Another Z4 Roof Issue - FIXED + Some other stuff planned for new Z4

@RobbiZ4

Here are some pics of the removed Hall Sensor:
Pic1.png

Pic2.pngPic3.png

In terms of what sensor I've removed and replaced it was the one that sits closest to the end of the Ram that sits closest to the front of the car see the pic below, I have only joined the wires inline, waiting for a new connector kit to arrive from Amazon so I can re-pin and wire them into the connector properly.

Pic4.png
 
Great pics.
Pic1.png

That sensor is rusty inside and had lost most of it's magnetism. The chip inside detects this issue and varies the current to the CTM, which places the fault code.

Example:
0_20200516_230416.jpg

Position is correct for A696.

Check the wire colours as mentioned above and below:
RobbiZ4 said:
Correct is:
colour to colour
brown to brown

Did you rework the 2 wires of the new HS to fit into the old, tiny plug housings? Then it might be possible, that the wires got mixed up.
Click to expand...


Don't forget to place a zip tie around ram, wires and hoses as cutted off before.
 
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Thanks,

Will double check the wires tomorrow in daylight and tidy it all up with zip ties etc if the rain holds off.

Will report back

Phil
 
Just managed to test things out whilst the rain stopped, I've tried the pins both ways coming from the new hall sensor, this will likely make more sense to you than me, but here are the test results from the foxwell on both configs...( I assume one is correct and one isn't, I think the first pic is how it should be so left the pins that way)

Config1.pngConfig2.pngCodes.png
 
If you test the wrong sensors, results won't be better than before. :unsure:
  • Pic 1&2 are the 2 microswitches of the couplings, which always should be in sync, opened or closed.

    Strong recommendation to get renewed each decade according to my FAQ.
  • it's not of interest of better or worse, just colour to colour...
 
sorry bit confused the three sensors I was reading are not the three sensors that relate to the rear end module A696 CTM error?

I took pictures of all the live data for each sensor/switch but assumed those three were the ones that relate to the rear end module, guess that isn't the case
 
RobbiZ4 said:
file-jpg.281840

This code is regarding the HS "Hall sensor, open circuit, closing movement, rear-end module", that is positioned on this ram to the front of the car.
Click to expand...
I don't know it's name in Foxwell.
 
I've logged a side by side of the live data, I've already replaced the hall sensor in position HS-2, I'll also replace the HS-1 position for completeness

DataLog.png
 

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Great overview, thanks.

It's the "interruption" HS.

This HS get's touched only for a second while the trunk frame is closing. Any static view doesn't help, even not any tester.

Colour to colour is the magic.

AFAIK Foxwell doesn't differentiate these sensors between good (yes/no) and defect (also no).
 
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I may just have found my problem, or certainly a contributing problem! There are the two microswitches that are both sides of the car inside the main hinges/arm for the roof mechanism on both the drivers and passenger side, it appears there is meant to be a little spring that clips into the microswitch and to the housing it sits in, the spring is present on the passenger side microswitch but missing on the drivers side one. I have ordered a set of various size springs to replace it but long term i'll likely replace the whole microswitch as it looks abit rusty and old

I can't quite work out how the spring/switch operates in relation to the rear module being up or down

1770394976339.png
 
Very good seen, but that's a 2nd fault in parallel, that never will throw a fault code.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: B21
We are fixed! big thanks to you @RobbiZ4 appreciate all your help in getting the roof back fully working.

Now this is a lengthy write up, but hopefully someone else will find this useful one day. I am very much a home mechanic so have broken this down into things I used, and parts I replaced classified as "Probable Root Cause, Required maintenance and Preventative Maintenance"

Firstly Tools used, I tried using cheap K+DCAN ODB Cable and a copy of ISTA+ but probably something I was doing I just could not get a reliable connection or data, so just bought a new Foxwell NT510 Elite scanner for around £95 and this worked perfect every time. You can scan the CTM module read, erase codes, read the live data for each hall sensor/microswitch so very pleased with it - and it registered my new battery.

Parts:
  • Loom tape, and zip ties from Amazon
  • Bought X2 Hall Sensors to replace HS2 (Probable Root Cause) and HS1 (Preventative Maintenance) both are P/N 54347190735) this was direct from local BMW £14 each - more of that later
  • Bought a new R/H Coupling Microswitch (Probable Root Cause) - P/N 54377228586 this was £110 from local BMW so ended up getting it from https://www.sytnerstevenagebmwparts.co.uk for £58 - more on that later
  • Foxwell NT510 Elite ODB Scanner £95 eBay New
  • X2 Salmon relays (Preventative Maintenance) P/N 12631742690 local BMW Dealer £17 each
  • A new battery (Required maintenance) £140 EuroCar Parts
  • Had to get my FRM module recoded (99% sure caused by me trying to scan the car using ISTA+ with a very old battery) I used these guys off ebay who turned it around in 3 days for £35 https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/precisionmotoring
  • Some Gummi Pflege for the rubber seals Link (Preventative Maintenance)
The Fault

On the open sequence all the windows would go down, the roof above your head would pop open, the rear screen would pop open and retract above the roof, the huge rear most clam (boot) would open and then "bong" red light on dash - scan the CTM module and Error A696:
Fault.png

The Fix

With a lot of help from Robbi and reading the many other threads on here
So the scan showed Error A696 which refers to the HallSensor shown below in green in my pic (HS-2) I replaced this part, pretty easy to do other than you do either need to solider the new sensor into the original wires if you're familiar re-pin it into the old connector as the new BMW part I used does not some with a connector. I also replaced HS-1 (the blue arrow in my pic) but I this was just preventative maintenance and wasn't required to "fix"

