power hood problem

[darren no 7]

hi all took the hard top off today on my e46 m3 and found the roof had no go in it ,it got half way up then had to be pushed down ,its as if it has no power any ideas thanks (now it wont go up or down)

Edited by darren no 7 on Sunday 2nd March 09:14

Edited by darren no 7 on Sunday 2nd March 13:11

[darren no 7]

has any one any ideas thanks

[Ayrton4ever]

It can also depend on how strong your battery is I would think

Have you tried with the car stopped but the engine running?

I would try spraying some wd40 on all the joints to reduce friction (In the manual it describes what the correct position of the soft top is for having access)

Hadn't have any problem myself so others will surely have more experience...

good luck

[LittleBro]

I've not had any issues on my M3 but a few years ago I had that problem with an XK8 and this was as a result of the hydraulic fluids thickening up. Might be worth a look?

[T-bagger]

Make sure you've got the engine running when you use the hood, as mentioned system voltage has a big influence over hood pump motor operation. If it's not power related then i'd guess the hydraulic fluid level for the hood is low probably due to a leak. It could be a microwitch?convertable top module fault, but check fluid level first. A common place to find a leak is where the hydraulic pipes enter a valveblock or ram on the N/S/R, there is unlikely to be loads of oil so check carefully. I can tell you how to check fluid level in the reservoir if you like, let me know.
I wouldn't recommend spraying WD-40 around as you'll just stain the hood fabric, i've never heard of an E46 hood seizing.

[darren no 7]

hi again the car was running when i tryed lifting the roof there was a very small amount of fluid on the drivers side ram, where do you top up the hydo fluid and if it is in the hood compartment how do you open it(all it will do now is unlock the locks on the screen)thanks again

[T-bagger]

Drivers side eh? Sounds like the problem.
Ok to check the fluid level first you'll need to stow the hood away (your handbook will give you the emergency hood folding proceedure)

1.Remove the N/S boot side carpet trim.

2.Behind it you'll find the hydraulic unit with it's integrated fluid reservoir - it will be encased in a foam jacket and fixed to the body by a 13mm nut - reove the nut.

3.With the unit upright the fluid level should be within the little circle that is moulded into the plastic of the reservoir (think of it as a bullseye/gunsight!)

4.If it's not at the required level you'll need to top it up as follows; At the top of the unit on the side of the metal part you'll see two allen key headed plugs (4mm i think), remove the lower one - taking care not to drop it's small copper washer.

5.Lay the unit on it's side and pour a little hydraulic fluid in to the hole left by the allen screw (have plenty of rag handy as it's a bit messy). NOTE, you should be able to get this hydraulic fluid from your local BMW dealer - it MUST be the correct stuff (straw coloured not pink).

6. Keep ading fluid little by little, holding the unit upright each time to check the level again. You'll be surprised how little fluid will be required to get it working again.

7.Once the level is correct, refit everything and operate the hood a couple of times to bleed any air out. Don't forget to refit the little copper washer to the allen headed plug!

Then it's just the leak to fix. That's the hard part! Hope this helps.

Kind Regards

[darren no 7]

thanks for that i will get some fluid and give it a go(if you ever want to come racing your most welcome)

Edited by darren no 7 on Tuesday 4th March 20:12

[T-bagger]

If you've been building racing cars for a while then it'll be an absolute doddle for you!
Thanks for your offer,I might well take you up on it one day soon!

[darren no 7]

any time

[darren no 7]

hi again have toped up the oil but still no good,the motor doesnt seam to be spinning fuses all ok.Do the motors go wrong or could it be something else thanks

[darren no 7]

also the windows dont drop when the roof button is pressed

[darren no 7]

any ideas

[john_p]

does the yellow light come on by the switch?

[< FORZA WEST]

If you have an orange flashing light make sure the luggage compartment is down(roof of boot)
If you have a red flashing light try this...
Manually open roof fully...
Under rear seat base is the stow away cover motor.Unlock this by removing the middle cog(under black plastic cover).
Stow away roof and lock down stow away cover..refit the cog-you will need to hold allen key tight so cover stays down whilst fitting cog(watch your fingers).
Now try roof.

[darren no 7]

thanks for that the wife had luggage compartment up