Cant Open Roof

H

hamd01

Member
I am looking after a friends Z4 (m), which has a few problems....Ive spent the afternoon trying to solve some of them, but one has me absolutely stumped....the roof.

I think the car has been rather neglected for the past year or two, and has a few problems...one of which is the roof.

The 'up' and 'down' buttons in the car do nothing...no lights....nothing. The roof is currently closed.

I looked at the fuses just in case it was an easy fix.... but swapping the fuse has made no difference at all....still no lights when you press either button.

I notice in the boot there is a red hook, which it look like is attached to a cable...which Im guessing you can pull for some sort of manual control over the roof. However, this is tight...and wont pull...I didnt want to pull too hard for fear of damaging something, so advice appreciated.

The other thing I noticed inside the car is a plastic cap which covers an oval hole in the roof...removing this I can see what looks like a large alan key....is this some sort of locking mechanism?

One worrying thing is when you move the car, the roof makes a plasticy creeking noise. I'm aware that 'plasticy creaking noise' is a terrible definition.... but to my ears it sounds like something definitely isnt right....it almost sounds like the roof lock isnt engaged.

I would massively appreciate some advice on how to proceed. Id love to some-how open the roof, and close it again.....to see if that resolved things.... but is there a manual method for this?

Any advice on how to look at diagnosing this problem would be massively appreciated.
 
Hi, the manual method involves pulling the red Handel you found in the boot to disengage the hydraulic motor, you can then manually unlock the roof using an allen key under the cover you found at the front part of the roof by the windscreen & push the roof all the way down.
It's the opposite to raise the roof :thumbsup:
Doooh! Wrong car, it's not an M then!

Rob
 
I am looking after a friends Z4 (m), which has a few problems....Ive spent the afternoon trying to solve some of them, but one has me absolutely stumped....the roof.

I think the car has been rather neglected for the past year or two, and has a few problems...one of which is the roof.

The 'up' and 'down' buttons in the car do nothing...no lights....nothing. The roof is currently closed.

I looked at the fuses just in case it was an easy fix.... but swapping the fuse has made no difference at all....still no lights when you press either button.

I notice in the boot there is a red hook, which it look like is attached to a cable...which Im guessing you can pull for some sort of manual control over the roof. However, this is tight...and wont pull...I didnt want to pull too hard for fear of damaging something, so advice appreciated.

The other thing I noticed inside the car is a plastic cap which covers an oval hole in the roof...removing this I can see what looks like a large alan key....is this some sort of locking mechanism?

One worrying thing is when you move the car, the roof makes a plasticy creeking noise. I'm aware that 'plasticy creaking noise' is a terrible definition.... but to my ears it sounds like something definitely isnt right....it almost sounds like the roof lock isnt engaged.

I would massively appreciate some advice on how to proceed. Id love to some-how open the roof, and close it again.....to see if that resolved things.... but is there a manual method for this?

Any advice on how to look at diagnosing this problem would be massively appreciated.
 
Are you sure its a friends car ???
- You say its a 2012, but you're also saying its a Z4M ? ..unles you mean its an E89 'M sport' model.

Assuming its a soft-top (not a hard folding top) it's an E85, (not an E89). It sounds like the roof isn't even disconnecting from the windscreen, in which case you would need to :-
1) manually undo that with the Allen Key, by opening the cover just by the rear view mirror
2) Go to the boot and ensure that the parcel shelf is in the lower position
3) Pull the red loop and twist 1/2 a turn to lock it out
4) Ease the roof back manually so it folds away.

You could check the roof module is plugged in by removing the 'vent' on the rear quarter panel behind the passenger seat, and you will see a grey square module there about 100mmx 100mmx25mm. There are two multi plugs that enter the bottom of the unit
 
Number5 said:
Are you sure its a friends car ???
- You say its a 2012, but you're also saying its a Z4M ? ..unles you mean its an E89 'M sport' model.

