Z4 Roof won't open help!!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
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srhutch said:
aquazi said:
As it's a 56 it's a facelift.... So with the better sealed motor.

When the light flashes it it red or orange?

If orange it could be the boot shelf sensor.... Or maybe even the boot shelf not fully down.... Preventing the roof opening.
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The OP says the roof opens an inch or so, so this can't be the issue.
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After i removed my boot carpet and the shelf switch I must not have connected everything up quite correct....my roof had the same problem.. the windows dropped and the roof unlocked and popped open a few cm, but wouldnt lower.

I disconnect my boot switch and reseated it and its worked fine ever since.
 
Funny thing a few days before the clock went blank on the panel and the radio and i had to reset it. I have the day off work tomorrow so will have a good look round. Thanks for your suggestions guys.......... :) if nothing works i'll take it in :!:
 
Hi all

I have a 2003 Z4. I have not put my roof down since last summer. I tried for the first time this year and it has failed.

When holding the 'down' button the windows drop and the roof unlatches, it retracts about 1" but then stops completely. I have checked the shelf in the boot is in the down position and the microswitch seems to be working fine.

Is this definately a motor problem??
Is there an easy way to know for sure what the problem is?

Really appreciate anyones help

Thanks
 
Hi
Finally got roof diagnosed and they say its either the roof motor stuck or naff.
They want £70 per hour =vat 4 hour job
+ 223 for a new new motor if they can't repair the old one.
Gutted so expensive anyone out there that knows a man that can?? In Kent preferably

All this lovely sunshine and i can't put the roof down typical :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown:


Oh yes guess what extended warranty only covers a sun roof motor. Have you ever seen a z4 with a sun roof .....what's the point :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
 
daniev01 said:
Hi
Finally got roof diagnosed and they say its either the roof motor stuck or naff.
They want £70 per hour =vat 4 hour job
+ 223 for a new new motor if they can't repair the old one.
Gutted so expensive anyone out there that knows a man that can?? In Kent preferably

All this lovely sunshine and i can't put the roof down typical :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown:


Oh yes guess what extended warranty only covers a sun roof motor. Have you ever seen a z4 with a sun roof .....what's the point :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
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That's a good quote, I've just had my roof motor replaced and it was over nearly 800quid.

Roof Motor/Pump: 266.67
Casing: 57.50
Hydraulic Oil: 18.50
Labour: 320.00 (8 hours @ 40quid/hour)
Total (ex Vat): 662.67
Total (inc Vat): 795.20

Your symptoms sound exactly the same as mine;
Pressing the button caused the windows to drop and the roof to unlatch but then the motor didn't kick in. Mine did occasionally work, but eventually just stopped completely. It didn't noticeably slow down either, really went from working to not-working.

It isn't the sensor on the boot as the windows drop and the roof unlatches, if it was the sensor then this wouldn't happen, you'd get an orange (I think) light when you pressed the roof down button and the windows wouldn't drop or the roof unlatch.

It could potentially be the relay for the roof pump which has gone - this is a much cheaper fix (a couple of quid for the relay). You should be able to hear the relay click as you press and release the button - if it's clicking audibly then it's less likely it's the relay, but it still doesn't totally rule it out. You really need to remove and test it to be sure (this is a job for a garage if you're not happy doing electrical work).

There is also a red handle in the boot (left hand side) which is the release for the hydraulic pressure in the roof system - It is possible this has been pulled out, causing the roof to be unable to be retracted. If this is the case then you should hear the pump working when you keep the roof-down button held in. So it's worth testing this too.

There's also a small plastic adjuster which affects the tension in this cable (it's hidden in the passenger side behind the roll hoop and attached to the base of the roof lining - this could need adjusting if the red pull tab isn't going back in far enough, but this is highly unlikely to be the issue - just thought I'd brain dump it in case it's useful to anyone reading this in the future :)

Hope this helps - think this is everything I know about roofs ;)
 
Hi Siftah

Thanks for the reply i checked all the above suggestions and so did Big M world ..... Just wondering has anyone been successful winding the roof back manually and unceasing the motor that way?????

I do understand it's quite a specialist job and that's why they charge what they do!>.. I'm not at all happy doing electrics i might break a nail :rofl:

Thank you again!
 
daniev01 said:
Just wondering has anyone been successful winding the roof back manually and unceasing the motor that way?????
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If it's gone in the way mine had (I saw it after they removed it today at the garage) then I doubt it - the mechanics of the roof are unlikely to seize to be honest as they're internal and protected by the roof itself - personally I wouldn't even waste my time greasing it, it's not likely to help. It's easy to see how loose the roof is by pushing it manually anyway (with the red tab pulled out to release the hydraulic motor).

