E36 325 Cabrio Problems

[barryn]

Hi guys, I recently purchased an E36 325 Cabrio & I am having some strange issues with the electric soft top, firstly, I need to give the top an extra push to get it moving, part way through the procedure, the car deadlocks its self?? the soft close window (window drop) when the door handle is operated does not work on either door & the main window switch that operates all four windows, does not work, I have tried another switch, still the same
A workshop I deal with is trying to tell me I need a new soft top control module(in the boot) & another comfort module, under the dash??
Any ideas??
Any help would be appreciated
Regards
Barry
In little old New Zealand

[ross1]

Sounds like they aren't sure of the problem to me.
The comfort RELAY is a known trouble spot on E36s. Here is some info for you regarding it;http://members.roadfly.com/petah/e36comfortrelay.htm

[barryn]

Hi & thanks for that, removed the underdash trim & went looking for the comfort relay, not there, checked the passengers side, not there either, what I have found is someone has fitted an aftermarket alarm & cut a whole lot of wires & fitted two aftermarket relays & left quite a few wires just cut, I did take photos, but unsure on how to upload them on here
I have spoken to a BMW Master tech, who assures me the green block connector they have cut up, is spare & not used anyway, I will try to get on a scanner & see whats happening
So maybe the comfort relay was causing some problems with the alarm & decided to delete it??
Regards
Barry

[barryn]

Just a quick update on the Cabrio issues I have been having with my E36 325, the wire connector block, with cut wire, was from an old alarm system & easily removed, with some more diagnosis, it appears the car has had a new General module fitted to the car, from a sedan & not coded to the car, so my car didn't know it was a convertible, fitted a new module & now the soft close windows work & the main switch for all four windows now operates & the deadlock does not operate part way through the cycle, result!!
However the soft top still wont operate correctly, stops halfway,,I have tried all the reset/calibration of the top with no luck, I have now admitted defeat & booked it in with our local dealer to put on there DIS machine, god know how much that will cost me, first time in over thirty plus years I have had to use a dealership

[dnbmbimmer]

Just a quick update on the Cabrio issues I have been having with my E36 325, the wire connector block, with cut wire, was from an old alarm system & easily removed, with some more diagnosis, it appears the car has had a new General module fitted to the car, from a sedan & not coded to the car, so my car didn't know it was a convertible, fitted a new module & now the soft close windows work & the main switch for all four windows now operates & the deadlock does not operate part way through the cycle, result!!
However the soft top still wont operate correctly, stops halfway,,I have tried all the reset/calibration of the top with no luck, I have now admitted defeat & booked it in with our local dealer to put on there DIS machine, god know how much that will cost me, first time in over thirty plus years I have had to use a dealership

I wouldn't bring this to a dealer. Most likely they haven't seen a e36 vert in a long time unless you get real lucky with a good tech. Go to the e36 vert subsection and repost this inquery and maybe you will get more answers. I've done a lot of top work on my car in the 1 year I've had it and my top culprits for your symptoms are; need to try to resync the top several ways-read all the posts and youtube this for some reason the normal resync does not always work, check that your microswitches work if for the top front motor, check that the S1 and S2 switches work and are not knocked out of their positions.

I think those are the top reasons for your problem. If you repost in the vert section I and others can advise.

Don B