[MikeHam3]

Long story short:

Top last fall would close with some help after stopping halfway (jiggle and repress closing button)
This spring opened first time and closed with no help..

All down hill from there

Stopped opening past 1/2 way and seemed to get jammed (on nothing)
I tooled around with it to disengage (I think) the mechanism with the rear lid and by turning car off the top (with some help) closed manually all most all the way then I had to turn car back on and press button to electronically close lid.

Where am I at now?

flashing red light, won't even initiate rolling down of window to start the opening process
can only manually (with allen wrench) unlock top and once the hooks come out of top it is rock solid and I cannot manually do anything with it.

It is completely manually closed but light still flashes (ALL the time, how is the battery not shot on car?)

Thoughts?

Sorry for long winded ramble, but its freakin frustrating!

 

[cvx5832]

Have you looked into the wiring loom above the driver? Common break.

 

[DAS2001BMW325]

CVX5832, I am interested in your comment above. I also have a 2001 325ci with convertible top that will not go down (checked fuses in glove box/all ok and raised/lowered the tray or compartment that holds the top when it is down plus jiggled the handle every which way but lose) but trunk open warning light displays red and when I push the top down button the upper light is a steady red, as well. So, could you be a bit more specific when you say "wiring loom above the driver" - what does that mean or where would I look? Is that inside the convertible top on driver side? Thanks

 

[SilberVogel]

. . . So, could you be a bit more specific when you say "wiring loom above the driver" - what does that mean or where would I look? Is that inside the convertible top on driver side? Thanks

Take a look at this post/thread in the convertible section on E46Fanatics for more photos/information: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?p=14199814#post14199814.

I've had frayed wires in that wiring loom that runs along the driver's side of the top, as well, and a common place is right at the first bend above the driver's seat. Read through that thread for more details and photos, but it's a straightforward DIY if that's your issue.

 

[cvx5832]

CVX5832, I am interested in your comment above. I also have a 2001 325ci with convertible top that will not go down (checked fuses in glove box/all ok and raised/lowered the tray or compartment that holds the top when it is down plus jiggled the handle every which way but lose) but trunk open warning light displays red and when I push the top down button the upper light is a steady red, as well. So, could you be a bit more specific when you say "wiring loom above the driver" - what does that mean or where would I look? Is that inside the convertible top on driver side? Thanks

That actually tells me to look at the wiring loom to your trunk, which is a similar, but separate issue.

If the CVM module sees that the trunk is still open, it won't start the sequence for the top.

 

[hoosagolfer]

convertible top woes

there is a wiring harness in the top right of the trunk..harness is a bundle of wires...the wires are protected by a rubber boot...from body of car to a trunk lid...i pulled this loose and found a grey wire was broken..obviously the power wire..i spliced a new piece in..problem solved..