[Ryanrs]

The roof in my e93 2011 is stuck in the boot and i cannot get the thing to come out. I think what happened is i lowered the hood whilst waiting at a stop light and it went green with about 2 seconds of lowering operation to go. I drove off with my finger still on the retract roof switch and eventually it completed so thought nothing of it. Now i cant get the thing back up again :/

The boot will open backwards as it should, but then the roof does not move! I assume the boot lid is hydraulic operated ? so therefore the pump is fine. Ive swapped the two relays around also to see if one is dead.

If i plug in a diagnostics computer will i be able to find a sensor thats reading wrong? as i reckon this could be the cause.

I see a thread about manually putting the roof up but its not very clear? and i need to know if undoing this will cause hydraulic fluid to spill everywhere? then once its up, how do i lock it in place?


I really need to get it sorted by tomorrow as im back at work at 4am monday and the car is sitting with a plastic sheet over it at present. i have no garage and if it rains the car will be ruined

Please help!

[Fundguy1]

Try restarting and doing it a couple times.

[Ryanrs]

been trying that for past 3 hours. even wiggled and rocked the roof about in the boot abit and took it for a spirited drive and back.

[Fundguy1]

Hmmmmm. Nothing? Will trunk deck open?

[Fundguy1]

If the deck will open there's a manual crank back there somewhere.

[Ryanrs]

Trunk works fine. Just no life in the hood :/

[Fundguy1]

Ok .I'm gonna say it in American so i hope you get what I mean. Operate the roof switch so the trunk opens to allow the roof to go back up. There should be a manual crank point in the trunk area that you can use to manually raise the roof. Look in the owners manual for how and where. Download it if you can't get access to it with the roof still down.

[Fundguy1]

I hope this helps.

[engineer73]

There is no manual crank on the e93. You most likely have a proximity sensor or a limit switch that needs to be adjusted. I Have the service manual for the hardtop that I can email to you if that will help.

[Fundguy1]

There isn't a crank but a nut you can turn to work it manually. Several guys have done this but I don't remember the details except they said it took forever. It's meant as a backup if hydraulics fail.

[Ryanrs]

Ok.. Update and some advice to anyone who has or is yet to encounter this problem.

I gave up! Threw a sheet over the car and went to bed. 8 hours later I got up prepared for a nightmare of a day trying to sort this roof, soo... sheet off, key in ignition and gave the 'roof up' one last go abd guess what... Hey presto! Worked 1st time perfectly!

Im guessing the sensor reset over night and cleared. I'm very lucky I didn't miss align the roof as we was tugging it around quite a lot the prev night, I was getting quite stressed with it.

Anyway it does go back down but I am scared to fold it all the way back so maybe at the weekend I'll buck up the courage to try a full retract.

Anyway everyone, thabks for your help and my advice to future encounters is.. Have patience 😣

[socal619]

Glad everything worked out...now get your car coded and you can put top up, put top down on slow speed.

[Fundguy1]

Get a smatttop. One touch and many other features. My favorite mod.

[Ryanrs]

Smart top sounds interesting, ill have a google.

However.. Seems i may have spoke a little too soon yesterday as i put the roof in the 3/4 down position so i could clean the interior (still too scared to retract fully encase it gets stuck again) and after an hour of cleaning the roof wouldn't move yet again :/ just red flasing light and it would not go up or down.

Luckily (kinda planned tbh) i left enough room to access the battery and pull the earth for 10 minutes then upon reconnecting it worked fine again.

pretty confused as to why its started doing this :s perhaps it has something to do with the windows which are playing up something rotten atm?

[Greyfox]

Originally Posted by Ryanrs

Smart top sounds interesting, ill have a google.

However.. Seems i may have spoke a little too soon yesterday as i put the roof in the 3/4 down position so i could clean the interior (still too scared to retract fully encase it gets stuck again) and after an hour of cleaning the roof wouldn't move yet again :/ just red flasing light and it would not go up or down.

Luckily (kinda planned tbh) i left enough room to access the battery and pull the earth for 10 minutes then upon reconnecting it worked fine again.

pretty confused as to why its started doing this :s perhaps it has something to do with the windows which are playing up something rotten atm?

Is there a "learning" procedure for the top?

I know my panoramic sunroof gets stupid every once in a blue moon and I have to hold the button in a certain position for about 3 minutes while it goes through the opening, closing, partial opening cycle to learn the motor resistance setting on the positions again.

[engineer73]

Originally Posted by Ryanrs

Smart top sounds interesting, ill have a google.

However.. Seems i may have spoke a little too soon yesterday as i put the roof in the 3/4 down position so i could clean the interior (still too scared to retract fully encase it gets stuck again) and after an hour of cleaning the roof wouldn't move yet again :/ just red flasing light and it would not go up or down.

Luckily (kinda planned tbh) i left enough room to access the battery and pull the earth for 10 minutes then upon reconnecting it worked fine again.

pretty confused as to why its started doing this :s perhaps it has something to do with the windows which are playing up something rotten atm?

Hope this helps you troubleshoot your issue.
https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/at...9&d=1408415394