BMW SOFT TOP PROBLEMS - HOW TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ต.ค. 2021
- I love the soft Top on my BMW E64 - but what happens when it goes wrong? This is what happened to me and I immediately felt out of my depth because I just didn't know how to fix it, how to diagnose it or even how it worked!
This video goes through how to diagnose problems with the soft top using INPA diagnostics - don't rely on Carly, Foxwell or any of the cheap scanners, the only way forward is to use INPA and I will explain how to do it.
There are eleven sensors on the soft top and any of them can go wrong, and things can go out of adjustment - the purpose of this video is to help you understand everything and how to work out where the problems is
#BMW, #Convertible, #Cabriolet - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Excellent stuff, Timm. Your videos are top notch!
One of the most thorough video's on you tube I have ever seen. Nice job Timm!
Wow, thanks!
GREAT video Tim !! My softtop is working perfect, but one never knows :-) and it's always nice to learn how things are working. You put a lot of effort into these videos and you should know that it is highly appriciated
Best regards from Denmark
Always my pleasure Brian!
Absolutely brill - slowly working through the vids and getting my E64 back to top speck - ( last time I did any work on a car was changing drum brakes on a Datsun Cherry!)
You have to start somewhere Molly!
Excellent video Tim - many thanks!
My pleasure!
Thanks a lot for the video! I have exactly the problem you mentioned towards the end - when the soft top comes up, it sometimes cannot make the last few centimeters in order to claw itself into the front windshield. The problem is intermittent but it of course always happens at the worst possible time.. I'll use what I learned from your video and try to fix it myself.
Lubricate all the scissor linkages - that will fix it!
What a brilliant video thank you so much, currently diagnosing a fault causing all windows to be down and red flashing light and no roof operation
Glad it helped!
Very very useful, professional and even enjoying. Now im on my way buying a INPA reader to get my E46 Convertible working again. Report about my success or failiure to come.
Great to hear!
Tim, your videos are brilliant. Ive watched them all but sadly still unable to solve my issue which may be simple! 2004 E64 n62 4.4l Fuse F89 kept blowing in the boot. Eventually it didn’t blow so it’s probably fried something, no working soft top or Elec steering column. Can’t wind rear window as hex socket stripped. Inpa in the post. Tia your a legend 👍
Thanks Stuart! F89 powers quite a few things, one of them being the Steptronic switch - does that still work?
This is truly encyclopedic- made very comfortable getting into a soft top now - got the option of an 08 champagne auto or an 04 marine blue manual - would love the manual but it would be an online purchase with no test drive! Making me very nervous.
Thanks for sharing!
Now we need a video showing the issue and fix of the rear window!
That's true!
Great video!
Thanks Randy!
Just curious if you’ve ran into any issues or repairs concerning the power steering/active steering for an e63. So glad I found your videos🙏🏼
Not yet! And Thanks!
Thank you for sharing all this! Very informative! Can you please share instructions on INPA installation?
Thanks! Here's the instructions: th-cam.com/video/CBfyCItOJH0/w-d-xo.html
After much looking finally got a low mileage 07 M6 - an absolute beaut, 2 owner, great service history and only some cosmetics to deal with - the dash leather drying out! Anyhoo - my better half n daughter love the ride - they borrow it too often for my comfort so just acquired another beaut E64 to complete the His n Hers - a 2010 low mileage one owner - but does have the soft top issue of not closing fully a couple of inches from latching! I'm most grateful for this video - enjoy a coffee or beer on me. Tah much, till next update.
Good man, the M6 is a real beast of a car!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation a new pointer on the soft top - solved my problem of not latching - came across a give away line lost among a thread talking about the hall sensors on the E46 - a marginally low battery causes it not to latch - given i was having a parasitic drain, I fully charged the battery and cycled it with engine running - and bingo, bob's your uncle - top opened and closed - mechanically, worked flawlessly but with one exception that it did not put up all windows at the end of the cycle! Went up fine with the "all" up button by the door. I've also learned that the windows not closing could be a programing issue - will have to look into that! Again - much appreciate all you videos. All the best.
