Stuart Smith

hi I have a problem with my roof,
when I press the button all it does is unlock the the roof latch at the back nothing else happens the windows don't go down nor does the seat move the roof light is on all the time.
i have taken all the motors out and checked they work apart from the 5th bow motor as it doesn't even get to this stage so was thinking this is not my problem atm,
is there a way to test the control unit to make sure it's not faulty or reset it?

Any ideas thanks.

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Like most threads asking for troubleshooting opinions, it would help to post all the info, including:

-What year and mileage for your ZR?
-Did this problem occur all at once, or did it begin to happen over time?
-Have you pulled any codes from the BCM?

Stuart Smith

2005,63k miles.. it's a Japanese import if that makes any difference.
bought the car recently was told that it was one of the micro switches but after putting it all back together (as he had All the motors out so he could do the roof manually) it just unlocks the latch nothing else.

My ob2 code reader wouldn't link with the car so not sure if it's putting out codes..

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Wow- that's an amazing story. So, this ZR was imported and never had a functioning roof? The retractable roof is a complex mechanism, how did you even know if it would work at all? Hopefully you got a HUGE discount with the sale if it wasn't...

dboyzalter

iTrader: (3)

If it was rigged up somehow to open and close manually why would you mess with trying to put the motors back in. Seems like the non motorized method would be better.

Stuart Smith

I'm not sure how long the roof hasn't worked the guy I bought it from said it's just a micro switch and that he's replaced the control unit but I'm not sure I believe what he told me.. so I want to check the control unit is working as it should just wasn't sure if there was a way of doing this..

Stuart Smith

it wasn't rigged up to work manually he had just removed all the motors and rams so he could do it by hand but the problem with that is the roof is open at the back by the window all the time he's taken the latch off so the roof doesn't have such a big gap so anyone can get in from the back Henderson why I wanna fix it..

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Since you haven't seen the roof actually operate and have ignored the suggestion to pull any codes, I suggest you find a Nissan dealer with a tech who has ZR training to do a detailed diagnostic of the roof. Trying to DIY this repair is way over your head.

Stuart Smith

Haven't ignored your suggestion to see if there's any codes as said before my ob2 reader won't link with the car currently waiting on a friend to try theres.. but thanks for your help

JakeC06

It could be a lot of different things. I'll help the best I can. I would start with the cheapest part; check the fuse under the hood. It should be the big clear L shaped one. If the fuse is good, I would put my money on the 5th bow motor. Im wondering why the windows dont go down though. Are you sure the switch it working correctly? Sometimes the up/down switch goes bad. I havent had experience with the windows not going down, but the first part in the process after the seat moves and windows go down would be the 5th bow lifts up. Can you hear the 5th bow motor making noises, trying to work? Do you have the little black hydrolic cylinder looking thingys attached on both sides inside the top? Or did the guy remove those too? Are you holding your foot on the break while you hit the button? (I have to ask, i dont know how much experience you have inside a roadster)

JakeC06

If the roof light is on all the time, it thinks the top is not completely open or completely closed. Do you have the top completely put back together? There are about 8 micro switches that tell the computer what position the top is at. Make sure you have the latch re-attached because that hits 2 switches inside the storage lid. There are 2 switches on the drivers side kind of directly behind your head and toward the outside of the car a little...you can see them if you lift the 5th bow all the way open. These tell the computer that the 5th bow is all the way open or all the way closed. There are 2 more switches one on each motor for the storage lid. It detects if the storage lid is all the way open or closed. If any of these switches are open when they shouldnt be or closed when the shouldnt be the top will not work. But it should jerk a little, like it wants to work and then shuts itself off. Since the windows arent going down, and the top isnt doing anything at all....im a little confused. Have you tried to manually put the windows down, and then try the top to see if it tries to go up or down?

