electric top lid not locking

[rede30]

My 93 vert electric top almost functions great. Everything works with only a little assistance until the lid is supposed to pull closed. Now it closes but doesn't lock or sit flush, I can press it down flush but it pops back up a little and you can lift it up a few inches.

it doesn't sound like anything is spinning so it doesn't seem like gears are stripped for that motors secondary function. I synced the motors so I don't think it's that unless there is still a syncing procedure that could cause everything to work except that.

Does anyone know what could cause this lid motor to not do the secondary function of locking the cover? Or what could cause the motor to not want to switch to this function?

[spare]

There are 2 bowden cables attached to a vertical piece of metal. The lid motor turns the metal clockwise at the end of the closing cycle and pulls the bowden cables pulling the latches closed against the top cover. The latches are spring loaded so if the bowden cables don't get pulled by the motor then the lid pops up.

First check the bowden cables are attached to the latches and the piece of metal on the motor. If they are, try locking the lid with the Allen key as part of the syncing procedure. If it locks manually the then problem is something with the top motor engaging the bowden cables.

[spare]

Also check this thread as he figured the locking had to do with the adjustment of the microswitch on the lid motor.

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1568533-92-325i-Cabrio-Repair-of-EM-Top

[htseng]

My 93 vert motors also work to open and close everything. but my lid doesn't sit flush as well. I've had to put my foot on the lid while pressing the button to get it as close to flush as possible. in doing this I've seen latch hooks engage all the way. I've also tightened the tension on my bowden cables. adjusting the orange microswitch either direction doesn't seem to help. I still don't have a good answer yet.

[rede30]

Also check this thread as he figured the locking had to do with the adjustment of the microswitch on the lid motor.

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...pair-of-EM-Top

My 93 vert motors also work to open and close everything. but my lid doesn't sit flush as well. I've had to put my foot on the lid while pressing the button to get it as close to flush as possible. in doing this I've seen latch hooks engage all the way. I've also tightened the tension on my bowden cables. adjusting the orange microswitch either direction doesn't seem to help. I still don't have a good answer yet.

Yeah I can't seem to get the orange screw to do anything. I'm not sure what it adjusts, either direction seems to do the same thing.

Does yours lock when the top is up?

[spare]

The orange screw controls the movement of micro-switches on the lid motor signaling when the lock action should be applied.

In the realignment procedure on e30ic.com it tells you to rotate the screw all the way to the left and then rotate right until you hear one click. Consider this position #1. Roof up lid locked. The "click" is the open and closing of the micro-switches. There are 2 of them.

When you hit the top down button the first thing that happens in this position is the back part of the roof goes up (position #2), the lid unlocks and lifts up (position #3) and then the roof begins to go down into the compartment (position #4). Then the lid goes down and locks (position #5). Once it locks in position 5 the car "knows" the top has successfully been stored because the locking action moves the lid motor slightly outward and breaks the electrical circuit.

Keep in mind that many roofs no longer fold properly into the compartment (tension straps) and then the lid tries to close and gets stuck/bent. Others have tried to "help" the lid close and caused further damage.

If your lid is not locking in position #5 and you are positive it is not a mechanical issue with the catches or latches then it has to do with the position of those micro-switches. You can remove the brown piece of metal that covers them to see/inspect them as well as see how they move by rotating the screw.

[htseng]

Is the screw adjustment just for position #1? Does the screw also adjust position #5?


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[spare]

It is responsible for all the coordination. Opening and closing is just the motors running in forward and reverse based on the position of the roof.

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[rede30]

makes sense. I'll give it some more time and see if I can get anything to change.

Is there a switch that detects if the top isn't folded down enough? I can only see a switch in the drivers side top compartment but that doesn't seem like it would detect if it doesn't fold properly.

[spare]

The microswitch on the driver's side is actually for the defroster. When the top is stored the switch is activated and the rear blower/defroster will not work.

There are 6 micro switches in total. 2 on the lid motor, 2 on the top motor, 1 in the windshield header and the 1 on the driver's side compartment.

Under the brown metal plate on the lid motor there is a lobe like on a camshaft. When the lid opens the lobe spins and make contact with one of the switches and then the reverses when it closes doesn't the other switch. You need to figure out if it is hitting both switches and if both switches are working.

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[htseng]

electric top lid not locking

fiddled with the microswitches and no benefit. looked at the center cog mechanism that pulls on the bowden cables. looked like the plate (part number 51258112682) attached to the lid itself was bent outward and wasn't engaging the tabs on the bowden cable lever . (the top didn't work when I first bought the car. the convertible top rod was bent). took it off. flattened it and now seems to engage the bowden lever plate and now the top locks down. Also the rod (part number 51258112688) may have been stretched so i used a hammer and put a slight bend back into it to shorten it.


Finally after 3 years of a rattling lid that wouldn't sit flush

[Quincy56]

I have the same issue. However this was all working great until I was doing some work to get the power antenna fixed, and got the motors unsynced. I got the motors working again, but the lever to tighten the bowden cables never engages. See this video. https://youtube.com/shorts/ng_pqqkzFUc?feature=share