Expert: John Kingery - 10/24/2010

Question
I own a 2001 330ci and I live in te U.S.  Today when I pressed the button to put the top down, the top would not engage.  Of the two lights that come on when pressing the button the bottom orange/red light illuminated.  My trunk was properly closed.  The car was running and in the park position and still no luck.  One day it worked and now it doesn't.  Frustrating.  Any suggestions?

Answer
Very difficult to diagnose electrical over the web, and I'm not familiar with this particular model.

However, there's one possibility that may be worth checking.

There is a cable bundle that runs through a rubber covering in the trunk lid.  It goes along the hinge.  A wire within this bundle will sometimes break, giving a false indication of the trunk open.  You may want to peel the rubber back from one side, and see if all the wires are in good condition.