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      09-05-2019, 10:51 PM   #23
fmorelli
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When you should know as the sensor feeds the dash display. To replace it lives on the left side of your car, the black plastic tray in front of the driver wheel well. It goes from the wheel well to the front bumper cover.

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      06-05-2020, 06:21 PM   #24
hknkznci
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I have that problem on my hardtop 2009 Z4.Whar should i do?
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      06-30-2020, 12:32 PM   #25
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my sons had the same issue. the cause was a broken wire in the wire loom (see attached pic).

the fix: take a 3ft piece of wire and connect the end points of each contact (1 by 1) in that loom, with someone pressing the top open/close button. when your wire closes the circuit you will then see which wire is broken.

now you can replace that wire permanently.
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      03-08-2021, 10:32 AM   #26
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z4 roof top issue

I have a hardtop Z4 E89 2009 model. My roof mechanism is not working. There was a leakage. I got the leakage issue fixed from the dealership. Right now, the truck opens up, the rear shell comes above the front shell and that's where the roof operation stops.

The dealership guy pointed towards the solenoid and told me the issue could be due to the temperature sensor here. The dealership could not make this fix as they only offer complete replacement of the hydraulic unit.

Is this also called ambient temperature sensor? Do you know what this sensor is exactly called or the serial number? I see many different kinds of temperature sensors on the internet. Is replacing the temperature sensor an easy DIY?


Quote:
Originally Posted by fmorelli View Post
So now the hardtop is consistently not opening. The yellow convertible symbol is displayed in the instrument cluster. According to BMW the yellow symbol means one of three things:
  1. Luggage compartment partition!
    No roof movement possible. Move luggage compartment partition into required position; see Owner’s Handbook.
  2. Roof drive overheated!
    Roof drive overheated. Temporarily, only closing function is available.
  3. Roof operation not possible!
    Roof operation only possible when vehicle is stationary.

Clearly the drive is not overheated, and my vehicle is not moving. I find it highly unlikely that faulty sensors exist in those two conditions. This leads me to the partition sensor in the trunk.

In plowing through various E89 technical documentation,

"The various positions of the retractable hardtop and of the rear module are detected by 8 microswitches and 4 Hall sensors and signalled to the convertible top module Convertible Top Module (CTM). All microswitches and Hall sensors receive their voltage supply from the convertible top module and have diagnostic capabilities."

Okay this is great but I don't have the BMW software to talk to the CTM and do diagnostics.

One other thing from some other BMW technical docs:

"Instrument Cluster - KOMBI. The instrument cluster provides the outside temperature (bus signal). The instrument cluster uses the check control symbol to show check control messages relating to the retractable hardtop."
Furthermore, later in the docs: "Operating Pre-Conditions. Outside temperature above -12°C"

Finally, this forum post in the UK is helpful: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=95385

So with this information in hand let's get to my car.

For the past few weeks my car's ambient temperature reading in the instrument cluster is +122 degrees. Now what is interesting about this is that until yesterday the DME had not registered a fault (P0072 is the fault). Why the fault? Well several things use that temperature reading. The instrument cluster display, the CTM for top operation, and the DME for engine management. It is the DME need that would cause an OBD-II code to be set. (let's put aside that I can't run logs for BQ Tuning until I solve this).

What is strange to me is that the top operated up until yesterday, yet the +122 degrees has been showing for a couple weeks, and the P0072 hadn't set until yesterday. While the top wants to see temps about -12C, the +122 could be considered an out-of-range value ... so a sensor fault would take likely have the CTM say no dice. The only strange part about this is, the yellow convertible top symbol shows up (note above conditions for such) and the BMW list includes things like roof overheated, but does not say sensor fault is cause for turning on that light.

