Fitting a SmartTOP, now roof buttons LED flashing

[d3matt]

I've brought the SmartTOP STLFBW7 module for my E85.
Upgrade the firmware and changed the settings with the Windows software - extremely easy.
Then went to fit. Now the fun began.


Fitting the white roof box back in the same place was impossible with the new harness connected. Not a problem, as I stuffed it into another space.


But now the roof button LED flashes and I can't close/open the roof. So I removed the SmartTOP module, but the roof is still erroring and can't operate it.
Can anyone advise?
Is the original roof module above sensitive to where its mounted (i.e. the angle)?

I've obviously checked the forum, but while I did read something about the flashing roof LED, I can't find it now (and posts applicable to the E85 install).

 

[markplant]

Did the fitting instructions say anything abut disconnecting the battery

 

[d3matt]

Hmmm. I'll check tonight.
Good point.

 

[markplant]

Hmmm. I'll check tonight.
Good point.

I did look after I'd posted that an it doesn't say to do it, if all connections are good , might be worth taking battery off for 30min an let everything reset, although you'll probably have to do a window reset and clock

 

[d3matt]

I took the battery off - made no difference.
I've emailed mods4cars - the makers of the SmartTOP - they weren't much help. The last message from them:

"Sorry to hear you're having such bad issues. Sadly you're the first one reporting something like this, so I don't have any experience data. We have seen all sorts of strange crashes and errors over the years but the battery reset usually always brings back everything. I don't quite understand why the top is not functioning in the original configuration. If you did plug everything back exactly as it was before installing the module, the top should of course work as normal. Have you tried leaving everything connected (original condition) with battery connected, close all doors, lock the car and just let it sit until everything shuts down, then walk back up to the car, hit unlock on the remote, open the door, turn the ignition on?
Maybe it will reset itself when it goes through a full standby/wakeup cycle.
Something is off with your factory top module. Sounds like it hung itself up in an unknown state. What might also help is to manually move the top (as per the BMW manual) through a full cycle while the ignition is ON, so the top controller sees all the correct switch and position encoder signals. Maybe it's just an "implausible position error" that some limit switch or position switch did not activate and now the controller doesn't know where the top mechanism is."

I attached the laptop and found these errors in the roof module.




I've tried to erase the errors, but they don't disappear.
I'm now stuck with a roof that wont work and is stuck down. Anyone any ideas?

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Is that with the SmartTOP removed, module replaced and after battery reset?

 

[d3matt]

Is that with the SmartTOP removed, module replaced and after battery reset?

Yes.
But before I did the laptop diagnostic before disconnecting the battery.
But then I removed the battery for 30+ mins and the roof error light was still flashing and no change. So yes, all these errors will still exists.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Not necessarily. If you've removed the SmartTop and reconnected as normal, then reset the battery it's worth reading the codes again and trying to clear them.
I can't imagine how you'd introduce a short with what was fine before without it being caused by damage. If you need to raise the roof you can pull the red lever in the boot to bypass the motor and lift it by hand. It's all detailed in the manual.

 

[pvr]

I trust the micro switch in the boot was not touched at all?

 

[d3matt]

I've still not able to get my roof working, but after another look at it the other day, I've discovered the cause. There was another connector I wasn't plugging back in!!
I was plugging connector A back in, but hadn't seen there was a smaller connector - B. This was right down at the bottom out of sight. Seems silly now missing this. I can't remember removing it, so maybe this smaller cable fell out when I removed the roof controller module.

The problem is that I can't get it plugged in. There's simply not enough slack on the cable to get it pushed back into the block. I've spend two hours trying and got no where except lots of blood on my fingers!

Has anyone out there fitted a SmartTop box (or removed the roof controller box) and can give me any pointers how to plug these cables back in?
I've tried long nose pliers without any progress.
The only way I can see to progress is remove all the plastic panelling restricting the access, but I also didn't have any luck with this either - so will start another thread on this.

 

[Darrin]

Had the exact same problem I cut a hole in the plastic and connected it , it was a last resort but it is behind the seat and can't be seen