Hi from 'sunny' Cornwall, roof not opening .... help!

[Dawn B]

Hi all, a chance encounter with MCButler in a B&Q carpark led me to this forum so hi and I hope someone can help?

I drive a 59 plate Z4, and love it. During lockdown, I SORNd it for 5 months - when I put it back on the road the original battery had packed in completely and needed to be replaced but otherwise everything seemed fine. Until a sunny day came along and I tried to open the roof .... no longer working: the windows go down and after that nothing - no motor noise, nothing; and the windscreen washers are also dead. The washers (hopefully) won't be a problem but the mechanic I use just sucked on his teeth and shook his head when I mentioned the roof. So a couple of questions:
1) Could this be a result of the flattened battery and if so is there a magic cure?
2) Apart from the BMW garage which I know will be ferociously expensive does anyone in the Plymouth area know of a garage that might be able to help? (MCButler said somewhere in Plympton but the name escapes me)
3) Any other suggestions if I'm happy to drive to get this done?

Thanks for your hoped for help!

 

[Anonymous]

If you have the original battery that went flat then the first event is to replace it with a brand new AGM 70ah / 80ah of the correct type..

This is likely to be by far the most probable cause of your issues!

Please confirm you haven't got a new correct battery already fitted?

 

[Crazy Harry]

I travelled all the way from Norfolk to buy my zed at RL Motor services - found them very easy to deal with and had some warranty work done by them.

https://www.rlmotorservices.co.uk/

BUT ..... do a bit of searching on here there are a few members that will fix roofs (Bristol and Hock might be nearest to you) and still leave you enough change for a night out!

 

[Crazy Harry]

Oh and by the way - why not introduce yourself with a photo (of your Zed but selfies accepted as well!) we like that sort of thing here

 

[Dawn B]

Pbondar - yes, new battery has been fitted

Please confirm you haven't got a new correct battery already fitted?

Yes, it's got a new battery

 

[buzyg]

Welcome to the forum Dawn.

I would assume you have a Z4 E89 with a folding hard top. Is that so? 2009 could also be a last of stock E85 with a soft top. Obviously the two have very different roofs.

Of course a picture would sort that out. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Pbondar - yes, new battery has been fitted

Please confirm you haven't got a new correct battery already fitted?

Yes, it's got a new battery

Hello, well that's good new..so its 20 questions now I'm afraid..

The roof (as well as many other systems are computer controlled) so there are two standard issues..

Lack of volts despite new battery..the way to test this is to take the car for say a 10-20 mile drive (Not in stop start traffic) and then WHILST THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.. try and operate the roof mechanism?

Second..is an issue with the various interlocks..have you pulled down and seated properly the luggage protection part in the boot..if its slightly displaced the effect you have may happen..ensure that there is nothing in and around that area ..to verify take all the stuff out the boot and try and close properly that fold down panel?

Again try with engine running..

And ???

 

[Vonlipvig]

Here is the garage I put mine too in Plymouth, well, the garage the independent at the end of the road does (I'm lazy).

https://www.bmgcarsales.co.uk/

They are in plympton and might be the ones mcbutler was talking about. They are good with most bits, but there are a few quirks they are not familiar with. I had the parking brake failure from a low battery and they wanted to replace the mechanism. Convinced them to do a software update, following the advice on here, and sorted

 

[Dawn B]

Here's a picture! It's the hard top. Thanks for all the replies - so quick, much appreciated.

I don't think it's a battery issue, sadly, as I found out it wasn't working during a run, with engine running.

And the boot lock seems fine, nothing in there to interfere.

 

[enuff_zed]

Z4.JPG

Here's a picture! It's the hard top. Thanks for all the replies - so quick, much appreciated. I don't think it's a battery issue, sadly, as I found out it wasn't working during a run, with engine running.

Lovely looking car!
I'd follow [ref]Pbondar[/ref]'s line of thought first.
If the battery was changed, then there is a chance that the luggage cover wasn't securely clipped down afterwards.
I had an issue with mine where I thought it was fine, but hadn't quite latched down enough. Hit a bump and it dislodged enough to throw up a warning. Give it a good firm click down and try again.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Hi and welcome to the forum with your stunning Z4.

Hopefully your roof problem doesn't turn out to need too big a repair.

 

[Rolls1392]

Hi Dawn. Please Number5 on this forum.
Our E85 roof was acting up the same as yours. He sorted it out quickly.
I would highly recommend speaking to him before doing anything else.