Elec Hood Troubles - e36
Discussion
My car ('96 M3 Evo) has been at the local BMW dealer.
Inspection II - Done
Replaced Seals - Done at £1k!
Hood and tension straps - read below...
However the elec hood doesn't work. Dealer phoned me and has said that they need a new control unit as mine is doing nothing. Once it's been coded it can't be taken back into stock after as they can't be re-coded... They would need to investigate the fault (could be wiring, or motors @ £250 ea, etc). Was advised of a realistic cost being £1k - £1.2k but they can't guarantee it will work after any amount of spending!!!!!!! So I said they didn't inspire me with confidence and not to bother.
I would like to get it working but if this dealer can't guarantee their work then I'm being bent over a barrel taking one for the team.
Inspection II - Done
Replaced Seals - Done at £1k!
Hood and tension straps - read below...
However the elec hood doesn't work. Dealer phoned me and has said that they need a new control unit as mine is doing nothing. Once it's been coded it can't be taken back into stock after as they can't be re-coded... They would need to investigate the fault (could be wiring, or motors @ £250 ea, etc). Was advised of a realistic cost being £1k - £1.2k but they can't guarantee it will work after any amount of spending!!!!!!! So I said they didn't inspire me with confidence and not to bother.
I would like to get it working but if this dealer can't guarantee their work then I'm being bent over a barrel taking one for the team.
www.fabdirect.com/index2.htm try these guys, maybe able to sort you the part out a lot cheaper!
Update (not so happy!)
My car has been at the dealer for a number of things - £1850 spent today.
'96 M3 Evo Convertible, 55k miles with FBMWSH.
They have investigated a problem with the full electric hood as it stopped operating a few months back. Last time I tried to use it the windows dropped about 1cm a time and then died - nothing happened - roof didn't move. I have just had a seal kit fitted since it was suffering from condensation too.
Anyway dealer had a look - suggested a control unit since mine wasn't responding. Coded the new one to my car and it isn't that. Seems once these units are coded they cannot be recoded to another so I had to buy the part... They also suggest changing other parts as elimination but this isn't diagnosing the problem. Forking out money on things that it isn't just not logical. Back in June it has new microswitches too.
Checked the motors and these seem to be okay. They require more time to investigate but have said that I could end up spending £3k - £4k and still not have a working roof!!! I have put a call into BMW HQ for now...
Who can fix my roof as this dealer isn't confident and I'm not anymore with them!!?
My car has been at the dealer for a number of things - £1850 spent today.
'96 M3 Evo Convertible, 55k miles with FBMWSH.
They have investigated a problem with the full electric hood as it stopped operating a few months back. Last time I tried to use it the windows dropped about 1cm a time and then died - nothing happened - roof didn't move. I have just had a seal kit fitted since it was suffering from condensation too.
Anyway dealer had a look - suggested a control unit since mine wasn't responding. Coded the new one to my car and it isn't that. Seems once these units are coded they cannot be recoded to another so I had to buy the part... They also suggest changing other parts as elimination but this isn't diagnosing the problem. Forking out money on things that it isn't just not logical. Back in June it has new microswitches too.
Checked the motors and these seem to be okay. They require more time to investigate but have said that I could end up spending £3k - £4k and still not have a working roof!!! I have put a call into BMW HQ for now...
Who can fix my roof as this dealer isn't confident and I'm not anymore with them!!?
Who the Feck are you using?
This is going past a joke! The only independant I can think of is NCB Autocraft in Tyseley Birmingham, but as to how much experience they have in such matters I dont know. (I know they know a lot about M3's because the have raced them!)
NCB AUTOCRAFT LTD, 797 WARWICK ROAD, TYSELEY BIRMINGHAM B11 2EL, 0121-7772083
This is going past a joke! The only independant I can think of is NCB Autocraft in Tyseley Birmingham, but as to how much experience they have in such matters I dont know. (I know they know a lot about M3's because the have raced them!)
NCB AUTOCRAFT LTD, 797 WARWICK ROAD, TYSELEY BIRMINGHAM B11 2EL, 0121-7772083
JRSE said:
Thanks - got to be worth a call to them to see if they can help.
Don't know if I'm allowed to name and shame on here? I will anyway - it is "A dealer in Sutton". Very disappointed with them.
