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      09-29-2011, 02:48 PM   #1
drashall
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z4 power top won't retract

Need a wiring diagram for the power top. Mine will unlock but not retract. There is a switch somewhere that is not turning the motor on to retract after in unlocks. any help would be appreciated.
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      09-29-2011, 03:10 PM   #2
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There is a line runing on the driver's side, from the roof to the trunk area and has a red pull on it. Check that first, and make sure the storage shelf thing is down fully. After that, go see the dealer
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      09-29-2011, 04:10 PM   #3
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drashall

With the top UP and locked what happens when you push the 'top down' button on the center console.

If you hear the top unlock from the windscreen but not move, the most likely cause is the 'compartment floor' (CF) switch in the trunk. It is not a storage shelf....

The microswitch is common issue. Sometimes the CF moves a little and releases the switch. Another issue is that the engagement arm on the microswitch will come detached. To trouble shoot this you can do these steps:

Remove the microswitch assembly from the rear bulkhead. It is held on by, if I remember, one torx screw.
See pic 1

If the arm is installed, it could be bent or the switch is possibly broken.
Unhook the switch from the wiring harness and take a small wire and jumper the harness plug, then attempt to lower the top.

If the top lowers, there's your issue. You can keep the jumper installed, making sure the CF is always in the lowered position and order a new switch from BMW. It's around $35.00
Only the switch is replaced, NOT the entire assembly.
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      09-29-2011, 10:02 PM   #4
Spaceman Spiff
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But his unlatch motor apparently works. If the microswitch was missing, nothing would work at all.

Edit: same with the tray.

Do this for testing: let the top unlatch, then pull the red tab in the trunk to release the hydraulic fluid and close the top manually (if you pull it back it will fold down easily). Then put the red tab back in and see if the power closing mechanism works or not, i.e. close the top by holding the button and see if it works.
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      09-30-2011, 03:06 PM   #5
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Had a similar issue, turned out I hadn't flipped the red tab back up (tried pushing it in, but forgot that part).
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      10-20-2011, 10:21 AM   #6
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Guys,

I hope you dont mind me joining you from Europe, but I came across this board via Google and I may be able to help (just solved this on my '04 3,0i).

@Shipkiller - If the Microswitch is the problem, then the roof wont unlatch at all (from the up position) and the switch LED will light up orange and not blink (if you see it happen you will recognise the color change)

@ Zinger/Roffle Waffle - If the red bypass tab is pulled and/or not properly reseated then the hydraulic pump will run but the roof wont move. All this tab does is move a lever to depress a button on the pump - it moves about 1/4 inch total, seats back into a slot and the button it presses may have seized (was on mine)

@ drashall - If your roof unlocks and then the LED blinks red but nothing else happens, then with 98% certainty I welcome you to the world wide community of Z4 drivers with gunked up hydraulic pump motors. Most of the time, if you remove and open the pump/motor unit you will find the casing full of water and the motor inoperable. Again most of the time 30 mins with some WD40 and paper towels will restore the pump to working order. To get to the pump you either have to violently remove it through the boot (break off some inaccessable cable ties) or partially open the roof. I did the latter and its fiddly but ok if you are any good with tools. If you get BMW to do it over here they take the whole roof out and charge you for a new pump, which can cost something between $1000-1500.

But what am I saying - Shipkiller had done this too, AFAIK (albeit with the whole roof off)
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      10-25-2011, 02:40 PM   #7
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My '06 Z4 3.0i now has a top that does not open, at 30,500 mi. Dealer inspected and said in the invoice: "Customer states the top will not close. Top feels loose, like it's not connected to lifting mechanism. Micro switches working." In order to further diagnose the problem the top has to be removed. The tech suggested that there could be a hydraulic leak, but no evidence of the leak was found. I suggest the motor is bad ( I didn't have any trouble with the top previously to this), and have looked at DIY's on removing the top, and the problem with the corrosion in the motors. If I have them do the work, I certainly will have them put in a motor. I don't want to do this again. I have only had the car 2 1/2 years, and put only about 4000 miles on it. It rarely gets wet, even. Perhaps the drains are plugged and I will have them cleaned out as well.
The dealer wants $340 for the motor and says it takes 12 hours to remove and replace the top. I asked about the 'insulation' or the cover over the motor was told that it didn't show up on the parts diagram. Total "estimate" is about $2100, plus tax and 'fluid'. Should an experienced tech really need that much time to take out the top?

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      10-25-2011, 06:10 PM   #8
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The official BMW guideline for removal of the top and repair is eight (8) hours. They also spend some time removing the rear trim that I don't do in the DIY.
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      10-25-2011, 09:12 PM   #9
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Thanks, Shipkiller. The dealer could not find out how many hours to do the job on his computer. He asked the service tech and came up with 12 hours.
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      05-16-2013, 07:56 AM   #10
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Hate to revive an old thread, but my friend's Z4 is pretty much the same way. This is my first post, and I really hate to create a new thread on something already covered by an existing thread. So please excuse this resurrection.

Problem is, it wouldn't even unlatch when pressing the button. I had to determine where the problems lie. I didn't know if it was the latch motor, the top motor, or a switch.

Through a few PM's with ShipKiller, he sent me a diagnostic to do to test. I manually unlatched the top with an allen wrench. In this case, clockwise rotation loosens the latch (opposite of righty-tighty). Once loose, I pulled the red tab in the trunk to release pressure on the hydraulics. Top lifted back with ease and I secured it in place. I then put the tab back in it's normal position to allow the motor to operate normally.

