Roof sensor failure !?!

S

sjscott

Member
So my roof gave in, Immediately presumed it was a dead motor but apparently not. If i press the button nothing happens, windows stay up and it doesn't unlatch but i have a red flashing light.
Ive pulled the tab in the boot and lowered the roof manually, the light stops flashing. then when i press the buttons the motor runs.
The micro switch operates perfectly but to be 100% i linked it out anyway.
if i lift the roof manually while holding the button with the motor disengaged then it runs fine untill about a foot away from closing and ten stops and the light starts flashing. if i keep the button held and lower it again it runs again.
i checked the sensor on the passenger side and it works fine but i dont know where the other two are?
would it show up on diagnostics because i can plug it in when i get home?
Also does anybody have a diagram of the roof and components ?
Cheers, Sam
 
Unless you have a "Gaptech" fitted you have to hold the button down for the duration of the roof opening/closing operation.

If you take your finger off the button then the roof will stop and the button will flash.

Cheers, tug. :thumbsup:
 
Apologies for the slow reply but i didnt seem very clear in the first post i have been holding the button down and since to roof will work perfectly but it will still stop ~85% of the way up then the red light starts flashing and nothing happens.
If i pull the cable in the boot then hold the button and manually move the roof up and down it will work untill that 85% mark then stop, keeping the button held if i then lower the roof slowly back past the same spot the motor runs again.
Hopefully explained it better this time
cheers
 
Latch motor works in the down position and if i operate one of the sensors on the passenger side with a washer or something similar it latches work as it thinks its closed.

Got me genuinely stumped now :tumbleweed:

Sam
 
Hi mate, you mention a sensor? can you explain what sensor you mean and where it is situated.

Cheers, tug :thumbsup:
 
yeah can do, it on the passenger side near the seat? you can see it clearly with the roof down. not sure where the other ones are located?

cheers, Sam
 
Sam, do you mean the silver ring that is on top of the post? If so that is a solid roof sensor, so when a solid roof is put on the zed it completely kills any operation of the convertable roof.

Cheers, tug :thumbsup:
 
Its the up position sensor i believe, Small black rectangle. looks the same as the picture about 4 posts down on this thread but next to the passenger seat
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiPoaSnwffLAhVGXBoKHaDdD6kQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zpost.com%2Fforums%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D664607&bvm=bv.118443451,d.d2s&psig=AFQjCNGM050IsEo1hB9L4qcyBq8rouXawQ&ust=1459946121029556

with a washer on this the roof thinks its closed so the latch motor starts to work

Cheers, Sam
 
Ah, i see! in that case mate i am as stumped as you are. It must be so annoying. Are you sure there is no obstruction anywhere?

Cheers, tug :thumbsup:
 
im confused to say the least aha, and havent had a real dig around but it moves nice a freely by hand. Having a chat with bowser now who mentioned it could low hydraulic fluid meaning it doesn't make it all the way up but i originally ruled this out due it happening with the red leaver pulled.
see what happenes, hopefully the fix wont be as pricey as a new motor anyway :?

Cheers, Sam
 
Sam, its just a thought but i wonder if the boden assembly might be partially seized! Reason i mention it is cos it might not be letting enough pressure build up in the fluid to complete a full cycle. Try pushing/pulling the red ring in a good few times, if it is that it might free it up.

Cheers, tug :thumbsup:
 
At this point anything is worth a try, doubtful though as the problem occoured randomly, meaning i hadnt touched the bowden cable before hand.
Ill certainly give it ago either way :thumbsup:
Cheers, Sam
 
I have had a very similar issue. ill see if i can find my post about it. took a fair bit of investigation work to figure it out
 
yeah mines doing the same but more towards the top of the roof cycle, from what ive read this can be done with the roof still on?
If so ill have a look tomorrow, weather permitting obviously

Cheers, Sam
 
it sounds very similar. if it is then it will be one of the two sensors that locate the the locking motor. accessing these is tricky but easy with the roof on but it does involve removing the roof from its frame at the front. after this you can lift out the polystyrene packing and test the two sensors.
it was a broken wire to these that caused mine to fail.

if it is the sensors that locate the open roof then you will have to take the roof out as they are well within the mechanism on the passenger side.

getting to all of the wires does involve removing some of the trim that you would do to take the roof off but this is pretty easy to do.
 
Just to say in case somebody has a similar issue it was exactly what domsz4 described.

8 torx screws later and the inner roof lining was off showing the connection for the sensor.
Lifted the roof while measuring the 10v at the plug for the sensor and sure enough it dropped off.
so out came the passenger seat (no necessary), the speaker cover and the smaller grill to get to the roof module.
then its the closest plug to the front of the car.
A length of new cable and some soldering later and i have a fully functioning roof again. :driving: :driving:

Cheers,
Sam
 
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