98 BMW M3 top will not work

Hey...I know this has been posted before. Ive tried numerous things. Ive reset the motors (disengaged, then reengaged) tried syncing the motors, etc. None of this worked. The red light is flashing on the button that lowers it. When I turn the car on, I can hear the motor on the window that releases the top from it work, but nothing else seems to. Its a fully automatic top, I tried lowering the top myself, but I couldnt get the back of the top to raise up, of course, i could have been doing something wrong. Any ideas?

Couple of questions right off the bat. Was the top working when you bought the car? If so has anything been done since then?
What procedure did you use for trying to resync the top. I mean every detail. You miss one this top will not resync. Back of the top to raise up? What does that mean? Back of the convertible top, the tonneau cover or what? You can always stow the top under the tonneau cover with the red lever pulled.

So lets start this right, post as much detail as possible as to what has been done and don't leave anything out.
The good news is your light is flashing which means the system is trying to work.
OK ball is in your court...

Hey. When I got the car, the top did not work. I havent taken in to the shop yet, i was trying to see if I could solve the problem before i spent $ on something i could do...As i was saying, the top is up, all motors are alligned. I saw a video (the car top was down) and he resynced the motors. I pushed the up button on the top and held it down, then i turned my key 2 clicks (right before it cranks) and continued holding the button. Nothing happened. i tried this several times for different lengths of time, and nothing happened. What is the correct procedure? As far as the back of the top not raising. That refers to me doing it manually. I pulled the lever, and both motors disengaged. I used the allen wrench to unscrew the top from the window (fully automatic top), but I cant make the back of the top (part w/ the rear window) raise up so i can pull open the tonneau cover. But anyway, what is the correct procedure for syncing the motors? Thats my main question. Thanks!

i just purchased a 1999 M3 vert this last weekend and have the same exact problem. I watched the same you tube video with same results. I do not know about an allen wrench?? Please let me know what you did to remedy this problem! Thanks

Originally Posted by storyofmylife26

Hey. When I got the car, the top did not work. I havent taken in to the shop yet, i was trying to see if I could solve the problem before i spent $ on something i could do...As i was saying, the top is up, all motors are alligned. I saw a video (the car top was down) and he resynced the motors. I pushed the up button on the top and held it down, then i turned my key 2 clicks (right before it cranks) and continued holding the button. Nothing happened. i tried this several times for different lengths of time, and nothing happened. What is the correct procedure? As far as the back of the top not raising. That refers to me doing it manually. I pulled the lever, and both motors disengaged. I used the allen wrench to unscrew the top from the window (fully automatic top), but I cant make the back of the top (part w/ the rear window) raise up so i can pull open the tonneau cover. But anyway, what is the correct procedure for syncing the motors? Thats my main question. Thanks!

Hello,
I am not sure if this is the way to reply, but I have a similar problem. Top was working, the piece of plastic that is at the edge of the head liner, got caught in the right rear hinge, and since the top will open back to the point of the Tonneau ( Storage Lid) won't open, and I haven't been able to find the location of the emergency release. It seems like, the lid cables are very tight, as if they're jammed, or caught, it was working just fine, so I feel it is something minor!
Thank You,
John McGloin Jr
317-428-7324
jmcgloin57@hotmail.com

Hello,
I am not sure if this is the way to reply, but I have a similar problem. Top was working, the piece of plastic that is at the edge of the head liner, got caught in the right rear hinge, and since the top will open back to the point of the Tonneau ( Storage Lid) won't open, and I haven't been able to find the location of the emergency release. It seems like, the lid cables are very tight, as if they're jammed, or caught, it was working just fine, so I feel it is something minor!
Thank You,
John McGloin Jr
317-428-7324
jmcgloin57@hotmail.com