Fix1.png

So tried the roof again and same thing Error A696, so started to suspect a Microswitch was at fault using the live data capture and it was the area in red that I started to narrow in on (see convo with Robbi and I above) the fact it didn't think the rear end module was open on the right made me start to look at the Microswitch that sits just inside the rear hinge (drivers side) and sure enough there was a retaining spring missing that pulls this switch back down after the rear module (big rear boot that lifts up) so in summary as he big boot part starts to hinge up the microswitch gets "opened" then once it's finished the spring pulls the microswitch back down so the car knows the process has completed and should report a "rear-end module open - yes", "Rear-end module closed, right -no" and "Rear-end module closed, left -no" without the little retaining spring my microswitch never returned to closed after the process of lifting the big boot finished to allow the next step of the roof folding into the boot to complete. So replaced the microswitch with a new one P/N 54377228586 (this does require you to unbolt the big hinge, but there is a guide on there for that, you must remember to mark the bolt positions for re-assembly!) once down zip tied all the wires and wrapped in loom tape.

1771322370465.png

So in summary and in my case Error A696 was infact a microswitch not the Hallsensor the code scanner has you think, but if I am correct @RobbiZ4 you said that microswitch does not return a scan code error? so you have to troubleshoot this one manually as such?

1771328301427.png

Thanks again for your help and I hope this helps someone else, my Mrs is very happy her roof now works although she has to now wait 3 months till summer before she can use it!
 

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Glad it's fixed and an excellent write up.
We are still short on roof experts for the E89 in the UK. (I know @bigwinn has done some).
Having this write up as another source of info, and hopefully the opportunity to ask you for help if needed (?), will be a big plus for the Forum E89 community. :thumbsup:
 
Banners24b said:
We are fixed! big thanks to you @RobbiZ4 appreciate all your help in getting the roof back fully working.

Now this is a lengthy write up, but hopefully someone else will find this useful one day. I am very much a home mechanic so have broken this down into things I used, and parts I replaced classified as "Probable Root Cause, Required maintenance and Preventative Maintenance"

Firstly Tools used, I tried using cheap K+DCAN ODB Cable and a copy of ISTA+ but probably something I was doing I just could not get a reliable connection or data, so just bought a new Foxwell NT510 Elite scanner for around £95 and this worked perfect every time. You can scan the CTM module read, erase codes, read the live data for each hall sensor/microswitch so very pleased with it - and it registered my new battery.

Parts:
  • Loom tape, and zip ties from Amazon
  • Bought X2 Hall Sensors to replace HS2 (Probable Root Cause) and HS1 (Preventative Maintenance) both are P/N 54347190735) this was direct from local BMW £14 each - more of that later
  • Bought a new R/H Coupling Microswitch (Probable Root Cause) - P/N 54377228586 this was £110 from local BMW so ended up getting it from https://www.sytnerstevenagebmwparts.co.uk for £58 - more on that later
  • Foxwell NT510 Elite ODB Scanner £95 eBay New
  • X2 Salmon relays (Preventative Maintenance) P/N 12631742690 local BMW Dealer £17 each
  • A new battery (Required maintenance) £140 EuroCar Parts
  • Had to get my FRM module recoded (99% sure caused by me trying to scan the car using ISTA+ with a very old battery) I used these guys off ebay who turned it around in 3 days for £35 https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/precisionmotoring
  • Some Gummi Pflege for the rubber seals Link (Preventative Maintenance)
The Fault

On the open sequence all the windows would go down, the roof above your head would pop open, the rear screen would pop open and retract above the roof, the huge rear most clam (boot) would open and then "bong" red light on dash - scan the CTM module and Error A696:
View attachment 290541

The Fix

With a lot of help from Robbi and reading the many other threads on here
So the scan showed Error A696 which refers to the HallSensor shown below in green in my pic (HS-2) I replaced this part, pretty easy to do other than you do either need to solider the new sensor into the original wires if you're familiar re-pin it into the old connector as the new BMW part I used does not some with a connector. I also replaced HS-1 (the blue arrow in my pic) but I this was just preventative maintenance and wasn't required to "fix"

View attachment 290544

So tried the roof again and same thing Error A696, so started to suspect a Microswitch was at fault using the live data capture and it was the area in red that I started to narrow in on (see convo with Robbi and I above) the fact it didn't think the rear end module was open on the right made me start to look at the Microswitch that sits just inside the rear hinge (drivers side) and sure enough there was a retaining spring missing that pulls this switch back down after the rear module (big rear boot that lifts up) so in summary as he big boot part starts to hinge up the microswitch gets "opened" then once it's finished the spring pulls the microswitch back down so the car knows the process has completed and should report a "rear-end module open - yes", "Rear-end module closed, right -no" and "Rear-end module closed, left -no" without the little retaining spring my microswitch never returned to closed after the process of lifting the big boot finished to allow the next step of the roof folding into the boot to complete. So replaced the microswitch with a new one P/N 54377228586 (this does require you to unbolt the big hinge, but there is a guide on there for that, you must remember to mark the bolt positions for re-assembly!) once down zip tied all the wires and wrapped in loom tape.

View attachment 290543

So in summary and in my case Error A696 was infact a microswitch not the Hallsensor the code scanner has you think, but if I am correct @RobbiZ4 you said that microswitch does not return a scan code error? so you have to troubleshoot this one manually as such?

Thanks again for your help and I hope this helps someone else, my Mrs is very happy her roof now works although she has to now wait 3 months till summer before she can use it!
Click to expand...

Great write up and good pics too!
 
That’s a fantastic write up. I’ve had the hall sensors and microswitches sitting in the garage for about 6 months and keep putting it off, but that (coupled with Robbi’s threads) has just given me the confidence to have a go tomorrow.
 
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