Struggling roof

[Tommy H]

Hi All

I have recently bought my Z4 which had some niggling issues and trying to work through them one by one! With your help on this forum I have fixed several issues. Now for the big one... My roof. It struggles to go back for the first 6 inches do I have to help push it back and then it goes back fine. The roof comes back perfect and at the right speed. My next door neighbour also has a Z4 and we have managed to prove this. Can anyone shed any light on why it struggles to go back? I'm hoping this is not a new motor. Could it be something simple and are there any checks that I can do to trouble shoot? I have had the roof reinitialIsed and all fault codes taken off the car. Apparently at some point the battery went flat could this contribute?

Tom

[srhutch]

Probably motor failure, check your drains but I think the writing is on the wall.

[Bing]

Struggling roof is generally a sign of the motor starting to go - can take days or months. Mine was the latter, I just didn't really notice till it got very bad. Can't think of a single person who has had struggling roof on here and then not had it fail lately... That said, I think ewazix lubricated all the joints he could get at, including the hooks that hold the roof in place and their fittings on the top of the screen, and he got his working fine again. Something to try before dismantling everything, or paying someone to do it ?

[deka]

could be the motor struggling/on its way... may just be down on fluid .

when you say you have had the roof reinitialised what exactly do you mean?

[Adamski]

Does it fully de-latch, then struggle? On occassion, mine used to have trouble unhooking from the latches after extended periods of time with the roof up. It mentions this in the manual somewhere about having to assist the roof by hand in these cases.

Does your roof always struggle? Or is it sporadic?

[Tommy H]

Is there a resevoir to fill up with fluid or do you still have to take everything to bots? Is it a job you can tackle yourself or do you need specialist tools?

[deka]

Unless it has leaked its probably going to be the motor... there is a how to remove the roof and another how to replace the motor... not for the faint hearted but not undo able jsut takes time.

[Bing]

Is there a resevoir to fill up with fluid or do you still have to take everything to bots? Is it a job you can tackle yourself or do you need specialist tools?

Unfortunately you need to take it ALL apart to get at the reservoir, which is attached to the top of the motor...

[andysat]

Bloody ell-there is a lot of these posts cropping up lately

[AlanJ]

Bloody ell-there is a lot of these posts cropping up lately

It's the UK weather - so lots of roof DOWN - roof UP

[Tommy H]

What would the cost be fi you think for a garage not BMW to change a motor?

[Bing]

Somewhere between £500 and £600 from recent posts on here - about £340 for the motor and housing, anywhere from £200 to £300 labour.

[Tommy H]

Can anyone recommend anywhere to get it done in the warwickshire area or is the general feeling most garages could tackle the jOb?

[Tommy H]

I have been reading another post with problems on a roof and they are talking with reference to actuators and hydraulic pressure. Is this common issue as mine struggles to go back for the first six inches and need helping back but still comes back fine.

[Tommy H]

I have been reading another post with problems on a roof and they are talking with reference to actuators and hydraulic pressure. Is this common issue as mine struggles to go back for the first six inches and need helping back but still comes back fine.