Hi folks, just wanted to write up about what happened to the Roof Motor of my 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet. Basically one day when the car was only 3 years old, the roof got stuck while going up. It went up half way and then no further. I put it down and then tried going up again. This time it worked. I put it down as just "one of those things".
A few weeks later it happened again. This time it wouldn't go up no matter what I tried. With the roof fully down, pressing up on the switch only unlocked the roof compartment - no sound from the motor. However various forum posts suggested that the roof needed resetting by raising it using the manual method (using the red key hidden in the dashboard on the driver's side), dropping it manually, then using the power roof operation. That seemed to work.
But a few weeks later it happened once more, and this time the manual reset method made no difference. In desperation I took it to my local Audi Dealer, Harrogate Audi. The diagnosis was a faulty motor, and I was charged 400 quid to have it fixed as it was just out of the 3 year warranty. OUCH.
Anyway, I asked to keep the broken part. Here it is, the electric roof motor , Part Number 8H0 959 755 A.
I noted these odd indents on the rotor.
But more importantly, when I opened the case, bits of broken magnet were loose inside, seemingly chipped off the magnetic surround. Looking inside, here's where they came from.
Now how on earth did that happen?
Anyway, since I wrote this post I've become aware that a company in Harrogate regularly fixes these motors and may be able to save you some dosh instead of giving it all to Audi for a replacement. Check them out: www.autoelectron.co.uk
I have the exact same problem with my A4 Cabriolet :-(
ReplyDeleteSeems really weird with the indents on your rotor.
Have you seen this guide?
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/audi-s4-a4-a4-cab-b7-chassis/131801-audi-a4-cabriolet-soft-top-roof-hood-motor-repair-guide.html
Seems like it happens really often and that the motor should be cleaned.
I look forward to get mine fixed somehow and hope it will not get expensive.. :(
Hi really interesting to read this. My A4 Cab is currently in a dealership in Canterbury Kent for the 4th time in as many months with same roof problems. first i was told it was lack of use! then they reset the switches, then a broken stretcher and now after a week they still have it. I should have done more research before buying the car 3 years ago (secondhand now out of warranty. great looking a
ReplyDeletecar drives really well but will never get another cabriolet and do not recommend them.
Thanks Steve, oh it's a pain in the butt trying to get Audi dealerships to approach this systematically. I bet it's the motor that's gone for you, as it's such a common problem. All I can say is that though the 400 quid to replace the motor was tough to swallow, it does have a 2 year guarantee, and the roof has been perfect since, which has been very pleasant over the last few months and made me love the car again. But I know how this type of problem can put you off a car...
ReplyDeleteSorry to tell you but part of your premise is wrong. This motor is notorious for breaking but not because of the "bits of metal you found" the indents in the motor are BALANCING gouges. Motors like that can't be balanced perfectly so the only way to balance them is to grind away part of the metal in specific places. All spinning parts have to do this, Tires are balanced by adding weight, these kind of motors are balanced by taking it away. If you notice that BLACK ring around the copper pads near the circuit board, that is your issue. It is deposits of the brushes breaking down through use. Audi designed this motor poorly and the Commutator, the copper pads, get dirty and thus no electricity can flow. You will need to clean that copper area with fine emory cloth or sand paper and the motor will work. Also the brushes could be replaced; however, that is a little more involved but will prevent this from happening again for a long while. If you just clean the commutator probably get you one more season of use out of it. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteI take your point about the balancing gouges, but I should have taken photos of the chunky bits of magnet that were stuck to the rotor, that had somehow come from the bit in the last photo.
DeleteNevertheless, getting to the motor to clean the commutator is beyond most drivers technical ability so it's really a poor show on Audi's part. Wonder if they upgraded the motor on the A5 cab.
Either way it's no longer my problem - haven't owned a convertible since 2013 when my A4 had its RNS Sat Nav stolen for the second time!