Hi guys, Although I’ve been a member for a few years I’m totally new to when it comes to writing a question (asking for help) !
I have a 3.0 Z4 2003 in Southern Spain (Left hand drive)…..Love it to bits and enjoy the commute from Marbella to Gibraltar most weeks for work. Air conditioning works a treat but sometimes I like to ‘get my top off’! Yes you’ve guessed it I’ve got a roof problem.
I have read lots about my problem from this forum which is excellent info. However, just want to make sure I’ve got it clear in my head before ‘tampering’. Cars out here are extremely expensive and so are the garages that fix them if you’ve tried DIY and its gone wrong.
My roof used to work fine about a year ago but from time to time the motor did make a bit of a noise when moving the Roof back and forth. I’m only talking about the roof motor behind the seat not the release catch at the front as that’s working fine.
The noise was down to the fluid I’m sure. When very noisy it moved the roof very slowly but I would release the button momentarily and then depressing it again allowed it to move at a normal speed and without a noisy motor.
Every now and then (except the release catch motor at the front) nothing would happen when opening. No sound, nothing, like the motor had burnt out and died. Then, after a week it would work again. I put this down to the motors poorly located position which had (I assumed) got wet during the rainy month and then dried out to work again. This went on for a few months and now finally has given up the go completely. The boot parcel shelf trip switch thingy works fine.
Where I’m at now: when pressing the opening button on the dash the front catch works well just after the windows drop halfway as per normal…….then nothing. I can press the closing button and the front catch will lock again.
When the front catch has released the roof I can manually pull back the roof about a foot before feeling resistance and that’s as far as it will go. Not forcing it, I assume it’s the hydraulic fluid still at pressure in the pipes because I’ve not played with the red emergency release handle in the boot yet.
I can also hear a clicking from a relay (or something) behind the fuse box located at the back of the glove box when I depress the open button. (Single click as I press the button)
My questions are ????
What will happen if I pull the red emergency handle, will fluid empty somewhere within the car?
Once pulled does it affect the front releasing catch, will I be able to use the roof as an old manual style open & close’ till I get a new motor?
I’ve checked the fuses (No.31 and No.55 etc) could it be a fuse I haven’t found yet?
I’ve seen videos of people removing the motor from inside the boot, I’ve looked at the hole behind the carpet and it looks too small (approx 4” x 3”) Will the whole roof have to come off or can I cheat by going through the ‘small’ rectangular hole?
If I’m replacing the motor and leaving it in the boot can I bypass the piping without removing the old motor and the entire roof?
These questions have undoubtedly been asked before and apologies for asking for help from those who have already answered them ten times over.
Can anybody help.
Josh.
I have a 3.0 Z4 2003 in Southern Spain (Left hand drive)…..Love it to bits and enjoy the commute from Marbella to Gibraltar most weeks for work. Air conditioning works a treat but sometimes I like to ‘get my top off’! Yes you’ve guessed it I’ve got a roof problem.
I have read lots about my problem from this forum which is excellent info. However, just want to make sure I’ve got it clear in my head before ‘tampering’. Cars out here are extremely expensive and so are the garages that fix them if you’ve tried DIY and its gone wrong.
My roof used to work fine about a year ago but from time to time the motor did make a bit of a noise when moving the Roof back and forth. I’m only talking about the roof motor behind the seat not the release catch at the front as that’s working fine.
The noise was down to the fluid I’m sure. When very noisy it moved the roof very slowly but I would release the button momentarily and then depressing it again allowed it to move at a normal speed and without a noisy motor.
Every now and then (except the release catch motor at the front) nothing would happen when opening. No sound, nothing, like the motor had burnt out and died. Then, after a week it would work again. I put this down to the motors poorly located position which had (I assumed) got wet during the rainy month and then dried out to work again. This went on for a few months and now finally has given up the go completely. The boot parcel shelf trip switch thingy works fine.
Where I’m at now: when pressing the opening button on the dash the front catch works well just after the windows drop halfway as per normal…….then nothing. I can press the closing button and the front catch will lock again.
When the front catch has released the roof I can manually pull back the roof about a foot before feeling resistance and that’s as far as it will go. Not forcing it, I assume it’s the hydraulic fluid still at pressure in the pipes because I’ve not played with the red emergency release handle in the boot yet.
I can also hear a clicking from a relay (or something) behind the fuse box located at the back of the glove box when I depress the open button. (Single click as I press the button)
My questions are ????
What will happen if I pull the red emergency handle, will fluid empty somewhere within the car?
Once pulled does it affect the front releasing catch, will I be able to use the roof as an old manual style open & close’ till I get a new motor?
I’ve checked the fuses (No.31 and No.55 etc) could it be a fuse I haven’t found yet?
I’ve seen videos of people removing the motor from inside the boot, I’ve looked at the hole behind the carpet and it looks too small (approx 4” x 3”) Will the whole roof have to come off or can I cheat by going through the ‘small’ rectangular hole?
If I’m replacing the motor and leaving it in the boot can I bypass the piping without removing the old motor and the entire roof?
These questions have undoubtedly been asked before and apologies for asking for help from those who have already answered them ten times over.
Can anybody help.
Josh.
