Roof failure - next steps

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swabyk
Joined: Mon 18 Jul, 2016 17:38
Posts: 88

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Roof failure - next steps

Post by swabyk »

OK, so I've taken the advice on this forum thus far and this is where ive got to.......

Unplugged microswicth cable from behind passenger seat, as shown in the pic below. Whilst there are three pins in the connector shown marked (2) theres only the two leads in socket (1) as expected. So ive then bridged the connection between the two connectors in socket 2 (the two on the right that correspond to the where the wires connect to and nothing happens. (Bridged these with a screwdriver and then a piece of electrical wire) Is that right, or is there a better way to bridge the connections?

No noise from roof, nothing at all, just dead. Is there anything else that can be faulty or is this pointing to a roof motor/pump? and would you expect the pump to start working or at least making a noise once the pins were bridged?

Image

Thanks
Last edited by swabyk on Fri 23 Sep, 2016 16:55, edited 1 time in total.
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: Roof failure - next steps

Post by colb »

Is plug 1 going to the micro switch or is it plug 2?
Have you tried bridging the connections in plug 2 ignition on foot on brake pedal?

Glad I have a manual roof less to go wrong.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
swabyk
Joined: Mon 18 Jul, 2016 17:38
Posts: 88

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Roof failure - next steps

Post by swabyk »

Plug 1 is the roof switch connector to the microswitch above your head in roof.

Plug 2 goes to the motor/pump in the boot/trunk.

Ive bridged the switches in plug 2 with a screwdriver and nothing happens, i.e theres no pump or motor noise as i might have expected.

Just wondering if thats what others would expect, and if so, does it sound like a pump/motor issue before i splash £100 on a replacement :cry:
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: Roof failure - next steps

Post by colb »

Is there access to the motor connections that are fed by plug 2, try bridging those connections at the actual pump. while your there check continuity of both the wires back to the plug to check neither is broken. Do the same with the wires from plug 1 to the micro switch to check for breaks and operation of the actual switch.
If all checks out good then pump is suspect. Whilst you have a meter out double check the fuse for the circuit.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: Roof failure - next steps

Post by colb »

How about the Violet coloured relays that control the pump, found an old post about these
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=34882&p=325380&hili ... mp#p327122
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
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Robert T
Site Admin
Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: Roof failure - next steps

Post by Robert T »

The most common failure points are the roof microswitch, the wiring leading to the roof microswitch, the roof up/down switch on the dash and the brake pedal switch. Whilst it is feasible that other parts of the system can fail, the relays in the boot and the pump itself are not normally an issue.

The point was made above, but I will repeat it anyway. In order to operate the roof, the roof microswitch must be closed (normally by tilting the roof upwards), the brake pedal switch must be closed (by putting your foot on the foot brake) and the roof up/down switch must be operated with the ignition in position II or with the engine running. All of these are needed in order to make the pump run, so just to check, this is what you are doing, yes?

I would next check the roof up/down switch with a multimeter. It is easy enough to remove and disconnect to do this. If that is working, double-check that your brake lights are working - it might well be a separate set of contacts in the brake pedal switch that do the roof, but it would be unusual for one set to fail on its own. Finally, you can to test the pump itself, as suggested above.

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
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peter2b
Joined: Sat 01 Nov, 2014 18:47
Posts: 963

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: cheshire

Re: Roof failure - next steps

Post by peter2b »

did you have your foot on the brake?
gookah
Z Register member
Joined: Thu 07 Aug, 2008 09:51
Posts: 2737

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Roof failure - next steps

Post by gookah »

have you checked the fuse?
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