[Archbid]

So I have had an issue with my top not going down for a few weeks. There was a break in the harness, so I replaced the harness. The cowl sensors weren't working, so I replaced them.

Still no action, so I sent to two different independents. The first got it to open slightly before it stopped, then it didn't respond again.

The second replaced the CVM module, saying it was not connecting. After they replaced, they had the same experience where the top lifted slowly, then stopped, then didn't respond again. They gave up and gave me the car back, saying "take it to the dealership."

I then installed INPA, connected to the new CVM, which responded. However, there are no error codes, and the status information is very sparse (basically it will show that there is 8v, whether any window is still up, and whether the up or down buttons are pressed). No info on sensors or switches.

The first guy guessed that it may be the hydraulic pump, but I felt like he was just spending hours not knowing what to look for.

Questions:
1. Any ideas (and it is not the trunk loom, the storage compartment, or the harness)?
2. Why no codes, and no response?
3. How do I get the switch settings through INPA (or do I need another tool)

Thanks!

 

[Phoenix330ci]

I'm going to subscribe for the INPA thing. Did yours come together as a package? I read that there maybe a difference with the cable. The same thing happened to some people trying to work with PA Soft. PA Soft doesn't get you into the CVM to show you what it is doing, it reads if there is an error stored.

When you replaced your harness, are you sure you put all the plugs plugged in? Maybe one not fully clicked in? I know the hydraulic lines are harder, but maybe one pinched? Where about in the process does it stop?
If you put a new CVM does it have to be coded to the car so how or is it plug and play?

How about voltage of the battery? I have seen some weird things with the top and a low battery. How about the power source to the CVM, faulty cable there?? The harness you replaced I don't think connects to a power source, only the CVM and the sensors and motors.

 

[Archbid]

I am using the BMWhat cable and I downloaded the inpa software. It connects perfectly, but the information front he cvm is underwhelming. When you get it working, can you post a screencap?

Harness is fully plugged in, and the cvm does not need to be coded. There is no action at all, just a red light. That's why I need the sensor information.

 

[Phoenix330ci]

Archbid,

One question for you on your problem, how about the sensor located at the base of the top bracket, down where the bracket bolts to the chassis?

I started working on mine last night, removed the interior and have replaced the first 6 connectors on the harness. While in there I was looking for possible things to your problem and came up with that sensor. On mine I had to unbolt the sensor in able to get the plug off the back of it. I'm sure you replaced the plug on yours but I also had to unbolt the metal arm connecting to the plastic arm on the sensor to get the sensor out to get to that plug. Did you reconnect the two arms back together, did you make sure they are tight, that the one arm is not sliding up and down on the plastic arm? I noticed on mine that the metal arm is all the way up on the plastic arm. If the connection is sliding it may throw the range off effectively stopping the top in one position or the other.

Yes, unbolting the frame is a task. Yes I had to do it alone too!! Get unnerving as you hear popping and creaking and then the top looks all twisted. Once put back everything is ok. I still need to tighten the bolts down on both side, and adjust the brackets back as the front latches are just missing the holes in the windshield frame. Lucky I marked all the bolts for position to line this up. That was a major hurdle. I have some picture, but I'm also trying to make a video showing and talking about the main points.

 

[Phoenix330ci]

Ok as promised dude....Now of course mine is going to look a little screwed up as a few sensors are off and I'm 3/4 the way through my roof job, but I wanted to show you the load of information from turning the key to on and not even running the car (I would assume at this point running the car will give the full effect)


First is where to go, on this version, need to do a shift F6 to get to the E46.



Once in the E46 menu, select the body sub category and from there you will see the place you can go to on the right, the second one down is the CVM. Select that.



Screen you get when you click CVM. Click the F5 Read Status for the following:



Now it didn't show up in the above screen but if you go over from the F10 in the lower right corner, the is a green arrow down, use the arrow down key to get to the following screens.













My guess is that you didn't use the down arrow to get the other results?? Is this enough information. I'm impressed on how much it spits out.

 

[Archbid]

Dude you are the man!

