Small roof issue (surprise surprise)

warmasice · Post by **warmasice** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:08 pm

304frp wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:24 pm Hi ,
You can’t get contact cleaner inside the switch as it is covered over , leading to zero access . I have swapped mine over two weekends ago , easy diy , don’t be afraid to have ago. If you need any advice Please ask , it’s not a difficult task. You will have to dremel the screws off , as they are a 2mm hex head loctited on , so they just round off on applying any force . A carefull bit of tinkering and it’s easily achieved.

Can you point me in the direction of the exact screws you used as a replacement? Thank you

RobbiZ4 · Post by **RobbiZ4** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 6:03 pm

M3 x 5mm, in total 4 screws

warmasice · Post by **warmasice** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 7:43 pm

RobbiZ4 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 6:03 pm M3 x 5mm, in total 4 screws

Thank you! I've been reading your posts including those in your signature. Is there anywhere that shows me a really simple step by step guide on how to change the two micro switches? It's probably just me but can't find it anywhere.

RobbiZ4 · Post by **RobbiZ4** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:16 pm

There is a complete description of a roof harness replacement, where these MS were included.
Might be a starter, as I don't know any other one.
viewtopic.php?t=122363

warmasice · Post by **warmasice** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:43 pm

Thank you. Looks like that's for replacing hydraulic lines though. Just want to be sure I know what I'm doing before replacing the micro switches. Knowing my luck I'll end up doing something wrong. Lol

RobbiZ4 · Post by **RobbiZ4** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 7:07 am

warmasice wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:43 pm Looks like that's for replacing hydraulic lines though.

Not only. Important to read the MS passage.

warmasice wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:43 pm Knowing my luck I'll end up doing something wrong. Lol

Well, there are some traps to fight with:

buying a nail iron viewtopic.php?p=1861524#p1861524, marking the exact positions of the 2x 3 nuts around their heads with a white Edding pen, placing a broomstick to support the trunk lid, drilling out the 4 small screws, unpinning the wires from the new plugs as it doesn't fit on your "old" hydraulic harness, re-pinning the new switches into the old original 2-pole plug housings, re-adjusting the units as last step.
Good luck.

Pondrew · Post by **Pondrew** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 10:38 am

warmasice wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:43 pm Thank you. Looks like that's for replacing hydraulic lines though. Just want to be sure I know what I'm doing before replacing the micro switches. Knowing my luck I'll end up doing something wrong. Lol

It does seem a bit daunting but it is very simple, honest.

If your car is later than 2012 (I think) the new switches will plug straight in. If it is earlier then tell the dealer you order them from and they will supply an adapter which means no soldering.
The only thing you can really do 'wrong' is put the whole thing out of alignment when you loosen the bolts for access; that is where the marker pen is important.

I was lucky with mine and all screws came out easily and I re-used them with a smear of thread lock. Beware, though, they are fricking tiny and easily lost.

RobbiZ4 · Post by **RobbiZ4** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 10:53 am

Correct, the plug story only hits E89 built before March/April 2012.

Pondrew wrote: ↑Fri Jun 17, 2022 10:38 am If your car is later than 2012 (I think) the new switches will plug straight in. If it is earlier then tell the dealer you order them from and they will supply an adapter which means no soldering.

AFAIK exact these expensive adapter have one bigger "new" plug as well as open wires to solder on the other end. Not worth to buy, much simpler to crack the new plugs, take the two pins out of it and put it into the old housings. Takes 3 addional minutes instead of another 30-40 bucks.

warmasice · Post by **warmasice** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 12:39 pm

RobbiZ4 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 17, 2022 7:07 am
warmasice wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:43 pm Looks like that's for replacing hydraulic lines though.
Not only. Important to read the MS passage.

warmasice wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:43 pm Knowing my luck I'll end up doing something wrong. Lol
Well, there are some traps to fight with:

buying a nail iron viewtopic.php?p=1861524#p1861524, marking the exact positions of the 2x 3 nuts around their heads with a white Edding pen, placing a broomstick to support the trunk lid, drilling out the 4 small screws, unpinning the wires from the new plugs as it doesn't fit on your "old" hydraulic harness, re-pinning the new switches into the old original 2-pole plug housings, re-adjusting the units as last step.
Good luck.

Thank you. I have a panel clip puller, ordered the m3 5mm bolts, white marker pen.

I know I've asked this on another thread, but are items 4 and 5 the most common micro switches to fail? Shall I order those first?

: IMG_1170_zpslipfzfic.png (274.5 KiB) Viewed 546 times

warmasice · Post by **warmasice** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 1:14 pm

Pondrew wrote: ↑Fri Jun 17, 2022 10:38 am
warmasice wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:43 pm Thank you. Looks like that's for replacing hydraulic lines though. Just want to be sure I know what I'm doing before replacing the micro switches. Knowing my luck I'll end up doing something wrong. Lol
It does seem a bit daunting but it is very simple, honest.

If your car is later than 2012 (I think) the new switches will plug straight in. If it is earlier then tell the dealer you order them from and they will supply an adapter which means no soldering.
The only thing you can really do 'wrong' is put the whole thing out of alignment when you loosen the bolts for access; that is where the marker pen is important.

I was lucky with mine and all screws came out easily and I re-used them with a smear of thread lock. Beware, though, they are fricking tiny and easily lost.

All sounds ok, just don't want to get anything wrong lol. Which micro switches did you change? Were they no.4 and 5 in the above post?

RobbiZ4 · Post by **RobbiZ4** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 1:29 pm

Pos04+ 05 are correct.

Pondrew · Post by **Pondrew** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 2:16 pm

warmasice wrote: ↑Fri Jun 17, 2022 1:14 pm All sounds ok, just don't want to get anything wrong lol. Which micro switches did you change? Were they no.4 and 5 in the above post?

Yes 4 & 5, the ones on the boot rails. These seem to be the most common to go, must be something to do with moisture getting in there easier. Again Robbi will put me right if this is not the case.

javis20 · Post by **javis20** » Thu Aug 18, 2022 4:00 pm

A couple of questions for those who have changed the boot closed micro switches...

1. How much interior carpeting has to be removed?
2. What is the torque spec for the 3 main nuts holding the assembly in place?
3. Is Loctite used on the three nuts and the microswitch screws?

Thanks

B21 · Post by **B21** » Thu Aug 18, 2022 5:17 pm

javis20 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 4:00 pm A couple of questions for those who have changed the boot closed micro switches...

1. How much interior carpeting has to be removed?
2. What is the torque spec for the 3 main nuts holding the assembly in place?
3. Is Loctite used on the three nuts and the microswitch screws?

Thanks

Also length and width of the pesky screws required pls?

javis20 · Post by **javis20** » Thu Aug 18, 2022 5:35 pm

M3 x 5, so 5mm length.

Z4-forum.com

Z4-forum.com