E89 Roof Issue - NO ERROR CODES!!!!

T

theamos

Member
Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone has had and can advise on a weird roof issue I’ve picked up!

Currently, I press the open roof button, section 2 releases and moves into position on top of Section 1.

The motor keeps running but the roof locking mechanism does nothing. I’ve tried measuring the voltage to the locking mechanism motor and I can see no voltage getting to it. I’ve checked all fuses and all of them are good

I’ve scanned with BimmerLink and ISTA D and I’m not seeing any errors relating to micro switches or Hall sensor.

The started when I was doing some roof maintenance on Sunday (just lubrication etc) and as I was closing the roof I didn’t notice that I’d left a roll of tape on the crossmember on top of the windscreen. Roof section one hit it and since then I’ve had the problem

Has anyone come across this before?

For context, I’m well experienced in fixing roof faults but this is a weird one

Thanks
 
From what you describe it sounds like something has become misaligned. Maybe remove the head liner and take a good look at try assisting it to get it started.
 
It sounds like you could have possibly bent/twisted the roof and now it’s not sensing that the rear section is in position ready to unlock the front section, you could try watching the rear section as it lifts and throughout it’s travel to see if it looks twisted, and dare I say if it is try twisting it back.
 
So, I’ve unpacked the roof manually and got it to the midway point of the opening cycle.

When I press the open button from here section 3 is trying close instead of open. It’s like the CTM doesn’t know where it’s at in terms of the cycle
 

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theamos said:
Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone has had and can advise on a weird roof issue I’ve picked up!

Currently, I press the open roof button, section 2 releases and moves into position on top of Section 1.

The motor keeps running but the roof locking mechanism does nothing. I’ve tried measuring the voltage to the locking mechanism motor and I can see no voltage getting to it. I’ve checked all fuses and all of them are good

I’ve scanned with BimmerLink and ISTA D and I’m not seeing any errors relating to micro switches or Hall sensor.

The started when I was doing some roof maintenance on Sunday (just lubrication etc) and as I was closing the roof I didn’t notice that I’d left a roll of tape on the crossmember on top of the windscreen. Roof section one hit it and since then I’ve had the problem

Has anyone come across this before?

For context, I’m well experienced in fixing roof faults but this is a weird one

Thanks
Click to expand...

What roof maintenance were you doing?

There are several posts on here about not lubricating anything to do with the roof, it might affect timing.

How did you do it? Can you clean it off?
 
You probably bent something and a specific sensor is not triggering to let the CTM know it's in position. Thus pump keeps running.
 
Before I was aware of not lubricating the roof I applied some lithium spray grease to several points, probably 3 or 4 years later I started getting the roof hesitating occasionally as it lifted from the top of windscreen, thinking I had a broken wire I spliced in a section around where the hinge is, it didn’t completely resolve the issue, mainly when the weather was cold, anyway I’ve recently sprayed a little WD40 around the locking points above the windscreen and so far 🤞no hesitation, I can only presume the lithium grease was causing the micro switch to stick. Probably not the cause of your problem but certainly worth while noting.
 
Chippie said:
Before I was aware of not lubricating the roof I applied some lithium spray grease to several points, probably 3 or 4 years later I started getting the roof hesitating occasionally as it lifted from the top of windscreen, thinking I had a broken wire I spliced in a section around where the hinge is, it didn’t completely resolve the issue, mainly when the weather was cold, anyway I’ve recently sprayed a little WD40 around the locking points above the windscreen and so far 🤞no hesitation, I can only presume the lithium grease was causing the micro switch to stick. Probably not the cause of your problem but certainly worth while noting.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I’m a Dab hand at manually unpacking and packing the roof so I’ll do that and clean up

I’m prone to this kind of idiocy.

In January I was cleaning oil seepage from the valve cover and managed to remove all of the lubricant from the steering rack u joint.

I’ve been car repairing for over thirty years and still managed to give myself problems

Appreciate the response
 
Did you get any further with this, I have a similar issue, have just fitted a new hydro unit and replaced the rear right microswitch, now gets to the same point as you.
Shell 2 lifts up on top of shell 1, the rear end opens , then the motor and pump keep running for a few seconds then stop and the red light on the open button flashes.
Have an ancel bm700 reader , doesn't bring up any codes for the roof, when you look at the data stream and activate the microswitches manually, you can see they are working on the reader.
Checked the other fuse box under the dash (thats never going back in) fuse 25 = 20A, and is ok. Are there any other fuses anywhere in the car that might have something to do with the roof? (have already found the power distribution board next to the battery.