Pressed the lift button and it came up, closed, and secured with no issue. So I'm seriously suspecting the switch for the compartment floor, as shown above. My friend had mentioned trying to open/close it repeatedly to get the top to go, so that kind of confirms the symptoms (at least to me).

Ordering the part is no biggie, but with beautiful weather here today, I'm wondering what the process would be to override that switch to allow top dropping until I can replace it. Anybody have a pic/description of that?

Off to check ShipKiller's awesome writeup to see if that is documented!
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      05-16-2013, 08:28 AM   #11
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Just remove the switch, and jumper it out until the new switch arrives...
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      05-16-2013, 09:15 AM   #12
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So to remove the switch, just remove it from that bulkhead and run a wire between the two sockets in the purple housing?

Do I need to remove the top or anything to get to the point where I can remove that switch?

EDIT: Nevermind. Looked at it a bit more and saw how crazy easy it was to get to. I removed it and overrode it. Works UP AND DOWN NOW!

Time to order a replacement switch!

Last edited by Southern6er; 05-16-2013 at 09:59 AM..
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      05-16-2013, 10:53 PM   #13
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I tell you, with all the problems that micro switch seems to present I've only raised the panel in the trunk once (when I was doing my stereo install). Some things just need to be left alone.
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      05-25-2013, 12:39 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shipkiller View Post
Just remove the switch, and jumper it out until the new switch arrives...
I apologize to bump this thread, but I attempted the hydraulic fix (your instructions made it really easy). Symptoms my car (2003) had was the microswitch arm breaking off. I ordered and replaced that and all worked fine. Next problem came when the top would stop half way. Took about 5 months before I can attempt to repair it (weather) but in between that time, the top stopped unlatching and the top light in the middle console blinks red. My windows won't roll down or anything. I had to open the top with a allen wrench and spinning it manually. I finally got around to replace the hydraulic motor today. It was easy with your instructions but before I screwed everything in I tested it out. No luck. Took the top out and inspected everything and it all looked right. Oh, I thought the microswitch might have gone bad so I jumped it and still nothing. Any idea's or suggestions on what I can do next? Plan E will be me buying a cordless screwdriver and fitting the allen wrench in it.
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      08-15-2013, 10:00 PM   #15
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A couple of years ago I had the same problem. I removed the top filled with new hyraulic fluid worked for about a month. Found fluid on drivers side. Removed top found hydraulic hinge bad. Replaced worked fine until passenger hinge failed. Removed again replaced hinge then top would not come down as fast as before. I felt that maybe I must of kinked a line? Removed top inspected no kinks. Tested pump and purged system. Top has always gone up fast and still does but will not go down unless assisted. My son is tired of helping me remove the top. I am good at it and its not a bother. I think I might have bad seal in the pump assembly. I wanted to remove it and see if there is a obstruction in the system(down cycle). Has anyone taken the assembly apart? I know if I buy a new motor and pump it will be fixed. Just asking?
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      09-01-2013, 05:06 AM   #16
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Like above I have the same problem with the roof unlatching and then not going any further. Weirdly after 3 weeks of this not happening, I tried again and it worked, but now it has gone back to not working!

The red cord that you mention in the boot to manualy open the roof, I have tried pulling mine but it seems stuck, would anyone know why this is? Does it have something to do with hydraulic fluid?

All the above suggestions seem to say that pulling the red cord works however I have tried very hard and it wont budge.
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      09-02-2013, 04:44 PM   #17
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I need the cheapest place to get the motor. Anyone know of a place?
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      09-03-2013, 12:27 AM   #18
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Check this thread on cheapest new OEM parts.
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Warning: May contain traces of nuts.
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      10-20-2013, 01:36 PM   #19
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I think my bypass valve is either dirty or stuck open slightly. When you pull the red cord, it bypasses the pump. Mine tries to go down but has no force. Up is perfect. I am going to take it apart and fix it.
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      07-17-2015, 10:53 AM   #20
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Z4 2003 Roof problems

I just have a garage ''supposively professionnal'' replacing my soft top. Roof top was working fine when I brought my car in but now it doesn't open. I receive all kinds of arguments for justification from them but anyway I decide to take my car out of there.

I finally got it to close normally after being open manually but afterward nothing works.

Lights on control panel ''Open-Close'' not even light. Micro-switch in truck seem to work fine and to make sure that this wasn't the problem I by-pass it.

Do anybody has a idee on this problem?
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      09-07-2015, 12:12 AM   #21
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The symptoms that my 06 roadster displayed today were exactly the same. I had absolutely no warning, but then my top would not retract. But I didn't believe anything went wrong with the electrical system, switches or motors. I examined the shelf knobs - the ones that you twist to increase the space in my trunk. They were in the correct position all right, but it turns out that the plate hinge attaches the knob to the shelf and the trunk interior on the passenger side had become unattached probably when I was loading the trunk with groceries earlier today. I am surprised that it had become disconnected so easily. anyway, after slipping the hinge back into place - top up/top down; no problem. i guess i lucked out.
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      03-08-2016, 06:08 PM   #22
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Just to add to this thread, I had a similar problem with my 07. Couldn't figure it out, until I read a ton, then started playing around with the rear shelf. It wasn't the shelf or the sensor, turned out the red ring that pulls to release the hydraulics was partially pulled out. I put it completely in and everything started working.

Just incase another person has the same issue. Something to check.


JT
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