The F57 and R57 are different then the R52 , they dont sell the parts on their own.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...rsrc=bvadomain

I have not taken apart a F57 to see how its set up.


https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...26#54347364804

#11, 10, 12 and 9 are fix kits but i believe its for the front lock and not cables.

 

Hello all,
First thanks for all the provided information it helped a lot.
I'm based in france and I just acquired an old mini. I have clearly a problem with the sliding cassette. however, on Tulid video, he explains how to fix the cable but not how to change it... I need to change the cassette + the cable I'm not sure how it is sealed at the end when you pull out the entire cable ? You just pull it out and insert the new one but how do you have it locked on the sunroof motor that pulls it from the inside? Thanks a lot for your answer
I would like to order the two new parts but I just want to make sure that I can connect them to the sunroof motor.
If anyone sees this messages thanks a lot,
Have a good one,
Regards,

 

Hello

These are the main parts and they separate in the diagram. https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...Cooper_S&mg=54

Pull the cables out through the front, just make sure the top motor is unbolted and and slide out.

 

Thanks for your answer, it’s very helpful.
in order for the motor to be able to pull on the cables. There should be a sort of connection between the sunroof motor and the cable themselves. I was just wondering if once pulled out I would be able ti slide them in and make sure they are connected again to the sunroof motor. From your point of view, it’s sure that it’s very easy to pull out and slide in ?

 

Nope they slide our once the front are disconnected and the motor is out of the way.

Welcome.

 

Hello guys,
i hope that you are doing well.
I’m posting here my results if it can ever help somebody out.
My convertible top is finally working!
i ended changing the two cassettes with the cables (shaft)
Easy things just as ESC has explained above.
Just remove the sunroof drive motor and pull on them until you remove the entire cables.
Make sure that you degrease and regrease everything and insert the new cables and cassettes ( I used white lithium grease WD40) Make sure they are both aligned. Re-Assemble everything and that should be ok ✅

I also found a faster way to remove the top without unsticking and removing all the clips.
just remove two or three clips on side, pull on the tissue and you will end up having enough space to unscrew only the two side screws, then you will be able to flip the entire top over. It will saves you some time and also your clips, that are a nightmare to remove.

Here are some pictures :

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0oJOX8tMGr6XQx

On top of that I would like to thank @tullid for his nice videos that definitely helped out.

Thanks @ECS Tuning as well a lot for your different responses. I haven’t ended up ordering from you because I have taxes in Paris but @ECS Tuning is awesome so don’t hesitate if you need parts and that you are US based !

I also found the official BWM guide if you want to deal with anything regarding your sunroof it can definitely help out

https://docdro.id/DXj6cp6

Have a good weekend guys and thanks a lot again,
Best,

 

@ECS Tuning , I am having a bit of trouble getting my convertible top to operate effectively.

Earlier in the week, when closed, the passenger latch would not diengage to open the convertible top. No issues on the driver's side and the sunroof opened fine. I watched the 4 videos from @tullid (thanks) and believed that my issue was the cable coming dislodged so I began the disassembly process. About halfway through, I saw a break in a plastic piece (not the correct model piece but see image below, break was at the red line).



I repaired the piece with JB Weld while I wait for a junkyard piece and I put everything back together. However I'm running into a few issues now.
The latch works as it should (opening and closing) but I cannot get the sunroof to close. The sunroof motor engages but won't move the sunroof into the closed position. I should note that I cannot find the latch that gets mentioned in the repair videos (image below circled in red). The rear portion of the top was unlocked when I started my disassembly but I cannot get the rear section to lock into place and I'm thinking that my be my issue. Also to note, the red light on the close button is flashing (The micro switches in the trunk are seated properly). Another interesting note is that in the videos, he seems to be able to move the sunroof by hand and I absolutely cannot, it is locked in its fully open position.


Any ideas on getting my sunroof to close? In summary
- Disassembled top to repair cables, but never got that far
- Repaired broken plastic piece causing the sunroof latch to not disengage
- Latch repaired and can now fully disengage
- Sunroof will no longer close
- I cannot find the lock to lock the rear and front rails together and I believe that to be the problem

 

Hello Zach,

in my opinion, you probably have a problem with the sliding mechanism (the two cassettes that slides into the rails). That’s probably the reason why the plastic part broke and especially if it does not close anymore.
it would maybe need some cleaning and regreasing to make the whole system work better if the wheels/sliders are not broken on the cassettes.

However before this what you could try is remove the sunroof motor (otherwise it is impossible to pull or push the whole system)

1. remove the sunroof motor try to manually close the roof by pushing or pulling gently on it.
2. put in place the motor and try to fully reopen

if it doesn’t work properly you certainly have a problem with the cassettes that don’t slide properly into the rails…

it started like that on mine one of the 2 plastic parts broke I changed it and still it did not work.
the sunroof worked but I could not slide it until the end to fully open the roof (stage 2)(one the wheel on the cassettes was damaged)

let us know if this works.

Otherwise you need approximately 4 hours to do the whole thing and change the cables. That’s what it took me. I saved one hour with my tip as I don’t need to unclip everything I just flip the top over (some pictures are attached in my iCloud albums in the previous comment over yours)

regarding the hooks between the front and the back of the foldable bar they should definitely be there, I attached you some pics here.