Stuart Smith

Thanks appreciate any help..
yes have checked the fuses all good there foot is firmly on brake.. I'm not sure about the switch it's self i thought it could possibly be bad as have seen a few threads saying that looking to replace it unless there's a way to check if it works correctly?
He took the 5th bow rams off to operate manually but I did reattach them when I tried to see if it would work the 5th bow doesn't lock down when it's all connected together just stays up.. I'm going to check the 5th bow motor when I get a chance because I think it could also be a problem..
the windows and seat work perfectly just don't operate on roof operation I have tried havin the seat on cancel ( as it's not suppose to move and roof still operates) and windows fully down it still just does the same thing witch is unlock the 5th bow latch no matter if the roof is fully up or fully down it just does the same thing. Kinda makes me think maybe the control unit is faulty is there a way to test them?
I am thinking about just replacing all the micro switches for new ones but can't find anywhere that sells them.

Stuart Smith

And yes when completely back together it still has the light on and the 5th bow latch is locked it doesn't pull the roof down to seal it there's a big gap around the bottom of the window.

Stuart Smith

There is a difference between the open and close though the close will just unlock the 5th bow latch that's it.. the open will unlock the latch and makes a noise like a motor whining or spinning freely but then stops altogether it only lasts about 5 seconds at most.. the noise comes from within the storage lid Not yet got in there to see what it is that is making the noise or what it's attempting to do.

JakeC06

If you lift the 5th bow manually all the way open and hold it open and hit the button, what does it do? The storage compartment should open. I have extra control unit and micro switches. Im pretty sure its the motor/switches inside the storage lid that are malfunctioning. There is a little door on the inside of the storage lid you can remove to gain access to the motor and 2 micro switches in there. This is the motor that pulls the 5th bow down tight to the car and it has 2 micro switches in there. Check it out and make sure the motor is able to push the little metal part up to hit one micro switch and down to hit the other micro switch. You should be able to move it by hand easily and it shouldnt be stuck in the middle somewhere. You can disconect the motor cord via cotter pin if you need room to move the metal part up and down. If the metal moves smoothly, then I would guess the motor is bad or something is not connected. Try that and get back to me. Be careful messing around inside the little door, the edges of the door are very sharp and I cut myself like 4 times before i finally put some duct tape on the edge to protect myself.

JakeC06

Sorry, i didnt catch that last post before posting my essay earlier...lol. this backs up my idea that it is the motor inside the storage lid. The metal is probably all bent up from the previous owner slamming the 5th bow down into the latch hole...more than likely by accident becaude as you notice the 5th bow falls down pretty hard if you disconnect the black shock looking things from the 5th bow rail.

Stuart Smith

I did try it with the 5th bow completely open it did the same thing.. I found most of not all the switches in the state it's in some of them do nothing but one of the ones that are behind the passenger side (car is a right hand drive) just in where the whole roof pivots one of them makes it do nothing at all it won't even unlock the latch like usual..
where do you get the micro switches from?
Is it a Nissan main dealer thing?
I've seen generic micro switches but not sure if there the same..
i will get inside the storage lid Saturday and see what I can find.

JakeC06

The top on my roadster started to get holes in it, so I found a Roadster at LKQ salvage yard and took the entire top and swapped them...then i found another one that had an even better top so i swapped them again. Only paid $100 for the top, frame and motors and all. But the 3rd top had some issues I had to trouble shoot. I had to swap the 5th bow motor from my original top with the one in the new top and I had to swap out the latch mechanism inside the storage lid. Now it works like new. I have 2 tops laying in my yard that have micro swithes on them and I also grabbed an extra control unit off of the junk car and tested it by hooking it up to my car and seeing if it worked. I also purchased the wrong motor off of ebay one time that came with the whole bracket and everything for the motor in the trunk that lifts the storage unit, and it had some micro switches on it. This manual helped me a lot when i was trying to problem solve... just google '350z RF manual" and there will be a few PDFs you can download, its the roof manual and tells you everything about the roof operation and conditions.

Stuart Smith

Yea my roof has a few tears in it.. want to make sure the frame isn't bent or going to rip a new cover before I replace it.. yea I was thinking of doing the same thing at first and replace the lot but I cannot find anyone selling anything for the roof of these cars it's looking like I have to get it all from Nissan.. I think I have that manual already I have one that I'm using to try and help me

JakeC06

Did you ever find a resolution?