FAO all those who have HAD roof problems.

[Patrick_g46]

Now I know that normally the issue with the roofs is a water damaged motor but I am also aware that there are a few other issues that can cause a faulty roof, sensors, hydraulic rams etc. So I was thinking that people could possibly post the symptoms they had and what the cause/fix was. So, was the motor totally dead when trying to open the roof or could you still hear the motor working but it turned out to be a faulty roof sensor etc? Or the roof motor was still working and it was the manual over-ride cable that wasn't located/faulty.

I am going to view a z4 tonight with a faulty roof and would like to be able to make an educated guess at the issue rather than assume the motor is gone when it might not be (apparently you can still here it working). This would also potentially help others diagnose their issues. Good idea?

Thanks

Patrick

 

[Patrick_g46]

Are you viewing the Zed to purchase it? If so im sure there is many other fine examlples unless its a mint inside and out low millage Zed then only a new roof motor would be worth it.

Yes it is fairly mint!

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=66948
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=66812

 

[AlpinaBoy]

On mine the car released the securing hooks the motor was running the whole time and froze

I could throw the roof back manually with no resistance

Solution new roof motor

I believe the water had coroded the hydraulic and the only solution was a complete motor

Lucky for me the car was under warranty and I know BMW wanted 4 hours labour plus
£997 for the motor

 

[Patrick_g46]

On mine the car released the securing hooks the motor was running the whole time and froze

I could throw the roof back manually with no resistance

Solution new roof motor

I believe the water had coroded the hydraulic and the only solution was a complete motor

Lucky for me the car was under warranty and I know BMW wanted 4 hours labour plus
£997 for the motor

Sorry could you explain what you mean by "the motor was running the whole time and froze"?

 

[AlpinaBoy]

You can hear the motor the whole time

The sequence starts with the two hooks in the top of the windscreen being released whilst the windows drop

It started and the motor just runs all the time but doesn't have the power to throw the roof back

 

[Patrick_g46]

You can hear the motor the whole time

The sequence starts with the two hooks in the top of the windscreen being released whilst the windows drop

It started and the motor just runs all the time but doesn't have the power to throw the roof back

Right, so when the motor is knackered it is actually still running (and you can hear it) but just wont operate the roof?!

 

[srhutch]

Patrick, I think with confidence you could say it will need a new motor. You may find if you take the existing one out with a clean up it will be good to continue using.

There only been one person on here that had needed new rams as far as I'm aware. I do wonder if it was the garage that changed them needless-lee though. The only senor I am aware of is in the boot bulkhead which is either on or off. If it has failed then I don't think you will find anything happens except the light flashes amber next to the roof buttons.

 

[Patrick_g46]

Patrick, I think with confidence you could say it will need a new motor. You may find if you take the existing one out with a clean up it will be good to continue using.

There only been one person on here that had needed new rams as far as I'm aware. I do wonder if it was the garage that changed them needless-lee though. The only senor I am aware of is in the boot bulkhead which is either on or off. If it has failed then I don't think you will find anything happens except the light flashes amber next to the roof buttons.

Yeah, having spent the last hour or so reading various threads about roof issues, I would have to agree with you. Apparently the car has already had a motor replacement a few years ago, so whoever did it probably didn't do clean out the drains and it has happened again!

 

[ranski]

I recently had a strange one with my 11 year old car, more so the roof motor.

While in Basel last week in 38c temperatures we returned to the car and lowered the roof. After an hours driving we tried to lift the roof to no affect, no sound coming from the motor.

Panic as we were staying in morzine which experienced a thunderstorm each evening. However after I pulled the red hydraulic lever and then put it back in place the roof motor worked..

I'm sure the high temperature was the culprit, maybe causing the hydraulic fluid to expand?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[aquazi]

I had a problem the end of the last year... The roof button did nothing, no lights noise nothing.

Soon after my interior lights stopped, no clicking of indicators.

Turned out my gaptech module had died (after about 3 year) as soon as it was removed everything returned to normal (sadly had to get a garage to remove everything before working that out )


Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk

 

[stevecbrz4]

I had a motor replaced under warranty just over two years ago, then the roof stopped working again recently! This time the symptoms included; the motor running, the two front latches had decoupled, the windows had dropped half way but then no movement from the roof. I could push back manually, and lift up manually, and when the roof was close enough to the two front latches it would grab and close to fully close. The garage said the hydraulics had failed but the motor was fine. I asked why they hydraulics weren't changed two years ago when the new motor was fitted, they could only assume that the mechanic had assessed them at the time as being fit for purpose! I had only covered 6000 miles in the two years, so frustrating. I asked the dealer to take pictures of the motor and the hydraulics but the pic he was able to take on his ipad wasn't very clear at all, far too dark and there's no flash on an ipad.

The costs were just short of £900 but the dealer agreed to reduce this to appx £680. I asked the dealer about the drain holes as I was worried the motor problem could be repeated. He said the sump area in my car was clean and dry as they had removed the rubber grommets when the motor was replaced two years ago - he said they remove them as a matter of course these days. I wonder if that is a direction all dealers have had from BMW HQ!!

Hope this is helpful.

 

[Patrick_g46]

If the hydraulic by pass cable is locked in the open position, will the red light be lit showing a fault? Or will it just let the motor turn but not actually engage anything?