The motor itself is badly positioned, it's in one of the rain channels and the drain point for the channel is quite small (5pence piece sized). Once enough muck and debris has blocked it the whole pillar fills up with water, immersing the pump. After that it's just a matter of time until the motor rusts away. The motor itself probably doesn't seize, but once enough rust builds up it'll stop the motor from working electrically as the rust acts as an insulator.

daniev01 said:
I do understand it's quite a specialist job and that's why they charge what they do!>.. I'm not at all happy doing electrics i might break a nail :rofl:
Thank you again!
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It's actually not that specialist, quite a simple job just a bit fiddly and needs someone who'll be careful. I'd be happy having it done at a non-BMW specialist garage if it kept the cost down, personally.

:)
 
I don't know much about warranties becuase I don't have one myself. But I've seen a lot of posts on here about warranty providers pretending that roof motors are not covered when in fact they are. Double check,...there's a good chance they are taking the mick. Ask them to show you where in the wording roof motors are explicitly excluded.

If you have to pay for a fix, ..I went to Crago in Dartford. It cost me about £600 all in. I don't think that price can be beaten.

And to me,..if you are paying £300 for the roof taking off etc.... pay for a NEW roof motor while you are at it. I reckon reconditioning an old motor will just lead you to having that replaced in the next 2 years at which point you will have to pay for the labour all over again.
 
ferrelscent said:
And to me,..if you are paying £300 for the roof taking off etc.... pay for a NEW roof motor while you are at it. I reckon reconditioning an old motor will just lead you to having that replaced in the next 2 years at which point you will have to pay for the labour all over again.
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Agree with you here mate - I'd also add, make sure that the new motor has the plastic cover fitted too, for the sake of an extra 58quid it could save you a substantial amount in the future.

And finally - I know I'm going to be checking and cleaning my drain channels every now and then from now on, it seems a sensible job to do :)
 
Thanks Guys..... I'll recheck the wording but it defo said sun roof motor!
 
All fixed managed to get it done just for the price of the labour so well pleased. :)
 
Drain plugs blocked motor had ceased but they got it working again so a little cheaper than expected
 
I have the same roof problem, opens when button is pressed the stops. The first opening sequence is electrically operated, then the hydraulic pump takes over. The channel down the side of the car has water/fluid in it so either hydraulic leak or as mentioned in earlier posts it's water ( I do wash it a lot ). Roof works intermittently but have now left in the closed position until the dealer looks at it under warranty. A good web site for detailed info, where I found diagrams and positioning http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/01%20E85%20Complete%20Vehicle.pdf
Is the a drain plug or bung any were on the pump side of the vehicle seems a right drama to get to, even just to look at the pump.
 
Check out the how-to section for drain plug.
Possibly need to clean them out once in a while.

http://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=11615
 
The retractable roof on my 2003 2.5 Z4 has just seized up this weekend for the second time in two years. 2 years ago the mechanism packed in while the roof was closed, so with a few straining noises from the rear not an immediate disaster because the locking mechanisms on the windscreen re-engaged the roof fully. No such luck in a Sainsbury's car park this Saturday, when the blinking thing seized up half open. I have religiously followed the instructions on manual closing (with the allen key) but have been unable to achieve a sealed closing, leaving about a half centimeter crack along the top of the windscreen, temporarily patched over with duck tape.

Any ideas on how to close the thing completely manually welcomed - but I have the impression this physically may not be possible as the hydraulic pumps have to exert considerable levered force to stretch the hood fully and close it.

In 2009 Cotswold BMW diagnosed hydraulic pump failure and replacement set me back about £700 including labour. I accepted at the time after 6 years of continuous exposure to the elements this could be reasonable wear and tear.

However, if a new pump fitted in 2009 has now failed after less than two years, I can't accept this is reasonable wear and tear. Any ideas on what Cotswold BMW might have done wrong when fitting the replacement two years ago (that is, assuming the pump itself was not defective when new) ??
 
daniev01 said:
Drain plugs blocked motor had ceased but they got it working again so a little cheaper than expected
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How did they do that - if the motors a problem it's rare to be able to fix it without removal and if that's the case the longer term and cheaper option is just to replace it.
 
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