Good luck with everything hope you end up fixing it 💪

 

@jitweety Thank you for the information and opinion. The only thing that's still confusing me (aside from the locking mechanism) is the fact that the sunroof worked perfectly when I started this process. I even used the motor to retract the sunroof before I started the entire process. Could that have caused this issue?

When I remove the motor, I cannot manually move the cassettes by hand, they will not move. I should also note, that I also cannot pry open the latches from the front pillars of the side with the working latch. This leads me to believe it is related to the locking mechanism not being engaged and once I find that I will be able to move the cassettes and unlock the latches from the pillars manually. I will try to post a picture later today of the folding mechanism and how I can't find the lock to lock/unlock the second rail portion.

All to be said. I may need to purchase the parts regardless, as one of the felt pads of the cassette that ride on the sunroof rails is gone.

 

Sorry just saw this, thats what i would do. You have to make sure you did not jam or damage the rails. When they jam or the cable get damaged from the sunroof motor in a spot it can grind the green wound cable. This stopping the function. I pulled the whole cassette off mine and found some damge and then greased the whole system, replaced the cables and GTG.


When the system slides at the beginning it engages the latches after the first press, then it slides back and open more.

I l

 

@ECSTuning and @jitweety thank you both for the recommendations. I still cannot find the lock that you're referencing and I do believe that is what is causing my casette to not return to its closed position. Below is a video link to me showing the top closed. What am I missing? I really appreciate the support as this has stumped me for a while now. My apologies but because I held my phone vertically it uploaded as a YT Short.

 

Do you have a video of the main upper rail and on the inside of that rail?

 

@ECSTuning thank you so much for the quick reply. I hope the below video has what you're looking for.

 

Great videos, at the end of your video the top only opens halfway in part 4. That is where mine get stuck

Hello everyone,
I am having a problem with my 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible top. When trying to open it, it is sliding halfway back, but not fulling opening. I have the button pushed down in the back of the trunk also. Ive token it apart a bit and manually got it to retract back and opening the hydraulic valve to allow to open fully. When pushing the button to close the top it does work, which is weird. I hear the hydraulic motor working to close the top from a fully opened position. But from a closed position, only the sunroof slides back and then nothing else happens. please help, thankyou!!

 

@ECSTuning I did some more searching and I still can't find that latch to lock the two rails together. The front latches are still open, do I need to close them to allow the cassette to travel from the back rail to the front rail? The only thing I did different during disassembly to the youtube videos typically linked was that I used the motor to retract the sunroof as opposed to pushing it back by hand.

 

@ECSTuning and @jitweety are you able to see or locate the latch in the above video? I still cannot find it. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

@ECSTuning and @jitweety I went to the junkyard over the weekend to check out other mini cooper convertible (05 mini cooper S) mine is an 06 mini cooper S. I found the latch on the junkyard car and below is the same image of my mini. You'll notice that latch isn't there. Any ideas what this could mean? Does my top latch somehow else? Is it possible to have lost both latches simultaneously?


This is the junkyard mini 05 cooper S

This is my mini 06 Cooper S

 

Woa, weird!

 

Hello,

Sorry just got back from SEMA, yea thats weird. Mine has that hook on a early 2005 production. Thats what locks into the top. I know they made a change in in the front latch system in 2005-2006. They must have changed that back portion also.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...r/54347174763/



* Early 2005 Production year vehicle may need to file down the 90 degree pegs at the J hook end as these models did not have them.


Can you show me in a video the full action and movement?

 

@ECSTuning Apologies for my impatience. It's convertible weather in southern, CA and I miss taking the car out so I'm anxious to get this fixed.

Below is a video link of closing the top from the outside as well as the inside.

 

@ECSTuning did that video help? If not, I can provide another one.

 

I have followed the videos and replaced the cassettes from ECS tuning. However, after re-assembling everything, I cannot get the top to lift off the front latches. I press the 'open top' button and the sunroof fully opens. I press the 'open top' button again and the latches disengage from the windshield pillar but nothing happens. After a few seconds the 'close top' button starts flashing.

I have checked the parcel shelf and it is fully seated, checked to make sure I have fluid in the hydraulic reservoir, and the fuses look good. What else can I check? I brought it to a mini mechanic and he said they don't mess with stuff like this and he could replace the whole top for $4k, but it was working when I started this whole process. I appreciate the help!

 

Zach, I sure wish I knew how to help or point you in the right direction. When I did mine I didn't have that problem and I just dunno what it could be. 😕

If I were you I think I'd study all the interlocks really carefully. Seems like some switch is not doing its thing. Maybe the parcel shelf switch got disconnected?

 

Hello Just saw this, Yep sounds like the hall sensor is disconnected or not working, Determines the location that the top is in to operate.

 

Just landed more stock of the cables. I wanted to let you guys know that the colors of the pipe cleaner martials can be green like our pictures or white. Some cables the left is green and the right is white. Some both cables are white. Looks like MINI is mixing stock. Other then that the design did not change.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/ES158840/