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Thread: Convertible top motor won't re-engage fully

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Saukville, WI, USA
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i (convertib

    Convertible top motor won't re-engage fully

    Hi all!

    1997 328i convertible. Black on black on black. So beautiful!

    But my convertible top is stuck in the bay (fully open). Press the button to close it, and the clamshell pops up and the top doesn't even start moving. I've read and watched the tutorials and completely understand how this should be done.

    First problem following instructions - when I pull on the manual release lever, I only hear ONE click (and my wife watching from the trunk (with the liner down) sees the top motor disengage. Nothing happens with the lid motor.
    Second problem - not surprisingly, I can't pull the lid open, presumably because the manual release lever isn't getting both motors released).
    Third problem - when I try to reengage the top motor by pulling the lever and pushing up on the motor assembly, it doesn't go up all the way. My understanding is that the gears should completely disappear, but about a half inch or so of them still are visible. They hit a very hard stop and won't go in any farther.

    Ideas? Do both motors have to disengage to be able to properly reengage them? If I'm pulling all the way back on the release lever and not getting the second click, what can I do?

    Neutral - after pulling the manual release lever

    Images attached.


    This is the farthest up it will go


    Fully disengaged


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Pittsburgh PA
    Posts
    68
    My Cars
    1997 328i Convertible
    Use a pair of lockjaw pliers and turn the gear slightly (it doesn't turn to easy) and try to reengage the motor. I had to do this with mine and I think it's mentioned in quite a few threads.
    As for both motors having to be released, I really don't think it maters.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    People's Republic of MD
    Posts
    2,291
    My Cars
    22 doors and 4 tops
    Before you use pliers I would just push down or pull up slightly on the frame assembly to move the top gear.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Saukville, WI, USA
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i (convertib
    UPDATE:

    Ok somehow I got the top motor re-engaged. I think it involved just trying the manual release lever again. I left it for a week and tried again and heard BOTH clicks, then when I went back the top motor re-engaged easily.

    But then the lid motor disengaged AND I CAN'T GET IT BACK. I can feel around behind the assembly and feel the fears, and I can push the motor in (technically, pulling it toward me) partially but it has the same problem the other motor had - it hits something and stops. Is there another motion you need to make at the same time? There's lots of other moving pieces and I keep trying to move them slightly and see if something moves that allows the motor to slide in but it won't go. It looks so easy in a Youtube video!

    And then after trying the release lever a few times, now my top motor won't go back in. Sigh.

    Picture of the lid motor - got a light and my camera back there somehow.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    People's Republic of MD
    Posts
    2,291
    My Cars
    22 doors and 4 tops
    Again, it's an gear alignment issue. Have someone press down slightly or pull up on the Driver's side of the tonneau to rotate the gear on the one side.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Saukville, WI, USA
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328i (convertib
    Success!

    I actually pulled the whole assembly off the trunk wall. It wasn't a gear teeth alignment issue (that was clearly the problem for the top motor), the whole gear looked misaligned - it was just hitting the edge of the bushing. I despaired for a bit, but then started reading around and it looks like that happens occasionally and people literally just squeeze it as hard as they can with two hands. Tried it and it worked! Some people wrote that they could get that lid motor reengage by use of a 2x4 as a lever. Weird stuff.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    SanFran
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    1998 BMW M3 Conv
    it still may be worth taking it out and making sure the plate isn't bent. that' what happened to me. I could get it to go back in but it was off slightly and would not be in alignment and i'd get the gear grinding sound. after i took the assembly out, straightened the plate and put it back in, it's been good ever since.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    coralsprigns florida
    Posts
    162
    My Cars
    1998 m3 convertible
    sfrazier had same problem, after some time I had to replace the motor and the shock for the top !

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Harwich, MA
    Posts
    12
    My Cars
    1998 BMW M3 Convertible
    It looks like the snap-ring is missing off of the end of the shaft that keeps the gear in place. Feel around up inside the motor for it and then put a new ring on the shaft. Then try locking it up in place.

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