Assuming its a soft-top (not a hard folding top) it's an E85, (not an E89). It sounds like the roof isn't even disconnecting from the windscreen, in which case you would need to :-
1) manually undo that with the Allen Key, by opening the cover just by the rear view mirror
2) Go to the boot and ensure that the parcel shelf is in the lower position
3) Pull the red loop and twist 1/2 a turn to lock it out
4) Ease the roof back manually so it folds away.

You could check the roof module is plugged in by removing the 'vent' on the rear quarter panel behind the passenger seat, and you will see a grey square module there about 100mmx 100mmx25mm. There are two multi plugs that enter the bottom of the unit
Click to expand...

Im 100% certain its a friends car.... the model is Z4 M 2006

Its definitely has a hard top (not a soft top). however it does have the red loop you described.....but if I try to pull the loop there is no movement at all....its rock solid.
 
If it's got a hard top on its a 1 piece unit that clips bolts in. That's why the buttons don't work, you need to remove that then the electric soft top will work
 
hamd01 said:
Number5 said:
Are you sure its a friends car ???
- You say its a 2012, but you're also saying its a Z4M ? ..unles you mean its an E89 'M sport' model.

Assuming its a soft-top (not a hard folding top) it's an E85, (not an E89). It sounds like the roof isn't even disconnecting from the windscreen, in which case you would need to :-
1) manually undo that with the Allen Key, by opening the cover just by the rear view mirror
2) Go to the boot and ensure that the parcel shelf is in the lower position
3) Pull the red loop and twist 1/2 a turn to lock it out
4) Ease the roof back manually so it folds away.

You could check the roof module is plugged in by removing the 'vent' on the rear quarter panel behind the passenger seat, and you will see a grey square module there about 100mmx 100mmx25mm. There are two multi plugs that enter the bottom of the unit
Click to expand...

Im 100% certain its a friends car.... the model is Z4 M 2006

Its definitely has a hard top (not a soft top). however it does have the red loop you described.....but if I try to pull the loop there is no movement at all....its rock solid.
Click to expand...

I am confused here, first you say it is a 2012 model, now it's a 2006 model. Could it be a 2012 model with a 2006 plate on it?
 
There is no red handle/hook/pull in the boot of an E89. Likewise no override cover inside. It must be an E85.

but sounds like it has a hardtop on.
 
markplant said:
If it's got a hard top on its a 1 piece unit that clips bolts in. That's why the buttons don't work, you need to remove that then the electric soft top will work
Click to expand...

I appear to have made a complete hash of this thread by putting it in the wrong sub forum. Its definetly a 2006 z4 m.

So how do you remove the hardtop?
 
hamd01 said:
markplant said:
If it's got a hard top on its a 1 piece unit that clips bolts in. That's why the buttons don't work, you need to remove that then the electric soft top will work
Click to expand...

I appear to have made a complete hash of this thread by putting it in the wrong sub forum. Its definetly a 2006 z4 m.

So how do you remove the hardtop?
Click to expand...

Can I ask you why your 'friend' has left the car with you to fix? You clearly are someone who is confused about the car they are dealing with and you don't seem to know the first place to start. I for one wouldn't be offering to help do something I know nothing of, even if I hadn't offered and they just assumed I could do it I would have advised I couldn't until I had at least started to seek advice as you could be causing more harm than good.

And Brian, you can't add a plate to a car that's younger than the car. So you can't have a 07 plate onwards on a 06 you can put a 06 on a 12/62 plate but not the other way around.
 
There should be a cover each side behind the door sort of where your shoulder would be if sat in the car, an 1 above the rear view mirror , all Allen keys iirc
 
markplant said:
There should be a cover each side behind the door sort of where your shoulder would be if sat in the car, an 1 above the rear view mirror , all Allen keys iirc
Click to expand...

I'm sure there is an Allen key that fits should be in the boot tool kit in the event of an emergency roof failure.

