Hood problem

T

Tonytopdown

Member
Hi all, can anyone kindly assist?
After 10 years owning my E85 roadster I finally got round to relocating the roof motor. This due to retirement, and fine weather. I might add - what a job that was. I filled up with tears once the motor and housing finally flopped out into the boot. Anyway, everything back together and problem. Hood down button, retracts as it should and locks into place. Hood up button, the windows drop then flashing red light and everything stops. I can leave for a while then the flashing stops, try again and there is a low sort of ping sound from both up and down buttons. I finally manually unlocked it, tried again with both buttons and it did close. It did this pattern three times. Motor and hydraulis seem fine but something clearly not right.

Only sensor I believe I knowingly touched was the parcel shelf. Everything worked before.
Any support or guidance anyone can give would be very much appreciated

Many thanks in advance for your help

Tonytopdown (like to be tonytopup)
 
Hey Tony

That flashing indicates the roof doesn’t know where it is in sequence

Hence it working when you manually release it it works

May be worth fully opening it manually and cycling it that way
 
Hi Tony,
Could be a few things. If you did the agricultural wrench it out through the boot then you may have dislodged the hall sensors on the left hinge.
Could also be a damaged wire in the loom on the left side of the roof.
dide you dismantle the motor or simply move it as it is?
Any chance you may have kinked a pipe.
So many things to check.
Whereabouts are you? There's a few roof fixers dotted around the country.
 
Hi, I once experienced a similar issue when I moved a Z4 roof motor to the boot. What I did to resolve the issue was to adjust/move the motor slightly which allowed more slack for the hydraulic cables on the side of the motor. The hydraulic cables need to be as free as possible. Also I assume the motor has enough hydraulic fluid in it?
 
Thank you all for the advice, I will go through the checks starting with the easiest and see if this solves the problem. Yes I did take agricultural route but I was careful to free as many ties as I could and lift the motor out in one piece. I don't belive there was damage to pipes or cables (non that I can see anyway). Fuid levels seem OK. It was working in such a confined space that I found difficult. I am based in Ludlow, Shropshire if anyone knows a z specialist, but I would travel to them outside the area if needed.

Once again, many thanks
 
Tonytopdown said:
Thank you all for the advice, I will go through the checks starting with the easiest and see if this solves the problem. Yes I did take agricultural route but I was careful to free as many ties as I could and lift the motor out in one piece. I don't belive there was damage to pipes or cables (non that I can see anyway). Fuid levels seem OK. It was working in such a confined space that I found difficult. I am based in Ludlow, Shropshire if anyone knows a z specialist, but I would travel to them outside the area if needed.

Once again, many thanks
Click to expand...
From there your closest will be Alan (Number5), in Bristol
 
[ref]Number5[/ref] is a member on here. I’ve referenced him so he should see this and I’ll WhatsApp him to look too
 
Hi !
Number 5 here.
Contact details are all on this link if you want to give me a call ?

https://www.gumtree.com/p/car-part-accessories/bmw-z4-e85-roof-motor-relocation-repair/1378076429
 
Hi Alan, thanks for getting in contact via enuff-zed
Hope you have seen the issue outlined on the forum and yiy can offer some guidance?

I will call but not bother you over the bank holiday so call next week, hope that's OK. Meanwhile if you have any pointers in addition to advise received this would very much be appreciated

Thanks
Tony
 
Hi Tony
Enuff Zed has suggested most of the possibilities but there are a few simple tests that can be done now the motor is in the boot.
For example putting power direct onto the motor and seeing if it closes ok. That will eliminate any hydraulic or ram issues and point more to a sensor issue

I can also have the left hand side of the roof out in 15 mins too so that we can visually check all the hoses around the area you’ve extracted the motor from

Im away for a few days this week but happy to speak to you Monday before I depart around 1pm, if you want to call me

Alan
 
If that's the case Alan I think it may be worth drive down to see you. Do you keep sensors in stock?
Could you txt me your phone number to speak tomorrow as suggested 07977 407666

Thanks
 
Tonytopdown said:
If that's the case Alan I think it may be worth drive down to see you. Do you keep sensors in stock?
Could you txt me your phone number to speak tomorrow as suggested 07977 407666

Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes; i have everything for a roof in stock. Speak soon
 
A quick update on this post. I did visit Alan (Number 5) in Bristol, who after several hours working systematically through various scenarios found the problem and sorted this with a replacement harness in the front of the roof (linked to the claws, which were also behaving out of sequence). No idea how I damaged this bringing the motor out but nevertheless, its been fine since. A big thanks to all comments and in particular enuff Zed for pointing me in the right direction and of course Alan, who did a great job solving the problem, tidying up the hoses and finished off with the trim panel.
Cheers - Tonytopdown, topup, topdown, topup..........
 
Tonytopdown said:
A quick update on this post. I did visit Alan (Number 5) in Bristol, who after several hours working systematically through various scenarios found the problem and sorted this with a replacement harness in the front of the roof (linked to the claws, which were also behaving out of sequence). No idea how I damaged this bringing the motor out but nevertheless, its been fine since. A big thanks to all comments and in particular enuff Zed for pointing me in the right direction and of course Alan, who did a great job solving the problem, tidying up the hoses and finished off with the trim panel.
Cheers - Tonytopdown, topup, topdown, topup..........
Click to expand...
Well done [ref]Number5[/ref]. That's not the easiest of jobs compared to a simple motor move and fix.
Dread to think how much BMW would have asked for a job that complicated. I know Listers in Kings Lynn charge £186 per hour so if you're saying it took 'several hours' then you'd have been well over £500, probably a lot more!
 
Glad you’re now sorted and a pleasure to meet you Tony.
A tricky issue to identify given the symptoms, but I’m glad we got there fairly quickly. After nearly ten years of doing these roofs, there’s always a new riddle to solve and every day is a school day still !
 
When it comes to roof problems enuff_zed is absolutely correct BMW and independents will fleece owners fixing roof problems and BMW will only put the motor back in the original location to become another ticking time bomb. Alan provides our members with a fantastic service sorting roof issues, I always send my Zedshed Cymru owners over to him in Bristol when they have roof issues. I actually relocated mine myself but the fight I had getting it out of the original location was a nightmare. Alan has it off to a tee having done so many and holds a load of spare parts if needed. Always worth the drive to Bristol wherever you are, you get a good job at a fair price.
 
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