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      04-06-2019, 01:21 AM   #23
Mayhem
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There was a big thread about those salmon colored relays and last year I replaced them using an abundance of caution even before this top madness began. The one good thing about my top saga was that those screws you referenced were never removed from my top, so hopefully once I’ve swapped out the hydraulic motor, the top will be working fine again.
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      04-11-2019, 01:40 PM   #24
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Found the source of water leak. As I suspected, because the seals look really good, the trunk or boot breather vent is leaking. 20 bucks a piece, replaced both, replaced salmon colored relays, and a corroded relay wiring harness. Top works like new!! $156 for emergency mode putting top up, $610 for top hydraulics,$530 for leak test, relay and cable replacement all at Global BMW in Atlanta. $165 for BMW South Atlanta to drive my car 35 miles, do nothing I asked , and return it after 2 days adds up to $1461 total for my top repair. All in all, not bad considering $321 was wasted money!
Friends, don’t let friends take their BMW to BMW South Atlanta! I can’t stress that enough!

Last edited by Madscott; 04-11-2019 at 03:28 PM..
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      04-17-2019, 05:11 PM   #25
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      04-17-2019, 05:15 PM   #26
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https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...ons/1VnYIgTfdz


https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...tions/8IPhzCRj
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      04-18-2019, 04:03 PM   #27
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Great follow-up @Madscott !
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      04-29-2019, 01:12 PM   #28
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      04-29-2019, 01:14 PM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KennyP View Post
Can someone link a how to guide or a dealership document on this emergency mode? i live rather far from Bmw dealer and if needed i would like to know the procedure.
This is one of the tricky options to get it opened or closed:

Overview
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...-folding-roof/

Emergency opening:
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...-roof/9g4yCvmh

Emergency closing:
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...-roof/9fxdHrMZ
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      05-07-2019, 10:15 PM   #30
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Finally had the opportunity to reinstall my rebuilt hydro unit done by Top Hydraulics. My roof operates perfectly again for a $610 rebuild vs the $3400 I was quoted by BMW. They turned the unit within two days of receiving it and even sent it back filled with fresh hydraulic fluid.
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      05-09-2019, 12:21 AM   #31
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I’m still waiting to remove my hydro unit to send off to Top Hydraulics. It’s on my list of projects, just have to find the time to do it.
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      05-11-2019, 02:34 PM   #32
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Quote:
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I'm still waiting to remove my hydro unit to send off to Top Hydraulics. It's on my list of projects, just have to find the time to do it.
It's a surprisingly easy job that BMW probably gets a couple of hours labor to do. Took less than 20 minutes. Just make sure you have a T25 torx bit and an extension as it'll make removing the hydraulic line retaining screws easier.
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      05-12-2019, 06:38 PM   #33
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Originally Posted by BuddhaPilot View Post
It's a surprisingly easy job that BMW probably gets a couple of hours labor to do. Took less than 20 minutes. Just make sure you have a T25 torx bit and an extension as it'll make removing the hydraulic line retaining screws easier.
I do indeed have a T25 Torx bit with extension. I’m really wanting to do it before summer, but I have a list of things I have to get done around the house, and tinkering on my Z4 keeps getting pushed down on the list. I’m going to get to it one weekend for sure.
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      05-12-2019, 06:44 PM   #34
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One of the modifications I am also considering to go along with this fix, is to drill a hole in the bottom of the depression so water won’t fill up in this area again, and also to enclose the motor in some sort of waterproof bag. Since the motor only runs for a few seconds at a time, I doubt there would be a ventilation issue if I bag it. Any thoughts on that?
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      05-12-2019, 06:51 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mayhem View Post
One of the modifications I am also considering to go along with this fix, is to drill a hole in the bottom of the depression so water won't fill up in this area again, and also to enclose the motor in some sort of waterproof bag. Since the motor only runs for a few seconds at a time, I doubt there would be a ventilation issue if I bag it. Any thoughts on that?
Now that things are working fine, I'm going to pull the foam bucket the pump sits in and spray the outside with aerosol flex seal to keep it from being able to soak up any water that may accumulate in the well. I've also ordered replacement vents that should stop water intrusion from underneath the car. All my seals above are watertight.
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      05-20-2019, 10:10 PM   #36
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Finally had some time and pulled the hydro unit this afternoon. Packaged it up in a large USPS Priority Box and it’s already on the way to Tophydraulics. Last week I ordered a new foam cradle and I’m going to put a plastic bag over the outside of it before I put it back in the car. Now that I know what’s up, I will be sure to check on the pump any time we get a heavy rain. I’m not doing this again.
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      05-27-2019, 09:53 AM   #37
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I placed my cradle in a plastic bag, but so far that has been unnecessary. I’m currently parking my car outside with a car cover . Probably 10 car washes, at least 30-40 top operations with zero issues, zero water in the pump well. Can’t say enough about TopHydraulics, although I bought BMW spec Hydraulic Sauce, my pump came back full of fluid also! Mayhem, if your seals are in good shape, I would seriously consider looking at the Trunk vents. It looks a little complicated , but if you have mechanical ability, I wouldn’t think it would be that difficult. If not, my BMW dealership quoted me $200 to replace the vents(parts are $10-20 each ) , 1 hour labor charge.
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      05-28-2019, 10:54 PM   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Madscott View Post
I placed my cradle in a plastic bag, but so far that has been unnecessary. I’m currently parking my car outside with a car cover . Probably 10 car washes, at least 30-40 top operations with zero issues, zero water in the pump well. Can’t say enough about TopHydraulics, although I bought BMW spec Hydraulic Sauce, my pump came back full of fluid also! Mayhem, if your seals are in good shape, I would seriously consider looking at the Trunk vents. It looks a little complicated , but if you have mechanical ability, I wouldn’t think it would be that difficult. If not, my BMW dealership quoted me $200 to replace the vents(parts are $10-20 each ) , 1 hour labor charge.
So I got my hydro unit back from Top Hydraulics. The motor looks brand new and like you said, is full of fluid. I will be putting it back in as soon as I get a chance. I bought a set of breather vents as a precaution and I must say they don’t look all that robust. I have a good mechanic and he thinks he might be able to install it from the inside without removing the bumper assembly.
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      05-29-2019, 11:25 AM   #39
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Many thanks RobbiZ4 for providing those links. Very useful information !.
Regards.
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      05-30-2019, 09:17 PM   #40
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I put the hydro unit back in and made sure to enclose the cradle in two layers of plastic bags. I used trash compactor bags because they are 2.9 MIL thick and should last awhile. I also changed out the two salmon colored relays. The top now works like a charm again. I am so glad the information for Top Hydraulics was posted. It saved me thousands of dollars.

