Soft top losing power?!

[benben]

Hey guys,

Last night i noticed when opening and closing the top it takes a longer time to close/open and the sound it makes is much weaker.
It is getting worse from the looks of it and this morning i had to play around with it before it eventually worked.
Seems like it is getting weaker or losing power?!!
It will be disastrous if it fails.
Does anyone have an idea what this could be?

 

[Maniac]

Unfortunately this sounds like the classic pump failure, it goes weak for a short period, then packs up. Others may throw in some other ideas, but this is exactly what happened to me on my e85 before it packed up. It may mean taking out the pump, which is a lengthy process for diagnosis or replacement.

 

[Stug]

Yep, pump motor

 

[benlumley]

Yep, pump motor

+1 - pretty much what mine did before it failed.

Recommend you find the red loop inside the boot (its just inside the boot at the top on the left) and familiarise yourself with how to use it (pull, twist 90 degrees, release) to disengage the motor, allowing you to raise/lower the roof manually. That way if it doesn't work you can always get the hood up manually. Once you have it up - press the roof up button to get the latching mechanism to do it's thing. (The down button will unlatch it - so you can push it down manually too)

 

[benben]

NOOOOOOOOO...but I just bought the car like 1 month ago

what sort of money are we talking to fix it?

 

[dragon]

This may help as a guide http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=51671&p=775617#p775617

 

[se4y]

Hey guys,

Last night i noticed when opening and closing the top it takes a longer time to close/open and the sound it makes is much weaker.
It is getting worse from the looks of it and this morning i had to play around with it before it eventually worked.
Seems like it is getting weaker or losing power?!!
It will be disastrous if it fails.
Does anyone have an idea what this could be?

I have the problem all like you. It cost me 700£ for the labor cost. But I get the pump repaired and have not change to a new one.

I suggest you do some work yourself and wait it to get back.
1.The pumg must be water locked aready.
2.It is not easy to be dry.(sponge around with plastic shell)
3.The main issue is that the hole in the bottom of pump holder of your car. It perhaps was plug up by leaves etc.
4.so find the hole and let the water come out first and wait the pump drying.
5.you do Just like laparoscopic surgery.
6.Good luck!

 

[se4y]

Hey guys,

Last night i noticed when opening and closing the top it takes a longer time to close/open and the sound it makes is much weaker.
It is getting worse from the looks of it and this morning i had to play around with it before it eventually worked.
Seems like it is getting weaker or losing power?!!
It will be disastrous if it fails.
Does anyone have an idea what this could be?

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=10190&hilit=soft+top

 

[RJS-Z4]

If you're handy, you can fix this yourself if you give yourself and a friend a few hours of a saturday and sunday, and spend about $15 on materials.

It's pretty simple.

Remove roof following guide.
Take roof motor out of casing and disconnect from hydraulic unit not spilling any fluid or anything.
Take all of the soundproofing and give it a wash, leave it on the rad to dry overnight
Get the roof motor and clean up with various fluids and a rubber mallet to knock out any rust etc.
Run the motor directly on the battery back and forth for quite some time once it's all cleaned up etc.

Day two:

Refit motor to hydraulic unit and insert into housing with clean dry sound proofing
Clean all drains up etc
Re-seal roof motor casing with silicone etc

Re-fit roof as per guide.

 

[benben]

So i dropped the car at the mechanics today and they ran a diagnostic and it turns out the switch is faulty and is not making contact. They say it will cost 300 dollars for a new switch from Germany and adding the freight costs and labor etc it will be 600 dollars!!! And that might not even be the problem as they said if we are to fully open the top and get to the motor/pump etc it will take 4 hours of labor which is another huge cost. They said there is a clicking sound on the left hand side motor when opening and closing but that may be due to insufficient power getting to the motor because of the switch.
So from the sounds of things looks like i gotta change the switch first and hope for the best.
Does anyone know anywhere i can find the switch for cheaper than the $300?!!

Thanks

 

[Stuart Truman]

Do they mean the switch in the cabin or a relay?

