My roof has stopped opening. I can see lots of others with similar problems on this forum, but I can't see any situation that exactly matches the problem I seem to have! The problem is that the boot won't pop open at the start of the process. Everything looks (and sounds) correct. The windows wind down OK, and it then makes the clunking sound where the boot usually pops open (and continues to whir after that like it's trying to open), but it doesn't open. It seems to try to go through the process, but nothing moves at the back of the car. The normal boot operation is OK, i.e. it opens when I press the boot opening button. I've tried greasing all of the moving bits inside the boot at each side, and pushed and pulled everything to make sure nothing is jammed. The hydraulic fluid all looks OK. Any suggestions as to how I can diagnose the problem? I'm at a bit of a loss, and any help would be appreciated.
Have you had a look at the workshop manual in the downloads section? There is a great self-diagnosis procedure for the roof ECU. That might point you in the direction of the malfunctioning component.
Yes, I've done the diagnostics, and there are no error codes showing. I'm thinking the problem is that the hydraulics just aren't working. They're trying to work (so any electrical connections are OK), but the hydraulics just aren't moving. I'm not sure what else I can do. If the hydraulics are broken, it might not be economical to repair.
A bit of an update on where I'm at now.... After copious lubrication, and a bit of pushing and pulling, the roof is now moving. Yay! But it's moving very slowly, and needs a bit of a push to make it the whole way. Boo! At least I now know the hydraulics are working, it's just that they appear be be not working very well. I'm now on to checking if the electricals are OK. I'm going to clean a few terminals, and it's possible the battery might need to be replaced. At least I'm making some progress!
I was thinking of lubricating the roof hinge mechanism...what is the best /recommended lubricant for the job?
I'm just using WD40 at the moment. My roof is still moving too slowly, but it's getting better. If there are any better mehtods for lubrication, I'd also be eager to hear!
WD40 isn't really a lubricant, it's a water disbursement product, hence the WD. You need something more like the spray oil used on motorcycle chains as this has a sticky element that helps it get into the joints and stay there. I always operate the roof with the engine running as I'm sure it is much faster due to the increased power from the alternator.
I would use a dry lubricant such as PTFE. That way it doesn’t gunk up with all the crud that finds its way into the boot. WE40 will leave a slightly sticky residue but PTFE shouldn’t be too bothered by that as long as the surfaces are clean. As Suzette suggests, only operate the roof with the engine running as it takes too much out of the battery otherwise. One test is to run the engine at 2,000 rpm and see if that improves your response time. The most likely scenario is that your hydraulic fluid has taken in water (which is why brake fluid is usually changed every 2 years).
Thanks for that. I have had some problems with water in the boot, so it's very possible that water has got into the hydraulic fluid. I'll have a look to see if I can work out how to replace the fluid.
Thanks. WD-40 do a dry PTFE variant of their lubricant, but they still call it WD-40 - I guess they've adopted it as a generic brand now. It's still not moving very effectively with the engine running, so my my next move is to try and figure out how to change the hydraulic fluid.
It’s not so much that water has got into the fluid by seeping in, rather that hydraulic fluid naturally absorbs moisture. There are a few posts on here where people have changed the fluid. From memory you have to be very methodical about it.
I've managed to source some hydraulic fluid that should be compatible - it's not easy to find here! Once it's arrived, I'll then have to try and figure out how to change it. There seems to be plenty of people who have topped up the fluid, but I've yet to find any information on how best to drain the existing fluid out completely. I fear this is going to have to be trial and error, unless anyone can offer any advice on how it should be done?
Can any one give any advice on draining the hydraulic fluid? I can only get about 100ml-200ml out from the clear plastic canister at the end of the hydraulics. There is no more fluid coming out, no matter what I try, and I'm sure there must be more fluid than that in the system. I've tried sucking it out and no more is emerging. Is there a way to force the fluid out, or is there some other place for draining the system?
Hi David You’re on the right track. The system is a self-bleed system. You will not be able to get all the fluid out. If you try to it will cause more problems than it’s worth. You need to top up the reservoir to the cross level indicator and put back the little screw in the end to seal it. Operate the roof to get the circulation fully round the system. This may take a while as you may need to do this several times. Then observe the colour of the fluid in the reservoir. If it is still dark what has happened is you force the old fluid into the reservoir where you can remove it and replace with fresh. The more times you do this the better the result. The system is designed to work this way. As it is a self-bleed system fluid is always in most of the system so that when you operate the roof again even if its six months later it will still work as it should. The system can be topped up using a small tube and syringe into the hole at the back of the reservoir and any drips caught in a small container so it doesn’t’ stain your boot carpet. The dirty fluid is a result of contaminates and water molecules entering into the system via the self-bleed valve. This can take a fairly long time to accumulate depending on the conditions of the atmosphere where the car is kept. Not for one minute am I saying that your country has a lot of pollution. It is the very nature of hydraulic fluid to be hygroscopic.
Thanks, that confirms what I was beginning to suspect. The car has been parked up for about a year, so I don't think that's helped matters. I've already taken out one lot of hydraulic fluid and operated the roof a few times. I'm planning to just keep repeating, and hope that it eventually starts to work normally. It's a bit of a long-winded process. I'll write up a summary of what I've done if it does work.