Thank you brother about this video,,,my e64 soft top close knop flesh red meaning soft top not working now i close manually which is heartbreaking nonetheless now i know where to find the sensors,,thank you,,,,,,,,,South Africa
Hope it all goes well Skhosana!
You are very good and very precise!
What do you think about a problem I have on my BMW E46 CONVERTIBLE?
The top is stuck and no longer moves. With INPA I read that I have a problem with the volts over the limit of the main pillar angol sensor.
Broken cable or faulty sensor?
You need to read the output from the sensor as I did in this video - and that will find the problem
Hi Timm best video on E64 convertible top…..even though I did get a little lost but that’s just me….may I ask you please….it would seem I have the same problem as you….roof on closing does everything but falls at the last hurdle and the roof does not meet the windscreen frame by approx 1-2 cm for the claws to engage…..repeated opening and closing part way of the roof will eventually get it to close or strangely if it’s a hot day leaving the car until well into the evening when it’s cold and then it closes first attempt……is that just coincidence? Lol your thoughts would be much appreciated please as I love my bmw but cannot afford bmw dealership prices
Thankyou again Simone
Hi Tim. Thank you very much for your generous knowledge sharing. You have a great way with presentation.
Question, the emergency deck release method (pulling the buttons with the cables attached in the boot compartment), I presume this will not permanently leave these locks released, and when the deck is closed again the deck will lock? I ask this because my deck wont lift (motors operating but keeps clicking as if the deck wont unlock). I want to test this theory but dont want to leave the deck in an unlocked state for obvious reasons..
thanks again for this, you are the man
Hello Eoin, unfortunately I don't think they re-lock, and that is mentioned in the owner's manual - manual closing means that the rear deck doesn't lock....
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation thanks Tim, I'll steer clear of that so
Hi Tim and thanks a lot for responding me all the time . My 1997 e38 740i only has 2 oxigen sensors pre cat , post cat none of them , is that possible or the owner before me removed them ?
That's normal, don't worry!
Hi Timm, Great video and content.
Just out of interest, I noticed your black deck lid has the marks from the soft top rubber. Has it been awhile since you last Teak Oiled it? I had heard of one US base gent who unbolted it from the painted metal, cleaned it with thinners and spray painted it with a plastic spray. Any thoughts? Ive been using a CRC product on mine and it too doesn't last long, it fades and the blue/white rubber mark comes back.
Thanks Richard, the rear deck is a constant experiment - the teak oil has worked the best but even that doesn't last long. Probably painting is the best way forward!
Thanks!
That's very kind of you! Thanks from the UK!
Hi Timm, Thanks for the very good explanation. I have a E64 645ci and a E64 M6 and the last one has an error once in a while (Top locked) and I found that the car had a new sensor done by the previous owner but it was installed at the edge of working / not working. If I press on the left wing the error goes away. So I will need to adjust the hall sensor.
The car has another problem and that is that the front and back window on the left side do not press strongly against each other. So, on bumpy roads the windows rattle a little and that is annoying. I reasoned that it might be so that the windows do not go up with enough pressure or can it be so that the top roof is not pressing down well enough? I think that the windows need to be squeezed together somehow.
By the way, I tried to use Protool and the sensor positions can be shown there as well but not as nice as in INPA.
Thanks Hans!
Tim, I’m a new subscriber and have a request. Can u do a video on can-bus system of the e31. Im an aerospace engineer and would love to know more as I am having issues of that nature with my e31 M73
Good to hear from you Sina - There is a great video by Diagnose Dan on fault-finding the CanBUS system - he goes into the problems you can have and how to fix it on a BMW: th-cam.com/channels/R73yN7vT7-P541g2qlfRrg.html
Wonderful.
Thanks Jason!