You have'nt really shamed, just outlined whats happening
Only suggestion I can make to you is to try and have a chat to Vic Ingram (Service Manager) on the Mini Service side... he has a wealth of early 90's BMW experience and is a top bloke
>> Edited by mustard on Tuesday 25th January 20:13
>> Edited by Big Al. on Thursday 12th May 10:52
sorry to hear about your problems. Replacing parts as part of an elimination process is very bad fault diagnosis. These days if you can't plug a laptop in to find the fault it would appear your knackered. although i'm no car expert, the principle are still the same in finding a fault. Trade knowledge is king, check the easy things first (minimal fuss and expense). Look to divide the system in two, that way you can find out which side of the system the fault is on. after that you should be fairly close if not exact (basically you should know your fault before you replace the component). if your guessing then it's back to school for you (trade knowledge again).
i know this won't help but you shouldn't have to suffer because someone doesn't know there job
hopefully BMW will have the decency to help you out here, maybe a years free warrenty or something.
hears hoping
>> Edited by zeddy3 on Tuesday 25th January 23:42
i know this won't help but you shouldn't have to suffer because someone doesn't know there job
hopefully BMW will have the decency to help you out here, maybe a years free warrenty or something.
hears hoping
>> Edited by zeddy3 on Tuesday 25th January 23:42
After calling customer services three times and 0 calls returned I will NEVER buy another BMW.
They are fully backing the dealership. No one has been able to explain why the control unit cannot be recoded. Customer services said they would ask the dealer - told them not to bother as they couldn't when I enquired.
BMW suggest if I want it diagnosed I will incurr further costs until the fault is found which could take any amount of time... "The dealer is happy to take another look and is closer to solving the issue"... I bet!
They are fully backing the dealership. No one has been able to explain why the control unit cannot be recoded. Customer services said they would ask the dealer - told them not to bother as they couldn't when I enquired.
BMW suggest if I want it diagnosed I will incurr further costs until the fault is found which could take any amount of time... "The dealer is happy to take another look and is closer to solving the issue"... I bet!
i would keep at them. if BMW gave in at the first phone call to everyone they would probably go bust. try the persistant approach. if you leave and go to a specialist now, all that money you've spent will just be wasted. If you tough it out you might be in a better bargaining position at the end.
This might sound silly but on the drivers side of the boot at the front corner of the battery cover there is a 20 amp fuse for the electric hood that is often overlooked as it is separate from the fuse box, have a quick look at that. Keep on at customer services aswell, you should at least get a reply from them.
Cheers for the advice.
I used my car this morning and the very first left hand corner a load of rain shot through the N/S/F. Then at lunch time I had rain gather on the back seats.... Not exactly fixed the leak.
Dealer wants me to take the car to them for another look. They want me to point out the leak to the service manager and technician - perhaps they don't believe me! Thankfully I took some pics on the phone! With my work it isn't convenient for me at the minute - they already had my car from Friday until Tuesday and I can't afford to be without wheels. They reckon I may have to wait a while until a free courtesy car is available!!!!
I partly tried the roof today for the hell of it. Windows drop down as normal and the roof begins to lift up. Haven't tried it to to take the roof down fully in case it leaves me in the sh1t!? Maybe I need to be brave and see where it stops! I was under the impression from the dealer that it was all dead.
I used my car this morning and the very first left hand corner a load of rain shot through the N/S/F. Then at lunch time I had rain gather on the back seats.... Not exactly fixed the leak.
Dealer wants me to take the car to them for another look. They want me to point out the leak to the service manager and technician - perhaps they don't believe me! Thankfully I took some pics on the phone! With my work it isn't convenient for me at the minute - they already had my car from Friday until Tuesday and I can't afford to be without wheels. They reckon I may have to wait a while until a free courtesy car is available!!!!
I partly tried the roof today for the hell of it. Windows drop down as normal and the roof begins to lift up. Haven't tried it to to take the roof down fully in case it leaves me in the sh1t!? Maybe I need to be brave and see where it stops! I was under the impression from the dealer that it was all dead.
Sounds like you've over-stretched yourself buying a bling car you can't afford to run. The car was 8 years old when you bought it, had a defective roof when you bought it and you bought privately without warranty. You should stop whingeing about the car you bought for a good price from an unfortunate redundant seller, stop blaming the dealer for the fact that an expensive car is expensive to fix and either get it fixed or sell it on. If you take a loss at least you'll have learned from the experience.
gaston said:
Sounds like you've over-stretched yourself buying a bling car you can't afford to run. The car was 8 years old when you bought it, had a defective roof when you bought it and you bought privately without warranty. You should stop whingeing about the car you bought for a good price from an unfortunate redundant seller, stop blaming the dealer for the fact that an expensive car is expensive to fix and either get it fixed or sell it on. If you take a loss at least you'll have learned from the experience.
That uncalled for!, the guys gripe is hes paid the thick end of £2k out for the Dealer not to fix the problem!
I dont care how rich you are, at those prices you have a right to expect the job fixing or at least an a succesful diagonises of the problem
It would also be exactly the same if it was a 318 Convertible rather than an M3
Suggest you remove your head from up your backside
>> Edited by mustard on Saturday 29th January 17:58
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