New here - roof help

[RichA]

Hi all,

I’m new here. My wife owns an E85 ‘07 Z4 2.5si, which I drive a often as she will allow me as it is such a fun car to drive. I drive a diseasal E91, which is as dull as they get.

Her roof hasn’t worked for quite a few months now, it failed last summer. So for a treat for mother’s day, myself and my son decided to replace the motor for her, unbeknownst to her. I thought I’d be in the good books.

I have had the roof out and back in again. Replaced the motor as it was in a terrible state, full of water, pretty much as everyone else.

When it is all plugged back in again there is no movement or sound from the roof at all. The roof button is flashing. I have checked the fuses and they all look fine. I am confused as frustrated and in the bad books.

Luckily (?!) she is going in for surgery tomorrow, so won’t be driving it for at least a week.

Any advice would be appreciated. I am based in Southern Ireland, there are very few Z’s in this country, so garages would be expensive and we can’t afford it.

I will try a search but I have a feeling that my issue is very specific!

 

[paddy wright]

Have a look at the micro switch at the rear of the boot area in the middle that recognises the roof shelf being up or down- they are known to fail!

 

[Crazy Harry]

When the roof failed did you pull the red handle in the boot to operate it manually? - if so did you push it back?

 

[RichA]

Have a look at the micro switch at the rear of the boot area in the middle that recognises the roof shelf being up or down- they are known to fail!

I feel like a idiot. I didn’t put the shelf back in. That is probably the issue.

I’ll put it all back together and let you know how I get on.

I would like to be more of an active member of this forum. We have had the Z for nearly 7 years now. Its a nice little car.

 

[RichA]

When the roof failed did you pull the red handle in the boot to operate it manually? - if so did you push it back?

The red handle isn’t there any more. I had to pull the cable, but it is going back normally. There are plenty of things I need to sort with the car, like the red handle.

 

[RichA]

Have a look at the micro switch at the rear of the boot area in the middle that recognises the roof shelf being up or down- they are known to fail!

Turns out it wasn’t the shelf, the shelf is in and it’s still not working.

The roof isn’t fully back in at the moment. Does it need to earth or anything like that?

 

[redtailed78]

What I would do is get someone to manually press in the shelf switch while the other presses the roof button, also check the switch itself, I've just done mine and the metal switch thing popped off and I found it in the boot

 

[RichA]

What I would do is get someone to manually press in the shelf switch while the other presses the roof button, also check the switch itself, I've just done mine and the metal switch thing popped off and I found it in the boot

Is that the plastic line on the firewall on the boot that the protrusion on the shelf sticks in? I will give that a try

 

[redtailed78]

Here is a link to the part - https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=95999

When you press it in you can hear it click

I found that it only needs to be pressed in when the roof goes down, it will go up without the switch being pressed

 

[RichA]

The micro switch seems to be working it clicks but the roof still doesn’t move.

The top light between the roof buttons is flashing, but there is no movement and no noise.

Could it be the white module that has been damaged when I removed the plug?

 

[redtailed78]

When I removed mine I sat it on a radiator to dry any moisture, covered the bottom of the motor in WD40 and ensured the pin at the very bottom of the motor can be turned both directions - this ensures the motor turns, make sure no oil has been lost and connect it back up. There is a little "button" on the motor where the manual release cable connects into, make sure this is not stuck and can be pressed/pops back out.

Last thing to check is the power connections at the base of the motor, green and blue cables are plugged in with no breaks in the cable. If all else fails you can remove the motor and connect it to a battery and if you still get no movement then i would say motor is knackered.

 

[redtailed78]

This was mine, 2nd pic is the manual release button that i mentioned before, you will need to remove the black plastic clip to see it but i've heard this can stick closed which would cause the motor to be in a manual state.

 

[RichA]

I think I have attached pictures of what the old one looked like. It was FUBAR.

I bought a new one from Roof Motors.co.uk, so it should be working fine... I plan to check it tonight with a 12v supply.

I have ordered a roof module in case it is that. I will hopefully be taking it to the garage tomorrow for them to plug it into the computer and see the error codes. If any.

My son, whilst helping me, snapped the wire for the hardtop seat (I think). I have also ordered another one of them. €35 from BMW. That arrived there today so I’ll get them to post it to me.