Excellent video. We fellow owners appreciate it!
You might not monitor these old videos, but I'll leave my question anyway, just in case. If I want just to move the front of the top up a bit to provide better access to the wire harness, do I have to pull the releases in the trunk and open the top compartment?
I suspect a break in one of the wires to the cowl lock motor due to an ISTA code of "open circuit" with respect to the "cowl motor" (I tested the motor, and it's fine), and if I can't solve this electrical fault, I still want to be able to drive to the dealer, which is several miles away via highway.
Thanks in advance!
Thanks! You don't say if it is stuck up or down, but if it is completely in the open position then yes, you will have to use the emergency releases.
Great video Tim. I have a 650i, just like yours, and followed your video hoping that it would solve my soft top problem. INPA did not however, solve the issue, as the INPA program (F65 button for the E64 model) would not select the convertible soft top but kept selecting the coupe giving me the only option of the sunroof (coupe) and not my convertible soft top. Any ideas why it won't select the convertible soft top?
Not my area of expertise, but you can use the mouse pointer to select the model rather than the function keys
Thanks for your response Tim. I had a corrupted INPA download and after uninstalling all BMW downloaded software and turning off my firewall and starting again I have it working correctly. Thanks for your videos they are really helpful.
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation
Thanks Timm, superb video.
- press and hold roof button and the light is green on the switch.
- no display at all or warning on the dash that the roof is in motion
- the windows drop and then silence, no unlocking or movement at all in the roof.
- release the switch and press again, and the windows drop down again, and the roof still makes no attempt to open or unlock.
- press the close roof button to put windows back, there is no light at all on the switch
- again no symbol on the dash to show roof function is in operation
- the windows which are now dropped will not go back up using this button. I have to manually put them up using the drivers side door controls .
Inpa error code is same as the one you have in your video: A699 Heckcheibenmotor
At the same time, the passenger rear window is now stuck down and won't come up and it is about to rain :-) I have inpa but not sure if the rear passenger window is covered by the convertible module as that only seems to mention the horizontal window right at the back of the car. When i press the buttons on the drivers door card, i can hear clicking but the rear passenger window does not come up. Have checked the fuses for the windows and the convertible roof. Any ideas how I can bring this window up please and then get the roof to work?
Hi Tim
Is this approach the right one for my problem?:
Soft top opened perfectly well.
Soft top will not close. Windows operate but nothing from deck etc.
I therefore did the manual closing. Red light now flashes and the rear window won’t raise (just ordered a tool to try and manually wind it).
My concern is INCA will display several errors at the moment as I’ve done the manual closure but they could be red herrings??
Appreciate your help Tim. I’d be lost without your videos.
Thank you
Mark
Always my pleasure Mark! INPA will still show which sensor is at fault using this procedure. This might also help: th-cam.com/video/Cy74ip-K2c0/w-d-xo.html
Hello Tim.. great video. My 645 currently flashes green when I first hold button, the windows go down, and then it starts showing red light and you can hear the latches try to open but it never does . Sounds like it is weak. Then I have to roll up all my windows back up manually. The rear window button works . Any recommendations please?
Hello Vedat, the answers are all in the video - you need diagnostics!
Do you have any information or fix on the water coming in through the corners of the soft top where it meets the windscreen?
Yes, see this video: th-cam.com/video/ZsnRfhWlpQ0/w-d-xo.html
Almost Spain! Isn´t it? Enjoy Timm.
Been to Spain - too hot!
Hi tim. What was the stuff to put in the oil to keep the valve stem seals soft called?
There's a few - but Liquid Moly does a good seal conditioner and Wynn's Leak Stop also works well
Hi could you tell me what’s the best code reader is to buy the one you plug in and where on the car do you plug it in and could you send me the link for impa please 😊
Carly for easy stuff and the INPA loaded on a laptop for anything tricky
Hi , can you give me an advise about a cheapper maf sensor for a 740i 1998 ? The oem cost too much for me .
