HOW TO MANUALLY REMOVE THE TOP OF BMW CONVERTIBLE

***Before trying this, make sure that the luggage compartment lever in the trunk is set to the correct position. The luggage compartment lever is the most common reason the roof wont go down***

***If you cannot seal the rear compartment with the “open top” button like i can, try driving around for a few minutes. The car may detect you are in motion and lock on its own. Avoid trying to use the allen key***

This video will show you how to manually take the top off of a 2004 BMW 325ci. I made this video because i could not find a solid video explaining how to do this when i needed it.

Do this at your own risk!!!

[johnnymeza]

If anyone is having trouble getting the convertible compartment lid to lock during the last step where you hold the open button, try this. Start your car and drive it slowly around the block. The car may detect you're in motion and lock by itself. Don't try to lock by using the allen wrench on the gearbox under the seat. I almost stripped it. The car manual says this mechanism is only for unlocking to close the soft top.

[victoriapoulsen]

My mechanic wouldn't deal with this, and I have been twisting myself in knots fortifying myself to pay for a motor replacement and the labor to go with it. One BMW repair shop insisted on keeping my car for several days, forcing me to rent a car before even giving me a rough estimate and I tried one last time to youtube a solution to manually opening and closing and voila, one manual closing of the top and the motor kicked in again. I think it just needed to be reset. I am crossing fingers it's actually fixed, but at the very least, now I know how to open and close it. THANK YOU!

[alvinszott]

What a great video Jason. I own a 2001 M3 convertible and this video was applicable. I believe my roof jammed shut because a piece of loose harness (the laces or whatever that tie it to the frame need replacing) got caught in the lid when it closed when I opened the roof. I would have had no idea how to get the roof closed manually without your video. Once I got the roof closed manually my red light was still flashing. I hit the close button for good measure and it turned off the red light. This reset the roof and now it is all working great again. No motor problems, no blown fuse - your video got it back to perfect. And for those wondering, the allen wrench was where it was supposed to be, even in a 2001 model. Thank you so much for all your help!

[altugbahadr]

Thanks for helpful video. One thing, you don’t need to remove up back seats, after removing part between seatbelts holder, you will see leather cover which clicked to the tiny iron stick. You can slowly slide it up and pull the opposite direction and then key plug will become accessible.

[danielshaw]

Dude.
Thanks you saved me a lot of trouble. And you didnt make a 29 minute long video either.
Thanks for that
Why you so smiley tho? It's the car right? Makes you smile

[Ovadose]

Life saver man honestly ! Thought it would be a lot more difficult to get that done after my top stopped working in my E46 M3 !

[hamachi]

I searched YT for a while looking for help with this. Your video was great! Very well done.

[toniproctor]

Thank you very much Jason! My bf tried to open it and couldn't. He's a Master Mechanic so this was so helpful I was actually able to get it open. Only needed a lil help from my bf to pull the rooftop back. Your video is the only one I could locate with specifics for manually opening this very same make and model! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!

[jeanPierreDelorme]

Merci beaucoup Jason, tu m'as permis ouvrir cette capote, so Thank you very much, you gave me a hand to open this bl00by hood, now I've to find why it doesnt work, a french man 74 years old

[hayyamsamandag]

Thanks for your time man! Great explanation

[johnnymeza]

Thank you! This isn't even that bad I don't think I'm gonna fix my top anymore

[coreynomad]

Man you made this super simple, quick. Thanks so much dude!

[mainmasri]

Excellent and a job well done!! Very simple to deal with...

[chadscott]

Thanks, very helpful and simple to follow.

[ernestodiaz]

Very helpful tips. Thanks for the video.

[brancook]

You need to make more videos man. Well done

[YarmilaGoycochea]

Excellent, explication, I love it, 🙏🏻 thank you

[amandawilson]

You don’t have to pull up the back seat to get to the Allen key and the manual button. There’s a piece that covers it, just unclip and pull the fabric panel forward. I figured that out yesterday when the motor for the top died.

[jahsyr]

bro thanks it worked and to lock it turn they allen key backward in back seat

[candaq]

How do you lock it down if nothing for the roof is functioning or live? I had to disconnect the fuse to stop power drain from constant engagement when the car is unpowered. So nothing will lock, how is this done manually. Great video though and a LIFE SAVER, or at least car saver, or wallet saver on a fully depreciated 2000 that still wants to run like the wind.