Edit
Maintained in the German ZRoadster forum:
www.zroadster.com
www-zroadster-com.translate.goog
05.01.2026
Due to it's age, the following faults/signs of wear in the roof area of our Z4 E89 will come up:
IMHO no E89 will be spared from this, it is only a matter of time.
But, all of these points can be mitigated with a minimum of efford before it comes to a shutdown!
Just a bit of maintenance will avoid any issue.
How to solve these problems? Have a look at the following maintenance thread:
E89: Retractable Hardtop (roof) Maintenance (and additional) tasks
z4-forum.com
Update May 2025:
Added 2 additional points, which have become increasingly important in recent years.
Update January 2026:
Reworked and aligned to the recommendations in the German ZRoadster forum.
Maintained in the German ZRoadster forum:
⌛ ------- Z4 E89 FAQ und Empfehlungsliste - My Recommendations ☕
Bearbeiten dieses Beitrags Hinweis an den Forums-Betreiber: Von mir gepostete Bilder, Zeichnungen, Fotos, Dokumente u.ä. unterliegen, sofern nicht anders angegeben, meinem perönlichem Copyright oder das deren Eigentümer und gehen mit der Veröffentlichung nicht automatisch in das Eigentum des...
⌛ ------- Z4 E89 FAQ und Empfehlungsliste - My Recommendations ☕
Bearbeiten dieses Beitrags Hinweis an den Forums-Betreiber: Von mir gepostete Bilder, Zeichnungen, Fotos, Dokumente u.ä. unterliegen, sofern nicht anders angegeben, meinem perönlichem Copyright oder das deren Eigentümer und gehen mit der Veröffentlichung nicht automatisch in das Eigentum des...
05.01.2026
Due to it's age, the following faults/signs of wear in the roof area of our Z4 E89 will come up:
- Salmon-colored relays
Wearing internal(!) switching contacts on the two salmon-colored relays on the hydraulic pump.
=> No warning in advance. This can cause the pump to fail. In rare cases, the hydraulic pump will be destroyed by continuous operation and subsequent overheating. This can happen to anyone who has NOT yet replaced the relays with new ones!
Nerve factor => Drama!
The green flashes are burnt copper. Each switch activity will remove some copper from the contacts.
- Place a XXL car cover behind the driver's seat
Just in case you can't close your roof anymore. This cover must be larger than the Z4 so that, in an emergency, even blocked roof elements can be covered.
Important:
This cover must be stored behind/under the seat, as the trunk cannot be opened in case of a malfunction!
- Water damage to the hydraulic pump.
- Incorrectly mounted taillights
- Missing sealing of the 3rd hole in the body after replacing a taillight
- Defective rear ventilation flaps
- Nerve factor
Expensive drama: €3-4,000
- Put a plastic bag around the foam of the hydraulic pump
You won't mention water in the trunk until the hydraulic pump died due to corrosion. Keep it dry and check the water level BELOW the pump each spring.
- 6mm Allen key
Get yourself an Allen key with an outer dimension of 6 mm and put it in the glove compartment as part of the vehicle's tool kit. With it you can carefully open one of the brass valves on top of the hydraulic pump in case of a roof malfunction to manually move the trunk frame or roof shell.
- Coupling lock microswitch
Poorly switching coupling lock microswitches on the horizontal hydraulic cylinders in both rear fenders.
=> Warning in advance: usually associated with diffuse error situations: sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Nerve factor => Often Drama, roof doesn't lock.
Hall sensors coupling lock
Hall sensors bursting and corroding in the same place, but only on the right.
=> No warning in advance: Roof movement interrupted after opening or closing the vertical trunk lid, less frequently a crash of the main pillar (roof shells) into the still closed trunk lid.
Nerve factor => Drama, possibly Crash of the roof elements.
https://www.zroadster.com/forum/threads/dachstoerungen-klappdach.146153/post-3614357
- Gas springs of the trunk lid as well as of the roof's main pillar
Get it replaced by new ones each decade (trunk lid), or at the latest when the roof "falls" into the trunk when opening or gets stuck/blocked in the trunk when closing.