Appreciate any help, thanks in advance
 
Hi! Good to compare notes 😂

I’ve deliberately had a day off it today, but last night I cleaned the grease off all of the pivot points and blasted microswitches and hall sensors with contact cleaner. Interestingly After I did that I pulled the power connector on the roof locking motor and got 2 hall sensor errors……previously I’d only got one which may indicate that grease had contaminated one previously.

In terms of roof movement. I’ve actually gone backwards. Based on recommendations here I attempted to ‘persuade’ the roof mechanism into the opposite of what could have happened when I obstructed the closure in the first instance. Having done that, when I press the open button now section 2 unpacks and moves on top of section 1 but the close button does nothing.

Which (taking any positive I can) supports the views in the replies that the roof has become misaligned and it’s messed up the sensors/microswitches

I’m pondering on removing the section 1 and 2 shells (how hard can it be) to try and get the alignment back to where it should be…….but I think I need the comfort of some hefty googling before I get the torx sockets out

I’ll keep you posted!

Cheers
 
137mph said:
Did you get any further with this, I have a similar issue, have just fitted a new hydro unit and replaced the rear right microswitch, now gets to the same point as you.
Shell 2 lifts up on top of shell 1, the rear end opens , then the motor and pump keep running for a few seconds then stop and the red light on the open button flashes.
Have an ancel bm700 reader , doesn't bring up any codes for the roof, when you look at the data stream and activate the microswitches manually, you can see they are working on the reader.
Checked the other fuse box under the dash (thats never going back in) fuse 25 = 20A, and is ok. Are there any other fuses anywhere in the car that might have something to do with the roof? (have already found the power distribution board next to the battery.

Appreciate any help, thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Have you checked the hall sensors on the right hand ram. There are two. If these fail it won’t pack the roof sections away as it doesn’t know the boot section is fully open.
 
With regards to the close button not working, mine wasn't either, I then cycled the ignition off and back on the the close button works.

I was going to start pulling the loom out of the roof to check for breaks, but really didn't fancy it.

I have just bought a complete roof assembly (from a working car) as I needed the hydro unit and didn't want to pay BMW £2800!, so I have another full set of microswitched and hall sensors, I had discounted the hall sensors as there were no codes flagged on the reader.

Is there a way of testing the currently installed sensors? I'm handy with the spanners, but electrics is a bit of a dark art, I might take the sensors off the roof frame I have and install them and try again, also going to try and retro fit cruise today as well.
 
UPDATE - FIXED

Thanks Reamsey - Very good shout on the hall sensor, took the front (I think) hall sensor - the one with short wires- out found that the casing was cracked, not sure why as it has been replaced - the one i took out had long wires on, replaced it with the front one taken from my 'spare' roof frame, and roof works as it should.

Interestingly , the 'new' hall sensor from the frame has a tiny crack in one of the corners, so I have superglued it as a test, I will order a brand new hall sensor as I don't want to be stuck with roof down when out and about

Right, cruise retrofit next....
 
Hall sensor: £15 Part No. 54 34 7 190 735 bought directly from BMW (just pretend you have a 1 series convertible to get to checkout).


Connector pins: £2.50 Part No. 61131393723 I bought them from ebay but I'm sure you can get them from elsewhere.


Connector block: £3? Part No. 8373575-02 I personally reused the one that came off the old part, but one can be bought from aliexpress with a pretty long delivery time, however it means you can just do a straight swap when the part arrives.





After that you just need cut the wires to the correct length, strip the cable, crimp the connector pins to the cable, put the pins into the connector block, then put the part back into the car. It's fiddly, but I found it could be done in place without having to remove anything.





https://www.sytnerstevenagebmwparts.co.uk/p/Bmw__/Hall-sensor/132266649/54347190735.html





https://www.sytnerstevenagebmwparts.co.uk/p/132285109/61131393723.html





Micro switches rear boot lid





54377228585





54377228586
 
Awesome, thank you for the links, have already done the right rear microswitch, the hydro unit and the salmon relays, need to get the power distribution block next as the roof motor fuse has blown, the last motor was fully seized up with corrosion.

Managed to enjoy a little blast with the roof down for the first time today, my wife was very pleased.......
 
Soooo. Still plugging away with this

I suspect misalignment based on this……

Anyone got experience of re-aligning the roof??
 

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I tested sensors on the bench, multimeter at mA and 9v battery in series. Waft steel next to sensor face current changes.
The short lead Hall sensor on the right boot ram my cars problem was the connector came lose, no locking barb on it.
So superglued closed and cable ties.
Roof in boot lid open when it all stopped.
 
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