Roof Overhaul : Hall Sensors

[Street]

I'm tackling a poorly roof at the moment. Having read a lot about roof issues this was my first opportunity to attack one. There's some great info on this site but its starting to dissapear as reference sites and personal storage dissapears. So here is a fresh picture of the front hall sensors under the roof.

My starting position was an INSTA+ diagnostic of "CVM: Switch: cowel panel locked, short circuit to ground" Error code 1F
The dreaded flashing red light on the console and no movement anywhere.

In this case, the 'cowel panel' refers to where the roof meets the top of the windscreen. On the front left (n/s) of the hood there are two hall sensors behind the hood latch (the thing that looks like a claw):
Sensor 1: Cowel Panel Locked
Sensor 2: Cowel Panel Unlocked

Getting to these sensors means stripping back the material from the hood. Here is a couple of pictures of where the front hall sensors are:


ISTA+ was really helpful diagnosing when the hall sensors activated. After figuring out the sensors were fine it was a matter of tracing the wire problem. I found the snapped wire right in the middle of the loom!

I finally have life in the old roof. However the story doesn't end today! The latches now work but the main roof motor in the rear wing is whiring but doing nothing. I suspect the bowden cable has been yanked to hard and isn't retracting properly. Tomorrow I'll relocate the motor into the boot and see what joy it brings

 

[Roberltd2]

Well Done

 

[Street]

I managed to get the roof motor out this morning. Nicely saturated in rusty water but after drying off and testing the actual motor is spinning fine. I've still got no life in the hood though I've moved the bowden cable by pass switch (which feels VERY loose) but no difference.

I was careful not to spill any hydraulic fluid when taking the motor off. In the picture my finger is pointing at where the level is at the motor. Is that too low or normal? I'm wondering if I have a leak somewhere.

Any ideas on where to go next? Is it roof off time?

 

[colb]

Maybe a tad low, there should be a mark on the side of the reservoir to indicate the required level. Check for leaks at the rams, fluid would find its way to the drains in front of the rear wheels as long as they are not blocked. Check they are both free and drain, take the rubber valves off the bottom and leave them off. The brass valve on the pump should protrude a bit, push it in and out with some lube on it to make sure its comming fully out so the oil gets pressurised when operated.

 

[Street]

The brass valve on the pump should protrude a bit, push it in and out with some lube on it to make sure its comming fully out so the oil gets pressurised when operated.

I owe do a beer colb. You called it spot on and many thanks for the pointer.
Under the plastic trim of the hydraulic pump is the brass valve. It was fixed solid. A bit of magic WD40 and a wiggle got it moving freely again.
Hey presto the roof is going up and down like new.

A little tiding up to do for another day but a great outcome.

 

[enuff_zed]

The brass valve on the pump should protrude a bit, push it in and out with some lube on it to make sure its comming fully out so the oil gets pressurised when operated.

I owe do a beer colb. You called it spot on and many thanks for the pointer.
Under the plastic trim of the hydraulic pump is the brass valve. It was fixed solid. A bit of magic WD40 and a wiggle got it moving freely again.
Hey presto the roof is going up and down like new.

A little tiding up to do for another day but a great outcome.

Excellent news!
From someone who was caught out only a week or so back, I'd be tempted o get the reservoir as full as you can, as when you put it back in the corner at a 45 degree angle it is very easy to uncover the inlet ports and end up pumping air.
I suspect this is also affected by which way round you have the pump. Mine is sat with the brass plunger facing in towards the centre of the boot.

 

[colb]

Excellent result, sounds like you caught it just in time regarding the wet motor, its a pain getting it out of its hidy hole as you no doubt found best place for it is in the trunk/boot to avoid any future trouble. That brass valve seems to get corroded and sticks which usually causes the red ring cable to fail to operate it when its needed. Now its in the boot its easy to check it annually and give it a lube so it remains operational should you need to switch to manual operation.