Uh-oh! I pulled the convertible release cords in the trunk!

[Fenbers]

Greetings! As the title said, I found it necessary to pull the trunk release cords to manually close the roof on my 2010 128i convertible (E88). I resolved the issue why I had to close it manually in the first place. So, now I want/need to resume normal operation of the soft top. But after a LOT of searching I have found zero instructions or YouTube videos on how to reset the release cables. Without doing so, the compartment lid won’t close electrically. Several of us engineering types couldn’t figure it out, either. Can someone enlighten me how to do this before I have to take it in to the shop and pay big bucks on Wed, May 1, 2019?
Thanks!

[olds350]

Subscribed... I found those cable pulls the other day. Can you at least get the clam shell into an upright position so you can see down into the storage area and the components? Is there anything in the owners manual?

[Fenbers]

Yes, I can manually close the top per the instructions in the manual, and can look around in there while it’s in between end states, but there is a lot of hardware and requires knowledge rather than experimentation. The manual only tells you how to release the mechanism, not how to reset it. For resetting it, I think is mentions going to a BMW dealership. That’s what I’m trying to avoid!! $$$

[dtla1]

MightyMouseTech

I hate to call people in, but any ideas here? maybe you've seen this before?

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by dtla1

MightyMouseTech

I hate to call people in, but any ideas here? maybe you've seen this before?

Hmm, not off the top of my head. Will try and check ISTA tomorrow.

[bagekko]

Will be good info to know. My top lately sometimes doesnt want to close all the way, it has no problems opening. I wonder if I have operated it too much when driving, which I often do to the max MPH allowed by default. Havent had time to investigate, think I have a few CPO months left, wonder if its covered.

[Fenbers]

When looking inside, with the soft top pulled up out of its basket and the clam shell pulled up, I see some sprung but hinged silver tabs of some sort. Everything else is body color (black). I see that right next to these, are some hardware mechanisms that has scratches on it, presumably from the silver tab by the way the scratches line up. So, I’m thinking that pulling the emergency release cable rotated this mechanism away from the silver tab, and thus it needs to be rotated back. But I tried and it didn’t budge, so there’s more to this... I didn’t want to try too hard because I wanted to keep my finger tips...

[iminhell1]

I just took a quick look through ISTA, didn't see any mention of how to reset it. (I have to figure out how to print to file)
I tried searching a few other terms and didn't find anything else.

[dtla1]

I just did checked the googles for how to reset the soft top in BMWs (Generally) and this is the procedure apparently for the E36. You also might be able to find the one for the E46.

Maybe the E88 one is similar?

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=143019

[Fenbers]

Yes, I’ve read that post, too, but it doesn’t apply to my newer model, which is driven by hydraulics. So pulling the emergency release doesn’t disengage the motors but disengages some other catching mechanism.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

I just took a quick look through ISTA, didn't see any mention of how to reset it. (I have to figure out how to print to file)
I tried searching a few other terms and didn't find anything else.

Same. All they show is how to open or close the roof manually.

[dtla1]

Did another run of the jazz hands routine on the old gargler (anyone get the refefernce?), and found the following which is apparently for an E46, which apparently also has a hydraulic system:

"Fixed it!

pulled out the allen wrench and put it in the keyhole next to the emergency button, and cranked it. The button "popped" back up, and then I pushed the top open button; and it sucked down. Then pushed top close adn things worked as they should.

Yeah, and the Dealer told my mom that she had to bring it in because it was so "complicated". I had it fixed in 60 seconds.

Whew."

[MightyMouseTech]

Nice! Was going to post the emergency open/close instructions, but guess there is no need.

[Converted1]

Glad you found your fix! As a fellow Cabrio owner, could you post the detailed steps of what you did start to finish to get it working hydraulically again?

[dtla1]

Originally Posted by Converted1

Glad you found your fix! As a fellow Cabrio owner, could you post the detailed steps of what you did start to finish to get it working hydraulically again?

Originally Posted by Converted1

Glad you found your fix! As a fellow Cabrio owner, could you post the detailed steps of what you did start to finish to get it working hydraulically again?

