E89 Roof issue

M

megabeans

Member
Hi,

I'm on my 2nd Z4, I started with a 2003 E85 in 2011 before moving to a 2010 E89 30i in 2015.

I love the car, it's now 10 years old, still going strong with great looks inside and out, BUT...

Having had very little trouble with it over the years, the roof has started misbehaving, at first it would be hesitant in coming down or up, but pressing the button again would work. Now it's got to a stage where it's failed completely at times, or at others is intermittent - in most cases the car will "look" like the roof has come down correctly, but give me the dreaded "Roof System!" error, and beep constantly if I try to drive. When I try to close the roof, it will often fail, just at the point where the boot has closed* and it needs to pop the back window down, the window just sits on top, like it's not even trying, I've been able to assist i.e. have someone press the button while i pull it back down, and cosmetically the roof looks closed, but it's not locked down, and the windows wont go up because the car knows it's not finished. In both examples the windows will not go up and the boot is inaccessible. I have managed to close it by getting to the point where the boot is closed, and then holding the button to bring the roof down again (i.e. open the boot to tuck the upper part in) and after a second or two switch back to the close button, and eventually that close operation will work - so this is an intermittent problem.

*I'm pretty sure the problem happens when the boot comes back down, and does this motion where it moves toward cabin, then a few millimetres back - like it's locking something - which doesn't appear to happen when it decides to "freeze".

When it has closed properly, even if left alone, parked it decides that the "Roof System!" is failing, and windows/boot both don't operate until I go forward and backward through the roof operation until I get lucky. If I try driving after successfully bringing the roof down or up, at some point in the journey it will start beeping and complain about the "Roof System!".

This would appear to be the same / similar to the issue reported https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=121851 .

With garages closed at the moment, I'm pretty desperate, not just to go shopping but to go for a good drive and get out of the house! I'm hoping that someone will either be able to give me a magic solution (something to try, or sensor to purchase) - or potentially suggest someone who knows these issues well and may be able to help me out.

Thanks for reading - this isn't the most elegant description of an issue you'll find. If there is any information, or pictures I should provide let me know!
 
There are several comprehensive roof issue threads on here.

I would start by having a read of similar problems in the E89 Problems section.

Basically, each roof stage is monitored by a sensor, or activated by a microswitch.

Your problem sounds fairly benign, probably just a failed microswitch. I had an issue a while back with the rear window stuck over the roof, and also not finishing the cycle on roof down.

The fix cost about £190 for BMW to diagnose and replace the microswitch and wiring.

Don’t manually force any part of the operation, they are complex mechanical systems and doing this would risk further damage.
 
thanks for coming back to me!

I fully accept the "force" warning around the "force" part, the only bit I applied any effort to was pulling the window down but it was just "limp" and I supported it as I lowered it down, so it was visually closed and less likely to get broken into on the first night of the issue (before I realised it could be persuaded to come down by just retrying that bit of the cycle).

Comforting to know it sounds like a sensor - that's what I'd read, I "looked" at them but without any equipment or skills in car repair there wasn't much I could do. Hopefully it will be in the low hundreds, was worried it might be a lot more.

Are the sensors user serviceable - from my description can you narrow it down to one or two? For example, perhaps I could order the parts and replace them myself (this really means have someone I know do them).
 
megabeans said:
thanks for coming back to me!

I fully accept the "force" warning around the "force" part, the only bit I applied any effort to was pulling the window down but it was just "limp" and I supported it as I lowered it down, so it was visually closed and less likely to get broken into on the first night of the issue (before I realised it could be persuaded to come down by just retrying that bit of the cycle).

Comforting to know it sounds like a sensor - that's what I'd read, I "looked" at them but without any equipment or skills in car repair there wasn't much I could do. Hopefully it will be in the low hundreds, was worried it might be a lot more.

Are the sensors user serviceable - from my description can you narrow it down to one or two? For example, perhaps I could order the parts and replace them myself (this really means have someone I know do them).
Click to expand...

It is probably a microswitch, rather than a sensor.

In this forum there is a post or document from a user called: dietcokeman which lists the roof open / closure procedure and which switch or sensor corresponds to which part of the operation.

By determining at which point it fails, you could pinpoint the problematic part.

The mechanism is very complex, and access is quite restrictive. Unless you know what you are doing in car repairs, or know about electronic systems etc, I would strongly suggest taking it to BMW, or a good indy.

The microswitches have revised connectors, so they need a new wiring loom to connect them in, not just plug and play.
 
Thanks again for the replies.

I called a bmw specialist in Reading and the receptionist knew the problem well, if the staff behind the scenes are half as knowledgeable its going to be clean sailing.

Cost will be ~200 (microswitch) to ~600 (hall sensors) estimated.

I'm glad I didn't try any self service.
 
@RobbiZ4 is correct in that it is probably the micro-switch for the rear module (the "boot"). If you have a code reader you can plug that in and get a real-time readout of the sensors and identify if they are in the right states at each stage of the roof opening/closing sequence. If it's a microswitch you are probably better off getting a professional to fix it as it's a PITA.

But as Robbi pointed out it could also be simply the wiring TO the switch. That seems to be a weak spot and something a bit more easily identifiable and fix-able.
 
megabeans said:
I called a bmw specialist in Reading and the receptionist knew the problem well, if the staff behind the scenes are half as knowledgeable its going to be clean sailing.
Click to expand...

Do you mean Grosvenor Motor Company, the BMW indie in Reading?

Last weekend I had something very similar to what you described in terms of errors and rear roof not lifting back into place after the boot lid closed.

Cheers!
Andy
 
If it's the hall sensor you could easily replace that yourself (if you are mechanically inclined) as they clip on and plug in really easy. They are however $270 a piece so that might be where the $600 quote comes from. The microswitches are probably worth the $200 to get replaced by someone else as the entire rear module hinge has to be removed for access and the switches need drilled out (blech).
 
Hi, I have exactly the same issue as Megabeans post. I'm stuck with the windows down, had to lift the back window section off the roof and lower it down, but it not locking in place. Windows won't go! Having to leave it parked in the street and the local BMW around North London are not open.
Any idea what to do?
Thanks,
Jerry.
 
Highgate hill said:
Hi, I have exactly the same issue as Megabeans post. I'm stuck with the windows down, had to lift the back window section off the roof and lower it down, but it not locking in place. Windows won't go! Having to leave it parked in the street and the local BMW around North London are not open.
Any idea what to do?
Thanks,
Jerry.
Click to expand...

You could try getting in touch with this company. https://www.caymanautos.co.uk/
 
Thanks I see some have recommended them, I call them tomorrow. Any idea what prices people have paid and if its the same fault for most people?
 
Highgate hill said:
Thanks I see some have recommended them, I call them tomorrow. Any idea what prices people have paid and if its the same fault for most people?
Click to expand...
Can’t help with that but they have good reviews. I guess they will be cheaper than a main BMW dealer.
 
Just wanted to say thanks to all for the help.

They were eventually able to diagnose the fault - multiple sensors reported issues, so they cleared them down and fixed the first one to present again which was the boot sensor. Of course this means that the problem MIGHT be more than one, but so far, the repair they did seems to have been what the car needed.

All in, the repair was just shy of £400.
 
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