About a month ago, my 2003 Z4 started really struggling with automatically opening and closing the convertible top. Being a senseless and cruel driver, I assumed it would correct itself like the human body.

After ignoring the problem, and cursing louder each time the top creaked slower to open or close, the top finally gave me the finger in one last feeble gesture of rebellion, locked itself firmly in the closed position.

Being the persistent idiot I am, I STILL wanted to manually open and close it, so, heedless to the mechanical problem, the first nice weekend (this past one) I recognized if I pressed the open button, the locking mechanism would, indeed, unlatch, but the top would just sit there, not budging...like an underpaid security guard.

I felt a sense of victorious power as I effortlessly swung the top closed in a one-handed sweeping gesture while sitting in the driver seat. If I pressed the open button again (while it was resting, nearly locked, in the almost completely open position), it would complete the locking mechanism and firmly hold it to the back, behind the seats.

So, I don't think the problem is a burned out motor. It seems like a sensor or two is faulty and the top doesn't really know if its open or closed, but one nudged into the proper position, it would go through the locking procedure...it just won't open or close on its own.

And it's not effortless. 80% of the time, I nearly snap my ulna and/or radius because the obstinate top won't budge after 30% of me struggling to yank it back up over my head.

The trunk storage canopy is, naturally, confirmed to be in the in the DOWN position. The little red ring that supposedly disengages the hydraulics doesn't seem to do anything. So I guess that's my first question, 400 words into this, is how should the latch feel when I'm pulling it out of the sheath? It pulls out less than an inch, and just kinda floats there.

should I feel a clicking or some indication I've done what it's supposed to do?

Is there a way to clean the sensors or reset the top? Could it be a fuse? Bad luck? Did I lure the fury of God against me for cutting off that old lady?

So, any thoughts on how to fix this, or an easier way to unlatch it and make the manual tug-of-war less strenuous on my shoulder and ego?

Thanks!

Steve

Two relatively common issues with the Z4 tops is that the hydraulic fluid for the main top motor (the one that does the work after the header is unlatched) gets low. The other is that the main motor gets water trapped inside the plastic housing whcih causes the motor to fail. There's an updated housing that is supposedly more waterproof than the current housing, but if the failure is due to water ingress, then you'll also have to replace the top motor. If it's just low on fluid, you just fill it and it'll be good. There's a clear plastic reservoir for the fluid that'll show you if it's low, but I forget where it's at. I think it's visible behind the left trunk carpet liner (which is also the area where the motor is located).

Thank you very much! I couldn't find the reservoir but I'm going to keep looking!

The reservoir is attached to the motor. It is down insid ethe body cavity where the top pivots on the body on the drivers side. To get to it you pretty much have to remove the complete top.

My 03 Z4 is having the exact same problem. I'm going to attempt to fix it myself. I've bought another used motor but it feels like the hydraulic fluid is low for sure. Any suggestions on removing the top??