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Thread: e46 2003 M3 convertible top - steady red light no open

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
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    st. louis, missouri, usa
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    1
    My Cars
    1978 bmw 320i, 2003 M3,

    e46 2003 M3 convertible top - steady red light no open

    I've checked the easy stuff, trunk boot is DOWN, and all associated fuses are good. Is the next step looking for a cracked wire?

    Whenever something has come up before the red light blinked, it is steady red now and does not move, makes NO noise.

    lil' help? I've tracked down a matching hard top, went to pick it up and because the top wouldn't move, I had to leave it behind.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    Arlington, VA
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    9,933
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    2018 BMW M240i
    I think your best solution is to take the car to an indie shop that specializes in bimmers. Try www.bimrs.org. The shop must have all the proper software to diagnose the problem. Narrow your choices down via the better business bureau (www.bbb.org) website, yelp and the website of the local chapter of the BMW Car Club of America (BMWCCA).

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Portland, OR
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    712
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    2002 325Ci Cabriolet
    Quote Originally Posted by commish View Post
    I've checked the easy stuff, trunk boot is DOWN, and all associated fuses are good. Is the next step looking for a cracked wire?

    Whenever something has come up before the red light blinked, it is steady red now and does not move, makes NO noise.

    lil' help? I've tracked down a matching hard top, went to pick it up and because the top wouldn't move, I had to leave it behind.
    You really need to read the CVM Codes. Without doing so, you're just playing a guessing game. I use PA Soft and a Windows XP computer to read mine.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Portland, OR
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    My Cars
    2002 325Ci Cabriolet
    Quote Originally Posted by commish View Post
    I've tracked down a matching hard top, went to pick it up and because the top wouldn't move, I had to leave it behind.
    Have you installed the Hard Top Mounting Hardware? Did your E46 come prepped for a Hard Top? Contrary to popular belief, you just can't install a Hard Top on your E46 unless it's been prepped for it. I included a picture of the Hard Top hardware.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Silver Spring, MD
    Posts
    130
    My Cars
    03M3 17M540 18A5SB

    Is the trunk shut?

    [QUOTE=commish;30
    has come up before the red light blinked, it is steady red now and does not move, makes NO noise.

    lil' help? I've tracked down a matching hard top, went to pick it up and because the top wouldn't move, I had to leave it behind. [/QUOTE]

    Yes, you opened it to check the trunk boot down (the black thing with a lever on it inside the trunk) and closed the trunk but there could be a trunk switch not working.
    There have been cases when the wiring to the trunk fatigued and shorted or opened.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    712
    My Cars
    2002 325Ci Cabriolet
    Quote Originally Posted by commish View Post
    I've checked the easy stuff, trunk boot is DOWN, and all associated fuses are good.
    Do your windows still drop a few inches when you try to put the top DOWN? If any ONE window does not go down, the top won't either. Try putting all your windows DOWN and then open the top.

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