'm planning on replacing and relocating the top motor into the boot. I'm just nervous to complete this job without the top motor actually working afterwards. But I guess you're right this is the first step.

enuff_zed · Post by **enuff_zed** » Fri Sep 02, 2022 8:06 pm

jeff11214 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 02, 2022 7:55 pm I'm in New York. I'm planning on replacing and relocating the top motor into the boot. I'm just nervous to complete this job without the top motor actually working afterwards. But I guess you're right this is the first step.

Oh that's easy. All I need is a plane ticket.

If the motor is still making a noise then it's fine. If it's not then it is pretty likely you can still revive it once you get it out.
The hydraulic pump that sits on top of it is more likely to be the culprit as they tend to fail in one direction first.
Does it motor back to the closed position ok?
The faintly good news is that it sounds like you're hitting a hydraulic lock. This implies at least that the fluid has not all leaked out of a pipe.
Do not try to force it as you could pressurise it enough to pop a pipe.
The bowden cables can seize though.
So Step 1 is get it out where you can see it.
Step 2, check the fluid level.
Step 3, unscrew the plastic bracket on the pump head that holds the bowden cable and its lever.
Under that you'll find a small brass plunger, protruding only a tiny bit. You should be able to push this in with your finger to operate the bypass, allowing hydraulic fluid to circulate freely and the roof to move manually. If the plunger is seized then spray some WD40 or similar onto it and work it in and out with a pair of pliers. It does only move 2-3mm so don't get too carried away.
If it all works properly then it may be a combination of a seized cable and a weak pump.
You will probably find it easier in that case to replace it all as one unit.
With it relocated to the boot (trunk) then it is not actually essential to reconnect the bowden cable anyway.

So get that far and report back.

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