Now that the snow has finally left, it's time for top down motoring. My wife's Cooper S Convert's top doesn't go down. The sunroof part opens, then nothing. If I let off the button, and push again, the red light blinks rapidly. The only thing different from last fall, when it worked fine, to now is a minor accident. My wife was pulling out of a mall, and a car that was turning decided not too. Hit drivers front corner, broke the bumper cover, dented the hood around the headlight, @ $2.800 worth. Hood opens, all drivable, so not too bad. Would that perhaps disrupt the top mechanism some how? Want to find out what others thing before going to dealer as it's got 35,000 miles, but warranty ran out 10/08. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Perry

 

Well, sheepish grin, I checked other top problem posts and checked the package shelf. It appears someone, who shall remain nameless, (ahem, wife), moved it and installed it wrong. Out of warranty disaster averted.

Thanks,
Perry

 

I learned the "package shelf" safety feature last night myself... Loaded boot with Target goodies and didn't pull down the shelf and lock it in. Beautiful night, so tried to put top down. Same blinking red light after sunroof opens... Thought it through a bit, think what could be the issue. Checked boot and noticed shelf... Top went down fine after that...

Rmpl

 

Tell the Mrs not to feel to bad. I'm betting 75% of Convertible owners have made the mistake of not putting the package shelf back properly.

Here's another tip for the convertible owners and I learned this one at MOTD when WMW disconnected the battery to install some goodies: After the battery has been disconnected, before you can get the roof to operate properly, you have to cycle the windows up/down once. Weird, but true. And thanks to the passer-by who informed Way and myself of that tip. Otherwise, I might have had a 400 mile trip home in the rain with the top down.

 

Happened to me the other day. Really freaked me out. I figured it out eventually.
Happens to the best of us.

 

I NEVER knew this... thxs for sharing

 

Been there ,done them both. package shelf, and battery disconnect window trick.. Antsy moments on both till I figured them out..

 

The Dealer (Not a Mini Dealer) almost lost my sale by not knowing this. He nor anyone at his dealership could figure out how to make it work. All they knew was it had been working but they never got it to work. The car was a trade in to them. I finally did figure it out. My Wife's SLK has a similar safety system in the trunk. Only it has two switches that the cover in the trunk must depress. I finally located the correct side on the mini and figured out how to get the shelf to depress it. I imagine the clean up prep shop had dislodged it. But they almost lost the sale by not knowing how to work it.

 

You guys rock. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to post this valuable information. You saved me a lot of time and possible grief. I had a "real" problem with my MINI convertible top last year and feared I was in for another costly repair!

 

My salesman from Mini of Pleasanton (CA) did not spend a lot of time showing the features of my cabrio but he did make sure I knew about the parcel shelf switch. The weekend after I picked up the car, I tried to put the roof down but it did not go past the sunroof position. My brand new car busted already! Then I remembered what the salesman had shown me and checked out the parcel shelf. The switch on one side was askew. I re-engaged it and was off to top down motoring.

 

Old thread, but still good to know. Had the windows tinted today and removed the parcel shelf to do the back window. Then couldn't figure out why the top wouldn't go back downtown do the rest!

Thank goodness for this tip!

Bryan
Dat240zg

 

Just to ad a visual and a little information: Posted this in another thread and hope it will help people out to check the parcel shelf first.

To mention the parcel shelf , its so sensitive with the micro switch in the rear. If the parcel shelf is just not right. You will get the red flashing light right after you roll the sunroof position back. The function like to protect itself from damaging the top when you put it back and rest on the parcel.

I posted this in another thread but if anyone has trouble putting there top down past the sunroof position always check the rear position of the parcel deck. If the parcel deck is stored on the lower position its the sensor that needs the foot to contact, if its on upper position ( for extra storage, on the top pegs under the rear headrest ) you will need to reset the parcel deck to the lower position and make sure its fitted right.

Here are some diagrams and pics.

Check the rear parcel deck in the trunk. It has to be in the lower position and foot of the parcel shelf rest on the micro switch in the trunk that is on the rear left panel. If it off a bit you cannot open the top past sunroof position.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/51466980045/ES119734/



#1 in diagram




Parcel shelf located in the trunk. Part number 51467146370 Rear Window Parcel Shelf Deck




http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/51467146370/ES119944/




*This is in top position which the parcel does not touch the sensor thus top only goes back to sunroof .



This is in bottom position: make sure you close the latch on the side down.




Thanks and I hope that helps.

 

Hello! I am very new to the site and the mini world. I have been trying to research the oh so popular issue of my 2008 S convertible top won't go down. I have double checked the parcel shelf sensor and tested the voltage along with the cross brace microswitch. Both are working according to the volt meter, but the top is still not going down AND I have no error light flashing at me. It has been intermittent for a couple months and something may have finally gone out. I'm hoping to get some help on where to go from here. All the wiring diagrams that I have found are for a 2006 and from what I can find the wiring changed with 2007. Could this be a possibly be a bad relay? Or does anyone know? I would LOVE to keep this out of the shop and do this at home. Any help is greatly appreciated!
I look forward to motoring along with all of you

 

I remember in 2007 or 2006 there was a tsb for convertible upper wire harness which was rubbing or chaffing and causing problem, I believe they updated the part and now all have the same newest part number.

Dealership can run your Vin to see if its been done or affected.




Wiring set for folding top. Part number 54347079879

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/54347079879/


First,

So the sunroof work and goes all the way back?

Here is a thread for closing but works the same for opening ( in reverse ).

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ont-close.html

Check the cables if it does not go all the way back in the sunroof position.

If the sun roof function goes all the way back and then pressed again to open the top , does the front latches unlock?

Also when the sunroof goes all the way back and then you press it again, the sunroof goes a little further back to engage the hook release that is located on the rail , these are little hooks ( these are in the rails system just above the side rear window ) , when the cable set moves back even more about an inch or two after you hit the button again, its trigger the release and the hydraulic motor then moves the pistons in the back and the top goes down.


Let me know where you are at of if you have a video that someone put up. It shows you in general how the top works. You can see the top goes a little bit further back once you get it to the point of the sunroof function - final opening.



Thanks

 

Thanks for the response!! The sunroof portion works great and opens all the way. When I press the top open button the 2nd time to have the top go all the way down I get nothing. No flashing error light, no noises, no movement, nothing. We managed to get into the fuses and relays last night. Relay makes no noise when connected and trying to put down the top, but tested fine when out of the car on a volt meter. It appears that there may an connection issue with the control module sending messages to the relays for the top. So I think that's our next step is to test the connections there. If there are other options to test I am open to your suggestions!! Since it looks like the unit is under the rear seats and I can't imagine those will be fun to remove with the top up!