How do you page on INPA like that?

 

[Phoenix330ci]

Once you get into the cvm look down in the lower right hand corner of the screen. You should see a green down arrow above the F10 box. In my first screen (once in - should be my 3rd screen shot) I missed it when I clipped it but you will see it in the images I posted below that.

For what ever odd reason it wouldnt let me use the pointer and click on the arrow. I figured it out that if you use the arrows on your keyboard it will scroll down. Try that. It looks pretty comprehensive as it telles what switches triggered, if you pushed the buttons, status of the latches, what valves opened and various voltages applied. That should help you figure about where it stopped in the process.

 

[taylor192]

I need to get this software!

 

[Phoenix330ci]

This is only a small potential of what else there is for other modules. I didnt even get into that. I only wanted to quickly get in to help out archbid.

 

[Archbid]

It was a gigantic help. The top works now! The problem was in the general module, which was not responding to window down. The CVM failed at the first step.

I had the dealership look at the GM, and they said they got the top working by recoding it. Does that even make sense?

 

[Phoenix330ci]

They probably recoded the gm. I guessing the gm wasn't reading windows down. Not sure if the program we have will do that. I'm guessing yes but how to do it is a different story. Good to hear you got it working.

 

[Fronty]

Hi everyone,new to site can anyone tell me where the sensors are on my e46 02 330 cic for roof

 

[Phoenix330ci]

What is the issue? In like 9 out of 10 problems it is not sensor related.

The car has multiple sensors, one to detect the latchs fir the rear deck, two to detect angles of the roof, one to derect if the roof well space is opened or closed......

So what is the issue to narrow this down?

 

[Fronty]

Hi Phoenix and thanks,I tried opening roof on sunny day and it stopped opening as the front was about 3 inch above windscreen,anyway it finally opened but then come to close it and it stopped again a few inches away from fully closing at front,the light on switch is flashing red now!!!!!!!

 

[Fronty]

The roof stopped working after I had to manually close it!!

 

[Cohenidan]

Dear Phoenix330ci and all,
I saw that you really know this car and I need help.
I have 2002 325Ci. A few weeks ago the power cables torn and I fix them. After a few days, when I opened the top, it started to open and after the compartment opened and the roof started to fold to the compartment, the roof stopped moving. My friend and I checked:
1. The pump is working - till the roof stops. if you press open or close the pump is working again.
2. Pump fluid - OK.
3. Two microswitches on the top front windshield - OK.
4. The microswitch and motor under the seat - OK.
5. Two angle switches - main pillar and frame.
6. It looks like the main pillar cylinder start working and stops.
Do you know what is going on?
Thanks...

 

[prodjay10]

How do the latches look?

My guess is that you have another break in you harness. Any one of those wires can break and there are two spots where it can happen, that I know of.

Over head at the bend and the bend where the top meets the body.

Do you have a way to read codes or live data?

 

[Cohenidan]

Dear Prodjay10,
Unfortunately, I don't have a code reader. I wanted to purchase from amazon but the shipment is around a month because of the corona-virus situation.
We tried to check the wire and we couldn't find anything. We used a needle to check that all wires are OK. We disconnected the wire for each sensor that goes to the windshield latches. Each time we disconnected the sensor and the top didn't work so the sensors are working.
It looks like there is no other breaks in the harness.
Is it possible that it is not an electric issue and it is a mechanical problem?

 

[prodjay10]

Once the pump de pressurized, can you push it down into the compartment? This is how you can see if it***8217;s mechanical. Is the hydraulic fluid topped up? See any leaks?

 

[Cohenidan]

We did it!!!!
Another friend came with a code reader that could read the top codes. We got code vsw 4.1 input at ground. We checked the harness that we fixed with a voltmeter, end to end, when the top was closed and when we opened it.
When the top was closed it was OK and after we opened it to the position it's stopped, we got the error.
We found that the harness was broken in the other bending point next to the body, just like someone wrote here.
We fixed it, hope it will last.
Thank you all so much for helping and giving advises.