Hamd01 I wish you the best of luck resolving this. These boys will keep you right :thumbsup:
 
markplant said:
There should be a cover each side behind the door sort of where your shoulder would be if sat in the car, an 1 above the rear view mirror , all Allen keys iirc
Click to expand...

markplant said:
There should be a cover each side behind the door sort of where your shoulder would be if sat in the car, an 1 above the rear view mirror , all Allen keys iirc
Click to expand...

Firstly thank you for your help.....I thought taking some photos might illustrate things better.

At both sides (driver and passanger side, around shoulder height, I see this (pic 1). I dont see a "cover" as such. I assume these 2 are the locking mechanism for the hardtop?

pic1.jpg

As mentioned...I think the car has been a little neglected....and I dont see a toolkit at all in the car. Is there a BMW specific tool to unlock these bolts?

In terms of the allan key bolt above the rear view mirror....this is what I see.

pic2.jpg

Im guessing this is a standard Allan Key, and not a bmw specific tool?

Finally....in the boot....

pic3.jpg

From what I understand you give this a pull to dis-engage the hydraulics for the roof....as its already tight (not not pull-able) it would appear someone has already pulled it?

Im planning to unlock the passanger and driver side bolts, and then the allan key and remove the hardtop...then see if the roof operates... but would appreciate any advice given my lack of any documentation or BMW specific toolkit..

any advice on the above hugely appreciated.
 
There might not be anything wrong with the soft top but the hard top must be removed before trying to use the soft top.
Hopefully you have not damaged your friends car by trying to move the soft top with the hard top in place.
 
Nictrix said:
There might not be anything wrong with the soft top but the hard top must be removed before trying to use the soft top.
Hopefully you have not damaged your friends car by trying to move the soft top with the hard top in place.
Click to expand...

Absolutely, stop messing with the roof until you've got the hard top off, your only complicating matters otherwise! You must have a very trusting friend! :o
 
AndyBeech said:
Nictrix said:
There might not be anything wrong with the soft top but the hard top must be removed before trying to use the soft top.
Hopefully you have not damaged your friends car by trying to move the soft top with the hard top in place.
Click to expand...

Absolutely, stop messing with the roof until you've got the hard top off, your only complicating matters otherwise! You must have a very trusting friend! :o
Click to expand...

My friend is aware of a problem with the roof..... and says it has not worked for some time..... it is not her car and was her husbands.

Im trying to seek advice here before doing anything......even before attempting to remove the hard top, hence the questions.
 
hamd01 said:
AndyBeech said:
Nictrix said:
There might not be anything wrong with the soft top but the hard top must be removed before trying to use the soft top.
Hopefully you have not damaged your friends car by trying to move the soft top with the hard top in place.
Click to expand...

Absolutely, stop messing with the roof until you've got the hard top off, your only complicating matters otherwise! You must have a very trusting friend! :o
Click to expand...

My friend is aware of a problem with the roof..... and says it has not worked for some time..... it is not her car and was her husbands.

Im trying to seek advice here before doing anything......even before attempting to remove the hard top, hence the questions.
Click to expand...

Ok, well get the hard top off and go from there (I can't help with that part as I don't have one). When you have, put the Bowden cable back to its original position and try the roof buttons and see what colour flashes. I suspect if they know the roof is already buggered you'll get a red light and no movement (although the roof should unlatch) which will most likely be a knackered roof motor. If you get to that point then there's a tonne of threads about it, common problem.

Just make sure the Bowden cable is deffo back in place, wiggle it around, pull it out and push it back again (it only moves in and out a tiny amount and should lock into the hole when engaged), and try the roof multiple times. It can be a bit hit and miss in my experience when it decides if it is back in place properly and has engaged/disengaged the roof motor. If you've given this a good go and the roof still won't go down, then it'll be the roof motor (listen for any sound from the motor as well). It looks like your parcel shelf is already down so it won't be that causing a problem, and you'll get a orange light on the roof buttons rather than red if it is that.
 
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