So I need to fix the temperature sensor, obviously. It could be a wire short as well - the front bumper was replaced about 10 months ago. But I have a sneaky suspicion that the partition mount hall sensor has an issue. The above link the forum lists the partition sensor under the passenger side partition mount in the trunk floor. On my car it turns out to be on the driver side mount. Looking carefully one can see that partition mount is two pieces of plastic - the case, and the plastic knob which the partition clasps. Jerking the bottom of the case, using good force, with one's fingertips, will separate the case from the knob. The sensor is then seen. I have to pull the inside grey carpet to actually disconnect the sensor so I can get a multimeter on it.

Prior to doing that I did two other tests to no avail. First, with the cover off, I set the partition down, wondering if the magnetic field was not strong enough with the plastic there (note a hall sensor is a electromagnetic sensor - the partition has a metal foot that, when set down on the sensor causes a voltage change). This didn't do anything. As a final test, I put a magnet on the sensor to affect voltage. No dice.

That's where I am at now ... it's a beautiful day out and I have a hardtop e89 ... I'll post more as I dig in more. I hope this helps others - I believe we will see future issues with top function, so getting information out might help.

Filippo

p.s. I am starting to wonder if it is time to buy a PC laptop and get BMW diag software installed. I really haven't wanted to go there, but with this car and my newly purchased F10 535d, I'm starting to think I'll need them. I am gunshy about dealer diagnostics, especially as these cars get older.
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      03-08-2021, 10:36 AM   #27
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The ambient temperature sensor is located in the front bumper area and can be accessed from under the car with the panels removed, or with the wheel and black plastic wheel well cover removed.

Simple device with a simple plug - easy to unplug and plug in a new one.

Seems to me you have broken wires in the harness (where it folds onto itself) or a bad micro switch
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      03-09-2021, 04:01 PM   #28
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z4e892009
I have just had that problem, one broken and one nearly broken wire.
Mine broke on the bend on the right side.
I could push on the wiring from inside the cabin and the warnings and red light would come on intermittent.
Looking like a common fail point.
My fix.
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=127188
Something i noticed the twin wires for each sensor before wrapping in tape at the factory had one twist in them.
Perhaps the operative did this to make it easier to wrap.
Unfortunately it seems the wires are barely long enough and looks like it's stretching and breaking the wires.
In my case one in each pair.
I wonder how long before the left side breaks.

Last edited by bigendbob; 03-09-2021 at 04:07 PM..
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      03-13-2021, 02:06 PM   #29
RobbiZ4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by z4e892009 View Post
I have a hardtop Z4 E89 2009 model. My roof mechanism is not working. There was a leakage. I got the leakage issue fixed from the dealership. Right now, the truck opens up, the rear shell comes above the front shell and that's where the roof operation stops....
Hi Mr. Noname,

melde Dich mal im ZRoadster.com Forum an und dann wird Dir geholfen. Das hört sich alles ein wenig unsinnig an, insbesondere die Händleraussagen.
Where are you from?
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      03-13-2021, 02:12 PM   #30
RobbiZ4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigendbob View Post
z4e892009
[...]Something i noticed the twin wires for each sensor before wrapping in tape at the factory had one twist in them.
Perhaps the operative did this to make it easier to wrap.
To be honest, this is nonsense. It's more or less a general weakness of the mounted materials in our Z4 roofs.

I assume, that sooner or later each wire as well as each hydraulic hose will break.
Don't hesitate to always fix these issues symmetrically, as in each case the wires, hoses as well as microswitches will stop working on both sides of the car.
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      03-15-2021, 09:10 AM   #31
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Well my personal analysis and thoughts on my car build May 2009.
Who ever manufactured these wire loom, just like the boot problem, set the wire cropping machine to the wrong position.
One wire in each pair have a cut at exactly the same point on the wire.
One wire completely broke causing failure. The other the copper was exposed.
To have a break at the same point is just about impossible. There is nothing that could cut the insulation completely around.
My theory is the wire that survived in the pair, wasn't cut and is slightly longer.
The operative wrapping the black cotton sticky tape ended up with one wire not matching the other and put a twist in the wire. I know i have done the same in the past.
I have yet to investigate the left side, be interesting what i find. But i assume the wires are different lengths so probably not cut.
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