OEM only, the cheaper VW version has different mapping and causes all sorts of problems!
I had a situation where I had to pull the emergency cables in the trunk to close the soft top manually. How do I reset the cable to their original form? I’ve searched online and can’t find anything
They should reset themselves by opening and then closing the top
When the flashing light indicates top not locked my window controls will not function to raise or lower the side windows. I my case one of the sensors needed a gentle tap and corrected the issue.
Yes, this can be the case- and knowing which sensor it is helps!
I have the 'flashing red light syndrome' for a year, intermittent with no rhyme or reason why it does it, switches off boot, rear window and horn as well! I'd pay you good money to diagnose it Timm!
You need INPA - cheap as muck as long as you have a laptop!
I had an intermittent issue. It is probably one of the sensors which may be failing on some occasions.
Timm is right. It needs to be plugged in to determine which one. That sorted my issue.
My BMW F33 is currently in with BMW, the tailgate lock assembly has failed, preventing the roof from being closed, the roof button stopped working, with no noise from the motor, and the luggage compartment tray wouldn't lift, also the light in the boot wasn't illuminated, I was thinking this had the potential to be wiring looms or micro switches/sensors, fault codes where reset by BMW and car was initialised, the roof then operated again, despite the boot latch still being broken, If the car has numerous faults on the switches and sensors, the electronics go into a state of sleep to protect damage.
£711 later, but the roof will be back functional again.
Yes, that's very annoying, BMW charged you a fortune and didn't tackle the root cause!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Hi Timm, The boot motor assembly latches had failed, £711 is inclusive of the cost of the replacement boot lock and fit with diagnosis, but its still scary how these cars shutdown the electronics, once so many faults are generated, which adds to more hysteria, and stress, if you have a fault on a F33 or similar car with hardtop, and the roof button n .lpnger functions, with no noise from.the motor, and luggage compartment tray wont illuminate or lift, a simple bmw reset should bring the car back to life, I did try to reset the fault codes using bimmerlink, but needs to be BMW's program, Tool32
If my bmw operates the windows when I press the roof to open the locking mechanizm operates but won't lift is there a fuse that may have blown my 120i 2010 model thanks Trev in cape town south africa
No fuse Trevor, you will need to diagnose as shown in the video to work out where the problem is
I hope you can help me. 645 I am working on the top will not go down. Tried winding the back window down but it is stuck fast....I need this window to go down so I can get to the modules. Have you any other way to get this back window down?
That window is hard to get down with the standard tool from the boot. Get yourself a decent set of long hex bits and it will go down. I couldn't really move mine with the BMW tool
hello, my BMW e64 reports the following roof errors A692,A693,A698, where to start looking?😊
Use INPA and follow this video and you will find the answer!
Thx
Thanks Ali!
Hi tim have an issue with the hydrolic tappets, is it a big job in these cars 2006 630i
What problems do you have? Rattling, knocking?
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation tapping when cold once drove for 5 minutes and once the engine is warm the tapping is gone, i did put in top end additive and it helped but it has now came back
Hi is there anywhere I could contact you for my bmw 6 series soft top
I'm on bimmerforums.co.uk
Do you still have the E32 730i V8?
If there is one car I wished I kept it would have been the 730i E32 Sport - a fantastic car and I was SO disappointed in my E38 735i that came after it, slower, used more fuel and drove like a jelly!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation i'm looking for E32 V8, i also have E38 V8 730i & W140 S320.....greetings from Ireland
Hi Tim Thanks very much not just for this great video but for all your other ones as well.. My E64 LCI has just started to play up with the heated rear window only operating both up & down in staged increments! Do you know if the hall sensor 61318378940 can be changed with out removing the whole window mechanism? TIA John
Thanks John! I'm not sure - but I will find out as mine does exactly the same!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Thanks Tim, if I find any info my end I will let you know... I was wondering if the hall sensor has been blinded by debris etc...