New owner - first problem, roof does not open

[g4gxl]

Got the Bongo yesterday and drove 90 miles home with no problems

First thing to fix is the roof.
I have searched the forum and have checked the obvious things but now I'm stuck.

Engine running, handbrake on, press button and get the beeping.
No movement of roof, no sound from motors.

The dashboard handbrake light is on - does this mean I can rule out the handbrake switch ?

I have checked all fuses and they are OK (box under dash on drivers side and two boxes under bonnet)

The beeper above the rear wheel arch is beeping but I haven't had the panel off yet - is there anything else to be gained by taking off that panel ?

I have pressed the 'Lock' switch in the roof.
Also, I checked the light in the roof - it does not work. Does that mean the cause is that no power is getting to the roof ?

The Bongo had stood unused for 10 months. But if the motors are seized I would have expected to hear some noise as they strained to open the roof.

It had an MOT last week and both batteries were replaced (it doesn't have a leisure battery) - maybe a connection was broken, but I can't see anything obvious.


Can someone give me a hint as to how the power is routed from the fuse box to the roof motors ?
Does it go via the beeping controller in the rear panel ?

Any other ideas ?

[g8dhe]

The wiring manuals are on line here http://www.g8dhe.net/bwm/ but don't cover beyond 1999
There is only one switch for the Handbrake so if the light is coming on then unless its a broken wire (unlikely but not impossible) its not the handbrake switch not being operated that is the problem. The path of the wiring looms is shown on the page following the circuit.

[321Away]

the unit in the rear off side supplies power to the roof motors, the light in the roof wont come on with the roof down there's a switch on the ns fron of the roof that switches the light off/on when roof is down, are you sure you have the right fuse in the fusebox? i've seen them with fuses missing or lower rated in there, pull it out and visually check it/swap it for another of same rating (30A iirc) Pull the rear panel out, could just be that the wiring plug to the motors is unplugged as its separate (highky unlikely tho!) or get someone to stand inside and try and manually push the roof up as you press the button, sometimes they just need a bit of help if they havent been used for a while

Julian

[g4gxl]

Thanks Dave - the diagrams are going to be a big help.

BTW - it's a 1996 2.5l diesel

Cheers,
Steve

[g8dhe]

If you do need to get at the control unit, consider opening it up and drawing out the circuit! We don't have a full circuit and it would be nice to add it to the manuals - the same goes for all the other "modules" in the Bongo, the wiring manuals are really only the wiring itself rather than circuit diagrams

[g4gxl]

the unit in the rear off side supplies power to the roof motors, the light in roof wont come on with the roof down there's a switch on the ns fron of the roof that switches the light off/on when roof is down, are you sure you have the right fuse in the fusebox? i've seen them with fuses missing or lower rated in there, pull it out and visually check it/swap it for another of same rating (30A iirc) Pull the rear panel out, could just be that the wiring plug to the motors is unplugged as its separate (highky unlikely tho!) or get someone to stand inside and try and manually push the roof up as you press the button, sometimes they just need a bit of help if they havent been used for a while

Julian

The unit in the rear offside is the next thing to check.
Fuses are all present and correct.

Manually pushing didn't do anything.
I also tried running a credit card around the outside to see if the roof was 'stuck'.
It moved freely apart from at the two front corners - there isn't some kind of mechanical latch that I need to release is there ?

[321Away]

No latch,as the roof moves into position, a pair of wheels move into an inverted ramp (black thing at front of roof runner on each side of car), which squeezes the roof in its final stage and prevents it from coming up, ok if your not getting any movement at all then you have to go at the unit itself.

Julian

another example of where a power probe would be of great benefit, you can use it to bypass the roof unit and power the roof motors directly,or see if the unit is trying to supply power to the motors.

[g4gxl]

Have got to controller - there are 2 plugs as expected (one with 4 thick wires and one with 12 thinner wires).

The wiring diagram indicates that power is fed to the motors via 1B and 1D
Good news is that I get a voltage across that pair when the Roof Up button is pushed.
Voltage is around 10.6v

Engine is running and batteries are brand new this week.

So I guess there is not much more I can do with the roof on ?
Motors are either seized or burned out ?

[dvisor]

I'm probably talking out of my backside here, but I seem to remember that there is a connector plug between the back of the roof and the back wall of the tent. I know this has a feed to the light, does it also feed the motors? Maybe it's unseated or making bad contact. If it is that plug, though, I don't how you'd get to it without raising the roof.

[g4gxl]

I thought the volts were low - checked battery and found a wire on negative terminal that was only held be a few strands.

Repairing this has brought voltage on the motor feed to 13.8v which is more like it.

Still no movement on roof though.

dvisor could be right about another connector, but I can't see a way of getting to it with the roof down.


When people advise to push the roof, is that just application of a firm pressure (which is what I have done)
or are you saying 'give it a good bash to release it' ?

[g8dhe]

Not sure that pushing on the roof will help whilst the rollers are within the lock position, as very little of the force applied is going to transferred into a horizontal component to pull the rollers clear of the lock area!

[g4gxl]

Not sure that pushing on the roof will help whilst the rollers are within the lock position, as very little of the force applied is going to transferred into a horizontal component to pull the rollers clear of the lock area!

That's why I wondered if the help from below was to release the rollers rather than to add a bit more umph to the motor.

If I put my hand on the offside rear corner of the AFT I can feel a light 'knock' when the switch is presssed which makes me think that the motor is getting some power.

On the nearside rear corner I cannot feel any movement - so maybe that one is seized or dead.

Would the roof open with 1 working motor and manual help ?

[g4gxl]

Just before I give up - is there any way to release those locking rollers with the roof down ?

e.g should I be pulling the roof back instead of pushing up ?

[g8dhe]

I'm not aware of any method, but I've not had any problems, the diagrams here http://lushprojects.com/bongopartsmk2/c ... 2of02.html aren't really detailed enough to see away of doing it. I believe the normal way is to remove the roof complete to get at the parts that are covered by the roof, but only from what I have seen others comment on here in the forum.

[Mickymouse]

Maybe a stupid suggestion but have you tried pressing the switch to lower the roof?

Mick