Emergency closure cable failure

[marcj]

Hi

On Friday, there was a yellow thing, believed to be called 'The Sun' in the sky. Excellent, I thought, time to lower the roof on the Z4. All was well. I stopped and put the roof up to do some shopping and then back down for the drive home. When I got home I pressed the closure button and the roof came up about 1/4 then stopped and slowly sank down again. Looked for the release cable in the boot and that has stuck solid.
My question is, can you gently pull the roof shut with no release pulled? I'm going to check fuses tonight in case I'm lucky and I can get it to shut. Lucky I had a cover but it's very old and water still got into the car as it's done nothing but rain since! Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm praying to the good lord above that my motor hasn't failed but am thinking the worst. Needless to say, whatever happens, the drain holes are going to be checked and cleared. Car is a late 2006 3.0Si with M-Sport.

 

[nightyard]

the facelift roasters don't suffer from roof motor failures like the older ones, not saying its not that but its less likely.

hopefully a fuse just gone

 

[marcj]

the facelift roasters don't suffer from roof motor failures like the older ones, not saying its not that but its less likely.

hopefully a fuse just gone

Hi Nightyard

I really hope so. It worked fine 10 minutes before! Do you know if the hood can be coaxed shut as it is?

 

[aquazi]

When you pres the button can you hear the motor making any noise? does the button light up orange?

The fact it went up and down and now wont go up does sound like a failure... more then just a fuse

Maybe the microswitch if the light it lit orange.... if no noise then its the motor kuput. Bing got his changed recently... maybe worth asking him from where and cost.

Personally i wouldnt just pull it up without the red cable pulled... you risk causing damage to the roof mechanism itself.

 

[Bing]

Have to disagree with nightyard - quite a few facelift motors failed in the last few months of 2012, mine included. Also a 2006, though early one.

You can get the roof closed without the cable pulled, but I would have two of you, one on each side, gently pulling it back up. Just press the 'up' button so the red light is flashing, then lift the roof, then press the 'up' button till it locks down.

The release cable is a bit of a giveaway - it is manual, simply disengages the hydraulics so the fluid flows freely, so no fuse involved. The fact that you cannot move it indicates it is stuck. Stuck probably equals corrosion - I have read about the cable seizing because of this on here. Corrosion probably means roof motor flooded and buggered. Happy to be proven wrong, but I would suggest you need someone to look at it.

Damage is about £340 for the motor and housing, and anywhere from £200 to £350 for the labour replace (it is about 6 hours work, you can do it yourself if you are handy with tools).

 

[Bing]

@ aquazi, :lol:

 

[nightyard]

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Owner/OwnersManualVideos.aspx?namodelcode=0428

download the manual and go page 23

 

[Bing]

By the way, before I read the manual I put the roof down and up a couple of times without releasing the cable, after it had failed. It's very stiff and takes some effort, but if you do it gently and slowly and from both sides at the same time then you won't twist any of the roof structure or mechanism, which was my main worry.

 

[Bing]

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Owner/OwnersManualVideos.aspx?namodelcode=0428

download the manual and go page 23

If the electrics still work - so the light just flashes red and nothing happens - then you do need to pull the cable, but you don't need to unlatch the cubby or latch the front when it is closed using the Allen key. The electrics will still unlatch the roof and lock it down. On later facelifts there is no latch for the roof in the 'down' position - they removed it because it failed / rattled / squeaked. The user manual linked is for the 2004 model year, so pre-facelift.

Like I said, you can 'force' the hydraulics without the cable pulled, but you need to be careful.

 

[marcj]

When you pres the button can you hear the motor making any noise? does the button light up orange?

The fact it went up and down and now wont go up does sound like a failure... more then just a fuse

Maybe the microswitch if the light it lit orange.... if no noise then its the motor kuput. Bing got his changed recently... maybe worth asking him from where and cost.

Personally i wouldnt just pull it up without the red cable pulled... you risk causing damage to the roof mechanism itself.

Hi aquazi

The flashing light is definitely red and when you press it, you hear an initial buzzing which I assume is the locking mechanism doing it's stuff but there is no noise where you normally expect the hood to move.

 

[marcj]

Have to disagree with nightyard - quite a few facelift motors failed in the last few months of 2012, mine included. Also a 2006, though early one.

You can get the roof closed without the cable pulled, but I would have two of you, one on each side, gently pulling it back up. Just press the 'up' button so the red light is flashing, then lift the roof, then press the 'up' button till it locks down.

The release cable is a bit of a giveaway - it is manual, simply disengages the hydraulics so the fluid flows freely, so no fuse involved. The fact that you cannot move it indicates it is stuck. Stuck probably equals corrosion - I have read about the cable seizing because of this on here. Corrosion probably means roof motor flooded and buggered. Happy to be proven wrong, but I would suggest you need someone to look at it.

Damage is about £340 for the motor and housing, and anywhere from £200 to £350 for the labour replace (it is about 6 hours work, you can do it yourself if you are handy with tools).

Hi Bing

My father in law is a mechanic but never takes any money for doing 'family' work which leaves me a bit awkard asking him to help with it. I'm figuring if I need to shell out £300 for a new pump/motor then another £300 getting an independant to fix it may be worth the extra. At least I won't need to worry about it - other than the fact it is bound to get scratched in the workshop!

Thank you for your comments. Much appreciated.

 

[aquazi]

Have to say it sounds as thought the motor has failed Def check the drains... I cleaned mine for the first time last year... covered in mud like stuff! luckily my roof still works.

@ aquazi, :lol:

Opps.. bad timing!

 

[Bing]

Perfect timing :wink:

 

[marcj]

By the way, before I read the manual I put the roof down and up a couple of times without releasing the cable, after it had failed. It's very stiff and takes some effort, but if you do it gently and slowly and from both sides at the same time then you won't twist any of the roof structure or mechanism, which was my main worry.

Hi again Bing

Yeah..that's my worry too but if it can be done, it's better that water pouring in from the outside. Thank you.