I think you might be confused, I'm not sure if OP has found their fix, I simply shared what I found online that someone said worked for the e46 to reset it.

[Fenbers]

Yes, Converted1, this did not fix my problem. In fact, the quoted txt that dtla1 posted I had previously read, and none of it makes any sense to me. First, I’m guessing the “keyhole” referred to in the quote is actually in the front center of the soft top near the rearview mirror. This is where (using the Allen wrench) I manually lock down the top if needed. Second, I don’t know where there is a button that could possibly “pop” back up. The release cable I pulled were in the trunk, not in the passenger cabin. They released something in the workings of the top itself, along the sides of the “clam shell” compartment where the top is stowed away. Still a mystery.

[Fenbers]

Ok, some good news! I learned that on my E88 (2010 128i), I don’t have to reset the emergency cables that I pulled, as they reset themselves, but you will have to open the trunk and push in the slack and pop the pull-tabs back into their holes where they were originally.

The good news is, I got the top to electrically close completely unassisted. The top electrically opens, too, at this point, but gets a little confused and tries to close the clamshell too early before the top has folded all the way back into its compartment. So I have to have someone else forcefully hold the lid from closing until the top is fully into its compartment, then let go and the rest happens as it is supposed to. This happens every time, so there is more to figure out.

But let me tell you how I got this far, because previously, all I got was a flashing red LED above the button with no other movement of the top.

First, I closed all the windows and then opened them again. This seems to reset the convertible top ECU. Next, with the top manually folded into the compartment and the clamshell closed on top of it, I had someone forcefully hold the clamshell down all the way. While they were holding it down, I pressed the button to go topless, even though the car was already topless. This activated a mechanism to “suck down” the clamshell nice and tight and lock it there.

At this point, there were no red LEDS and no symbol in the warning area between my speedometer and tachometer dials. Yay! All seemed normal! So, then I pushed the button to close my top again (as if it were going to rain). The electronics and mechanics worked beautifully and the top closed completely unassisted and locked in place above the windshield. Yay!

Next I held the button to go topless again, and the top opened, the clamshell opened and all looked good until the glass (rear) portion of the top began to descend into its compartment, but then the clamshell began to close too, prematurely! I released the button to avoid ripping the top on some sharp object on the clamshell. Then I had someone forcefully hold the clamshell open while I held the “go topless” button again to let it finish its cycle. Once the soft top cleared the clamshell, the person holding it open let go and the clamshell finished the cycle by closing itself and locking it down.

So the only part that isn’t back to normal is that there is something out of sync when the top tries to fold back into its compartment. The clamshell wants to close too early, and I don't know how to resolve this problem. Any
ideas??

[olds350]

From what I have heard, there is a series of micro switches that control the top movement. It's possible one of those is bad and is allowing the clam shell to close early because it's not getting the correct signal. I don't know if this ref will help from realoem, this is info against my '13 e88

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=54_0387

[rt31301]

Hi all, I’m new here and also looking for help. I have an 08 135i, and had to manually close the top by pulling the cables also. I have the top up, closed and “locked” using an Allen key where the top meets the windshield. My cables too are still pulled out and have not “sucked” back in. While I can live with that at the time being, I can’t drive the car past 30mph because it pings and has an alert saying “convertible top not locked” on my I drive screen. For sure it’s locked as I did that manually but to buy myself time until I can get to a dealer, how/what do I need to do or check to get that alert off the screen so I can resume regular driving without the car constantly pinging needs at 30mph+ speed? Please help, thanks all and be safe during this time.

[Anthonybarbuto]

im having the same exact problem, can anyone help, i reason to believe that it has to do with the upper latches above he windshield

[lafinfla]

I was having the same issue with my 128i and the fix fenbers posted resolved my problem and reset the automatic functionality of the convertible top. I also had an issue with the trunk not opening with the fob or the switch inside and mine does not have the key for the trunk (oh fun) but the good news is that the issue with the trunk was related to the top. Apparently there is a safety feature that disabled the trunk until the top was reset. Thanks fenbers for posting the solution!