348 Spider Power Window Struggle

Yeah they are both black for the middle pin on the window switches on the drivers side, I double checked that because on the passenger side window switch the middle pin aka ground, on the switch is black/purple.

 

I know this is the window issues thread but I cant find any info on putting the roof down. Im stuck like this
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Any help on how youre supposed to do this would be greatly appreciated. I can get the top to go back up and latch but it won't go down without hitting the seatbelt container digging into it cuttting leather and same with the sides.

 

Are you pushing upwards here before the roof is too far back?

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Normally the elastics should take care of this upwards movement, but your elastics may be tired. At least this is what happens on the 355 Spider

 

I didnt know i needed to. Ive never opened this roof before today.

 

The elastics can be replaced (if you know someone who knows how to use a sewing machine). Just use some strong upholstery elastic.

Doesn't always work, though. the canvas roof and hinges can be stiff.

 

Push up towards the sky I'd imagine?

 

Yeah i need a video or something. I cannot get this thing to work period

 

It's a common problem, but I can't say for sure if that is what is causing your car's problem.

Make sure that this angle (marked in red) is not convex, but concave

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When the roof is being opened, that hinge should not be touching the bar which goes over the top of the window.

Use two hands if required (one on roof operating lever, one on the crossbar shown)

 

???
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This is enough to put into the loony bin. My m3 even in manual mode is intuitve and easy. I dont understand why its so unintuitive. Ive been trying to figure this out for like 4 hours. Unreal!

 

Yes. Didn't help?
I see your elastics look a little tired, but if you manually push on the roof it should simulate good elastic.

 

The elastic is doing nothing. It may as well not even be there. But no this didn't help. I feel like the long metal bar that is hitting the seat belt box cover that kind of flips down should flip over more so it does a complete 180 and the part that would normally be against the top fabric when in the up/closed position would be flat on the seat belt cover. never seeing how one of these is supposed to work is killing me. I can't diagnose it because I have no idea how its supposed to function in the first place.

 

OK So I got it. There was a pic in the manual that helped me know how folded it was supposed to be at before the lever was pulled. The instructions didn't help at all but the pic did. It it a huge pita to accomplish especially when the elastics don't hold that bar up like you showed in your first pic. Thank you for trying to help.

 

You know what grinds my gears is about a week later after this top fiasco a youtuber I watch regularly had his 355 converted to a manual top and showed a video of exactly how the top goes down (same as the 348 from the looks of it). All that time spent and frustration only for the video I needed to come out a week after I needed it. I also made a video of my top going down properly the next day after I figured it out so I'll be able to reference it later if needed. But man was I pissed.

 

I also got all my crimps in the door jam fixed (recrimped) so my window switches, window position sensors and window motors work properly now.

 

Hello guys i am having an issue where the top is up and locked into place, i roll the windows up, and shut the key off, open the door and the windows roll down about 1/3 of the way, and dont go back up when I shut the door, like my convertible bmw does. I'm assuming I need a relearn procedure for the windows. Although when I hold the microswitch in the left side convertible top latch as if the top was latched, the windows do not go down. So switch works, top latches, windows work.

What do I need to do?

 

Do you mean this switch (B)? Or is there another switch?
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I don't understand the operating principles on the 348 and there are no diagrams. I assume the switch has a similar function to the 355's switch on top of the window frame (LHS) which is activated automatically when the roof is lifted and drops the windows down 5cm (2 inches), certainly not 1/3rd. I assume the microswitches in the doors on the window mechanisms tell the windows when to stop.

How do you hold the microswitch to simulate the roof being latched? To me it just sounds like the switch is out of adjustment. That's a known problem on the 355 (or it's just broken).

 

Switch b is what im refering to. I hold the switch by putting my index finger in the hole where the guide pin from the top would go and contact the switch. I push to the left and you can hear the switch click. It probably is out of adjustment, but i dont know how to adjust it. Im not sure how it got out of adjustment since it worked last time I used the car and then it sat with the top unlatched for a while. So the switch was just sitting there under 0 load. The battery was disconnected the entire time the car sat also.

 

Would you have a photo or video of how the switch is activated. On my 355, I'm not sure how to adjust it either, but the microswitch arm can probably be bent to make better contact with the guide pin when the roof is closed.

Here's my F355:

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The end of the microswitch arm could be bent closer to the middle of the hole to make better contact with the guide pin. Or there might be some fine adjustment of that entire assembly.

The 348 WSM suggests that the switch has to be manipulated manually to get the windows to drop. I've never seen this done, so I don't understand the mechanics of it.

Maybe someone has a video of this.