I very much doubt the switch handles the current needed by the roof motor, it's far more likely to have a relay in the loop and that might be what they can hear clicking.

 

[fixit man]

Hi,

here's a link to a used one on Ebay :- http://www.ebay.ie/itm/BMW-E85-E86-Z4-Folding-Roof-DSC-Tyre-Pressure-Centre-Console-Switch-Pack-Panel-/171026069518?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27d1f2b80e

I don't see why they can't prove that it's the switch, all they have to do is bridge out the connectors in the right way to see If it works !

Good luck

 

[benben]

They claim its the switch in the cabin according to the diagnostic that they ran. I am pretty doubtful that is the cause of the problem too but is it possible that not enough power is getting to the motor or something? They charged me 150 dollars for basically telling me nothing!
I guess my only option at the moment is to take out the switch and see what is going on and maybe change it

p.s. He showed me how to open and close it manually for the time being and use the button to lock/latch the top in place. Now that i am home i cant seem to close it anymore haha it wont move, cant lift it up. i keep playing with the red latch thingo in the boot but no luck so far. its one of those days.

 

[aquazi]

Yeah i doubt its the switch too... If it triggers but doesnt drop it has to be the motor.




Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk

 

[zen200]

Thats a real pain. This is one thing that is putting me off buying a z4. Silly design fault.

 

[zen200]

aquazi - Nice motor btw... Very nice wheels. What are they ? it is the VMR710 that your signature says ?

 

[se4y]

So i dropped the car at the mechanics today and they ran a diagnostic and it turns out the switch is faulty and is not making contact. They say it will cost 300 dollars for a new switch from Germany and adding the freight costs and labor etc it will be 600 dollars!!! And that might not even be the problem as they said if we are to fully open the top and get to the motor/pump etc it will take 4 hours of labor which is another huge cost. They said there is a clicking sound on the left hand side motor when opening and closing but that may be due to insufficient power getting to the motor because of the switch.
So from the sounds of things looks like i gotta change the switch first and hope for the best.
Does anyone know anywhere i can find the switch for cheaper than the $300?!!

Thanks

Not the swich problem! Every thing of your described is same of mine～If it's `swich` you would hear nothing from the motor or just insensitive .

 

[benben]

So i dropped the car at the mechanics today and they ran a diagnostic and it turns out the switch is faulty and is not making contact. They say it will cost 300 dollars for a new switch from Germany and adding the freight costs and labor etc it will be 600 dollars!!! And that might not even be the problem as they said if we are to fully open the top and get to the motor/pump etc it will take 4 hours of labor which is another huge cost. They said there is a clicking sound on the left hand side motor when opening and closing but that may be due to insufficient power getting to the motor because of the switch.
So from the sounds of things looks like i gotta change the switch first and hope for the best.
Does anyone know anywhere i can find the switch for cheaper than the $300?!!

Thanks

Not the swich problem! Every thing of your described is same of mine～If it's `swich` you would hear nothing from the motor or just insensitive .

Was it the motor that was the problem with yours? I think I will just quickly take out the switch and bridge it and see if it works. if it does then ill give taking the top off a shot and replace it with a new motor. What do you think.

 

[benben]

It is probably worth mentioning the top still lock/unlocks when I press the buttons but it will not move. Must be a motor problem right? or pump fluid leak?

 

[se4y]

It is probably worth mentioning the top still lock/unlocks when I press the buttons but it will not move. Must be a motor problem right? or pump fluid leak?

3 choice :
1.take off the softtop.Change the oil pump.needs 1 bottle of pump oil.clean the pump holder and drainage hole. seal the new pump shell. that is will be 1100$.+pump price by dealer.
2.Do all 1,and use the old pump.(which I did)
3.DIY.Take the wheel off and find the drainage hole. drain away the water and wait for pump drying itself.You can find the pump shell when you are in your z4 with the softtop via the inner softop crack. Find you way to make it dry If the water is full of all plastic pump shell. (or you find your way to make the pump holder dry via the crack of inner softtop and wait it dry itself) The old pump motor will work again.