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      06-11-2019, 04:59 PM   #41
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Been reading this thread and many others as I'm heading about 3 hours away this weekend to go look at a '14MY Z4 35i. Can someone give a quick explanation of where and what to look for in the truck for any water, corrosion, etc... for possible top issues? If I end up buying the car, I don't want any issues with a 3 hour drive ahead of me. Thanks all, very informative post.
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      06-11-2019, 11:20 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasSpartan View Post
Been reading this thread and many others as I'm heading about 3 hours away this weekend to go look at a '14MY Z4 35i. Can someone give a quick explanation of where and what to look for in the truck for any water, corrosion, etc... for possible top issues? If I end up buying the car, I don't want any issues with a 3 hour drive ahead of me. Thanks all, very informative post.
To put it very succinctly, our trunks have a tendency to leak when it rains. The water flows to the lowest point of the trunk which happens to be where the battery and hydraulic roof motor are located. The flooding of the motor eventually ruins it. Unless you are diligent about checking this area, it may happen without you knowing about it, and finding out your hydraulic roof motor has been ruined. There are various ways the water can get in, and you have to remain vigilant after a rain to check the trunk.
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      06-14-2019, 11:50 PM   #43
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasSpartan View Post
Been reading this thread and many others as I'm heading about 3 hours away this weekend to go look at a '14MY Z4 35i. Can someone give a quick explanation of where and what to look for in the truck for any water, corrosion, etc... for possible top issues? If I end up buying the car, I don't want any issues with a 3 hour drive ahead of me. Thanks all, very informative post.
The hydro unit sits in a foam cradle right behind the battery. You access it by lifting up the panel in the center of the trunk. Doesn't require any tools, so no worries there. The unit isn't even bolted down, so you can actually move the foam around a bit to feel under it and see if it's wet underneath.
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      06-17-2019, 05:11 PM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mayhem View Post
I have a good mechanic and he thinks he might be able to install it from the inside without removing the bumper assembly.
Have you replaced the rear vents ? Without removing the rear bumper ?

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