Good to know: Most gas springs have a date printed on them in the format DDD/YY.
Roof E89 (BMW 54377212634)
Stabilus 0728pb 800 N (As these springs are pre-tensioned, a special tool is required!)
Trunk lid E89 (BMW 51247191255) - all original mounted ones are "dead" inbetween and should be replaced
Stabilus 499514 570N
MAGNETI MARELLI 430719116600 570N
Hood E89 (without passenger safety option, BMW 51237191528)
Stabilus 611845 220N
Same topic for the other BMW retractable hardtops:
Roof E93 (BMW 54377128764)
Stabilus 459851 1300 N (special tool required!)
Trunk lid E93 (BMW 51247129215):
Stabilus 032963 230 N
Luggage compartment E93 (BMW 54377171221):
Stabilus 4731PZ 200 N
Roof F33/F83 (BMW 54377128764)
Stabilus 459851 1300 N (special tool required!)
Trunk lid F33/F83 (BMW 51247295244)
Stabilus 442407 300 N
Luggage compartment F33 (BMW 54377171221):
Stabilus 4731PZ 200 N
The BMW special tool for gas springs 83302472914 (>200€).
Seaarch results for: "83302472914"
www.baum-bmwshop24.de www.baum-bmwshop24.de
- Aging batteries suffering from loss of capacity
Car batteries should be replaced after 10 years at the latest, even if the engine still starts. The decreasing capacity of the batteries over the years causes diffuse interference with the electronic control units and can NOT be compensated for by permanent recharging (CETEK etc.).
Replacement: 70Ah, definitely AGM technology! Registering the new battery is necessary to reset the internal statistics.
Nerve factor => Annoying.
- Breakage of sensor wires and hydraulic lines in the rear roof shell
Wire breakage in the rear roof shell in the upper arches that cannot be seen from the outside. In the same place, almost all hydraulic lines have already broken due to material fatigue and will burst at some point. ------- Roof problems, folding roof ------- 
=> Usually no warning in advance: Roof movement aborted at any position and no way of return, often no longer possible to close.
There is no emergency operation!
Nerve factor => Drama.
- Soft Close System in the trunk lid
The moving wires of the microswitches in the trunk locking system on the right and left have broken.
Nerve factor => No warning: the lock no longer locks or is constantly trying to lock.
=> At first it's just annoying because the lock doesn't close and the roof can't be opened. No drama.
The correct solution:
Perfect!
After renovation of the wires, i always secure the strain relief with fabric tape and cable ties like on the following pic:
2022
Update 2026:
In between I extend the new wiring with a loop to reduce the bending angle.
- Rear ventilations, 2x partno. 64226909340
Replace it each decade, as it becomes weaker and water gets into the trunk. Can be replaced from the inside of the trunk without dismounting the rear bumper.
Have alook at this video:
IMHO no E89 will be spared from this, it is only a matter of time.
But, all of these points can be mitigated with a minimum of efford before it comes to a shutdown!
Just a bit of maintenance will avoid any issue.
How to solve these problems? Have a look at the following maintenance thread:
E89: Retractable Hardtop (roof) Maintenance (and additional) tasks⌛ E89: Retractable Hardtop (roof) Maintenance (and additional) tasks
Edit post New: Z4 E89: Collection of the typical age-related defects in the roof environment https://z4-forum.com/threads/hourglass-done-e89-collection-of-the-9-typical-age-related-defects-in-the-roof-environment.148657/#post-2091928 Breaking News 2026 Ich habe hier im Forum einen Beitrag...
z4-forum.com
Update May 2025:
Added 2 additional points, which have become increasingly important in recent years.
Update January 2026:
Reworked and aligned to the recommendations in the German ZRoadster forum.
Last edited:
Attleborough, Norfolk
Devon
. Do you have a preferred charity I can send some money too?
MaviZ4
Portugal
