BMW Z4 Roof motor - not recalled by BMW yet a well documented BMW fault

I have a BMW Z4 on a 54-plate. The automatic roof recently stopped working. I Googled the problem and it appears that the most common fault for the roof is that the motor, which draws the roof back, gets filled with water. This is quite a well documented issue as it turns out.

The repair was undertaken at BMW, however, I found out that they do not check the motor or the pipes which get filled with water under their service schedule. This means, that at some point in the Z4's life, this issue will present itself.

Whilst replacing the roof motor, the garage informed me that the "control unit" had blown and would need replacing - at my cost! At this point I had no choice but to agree to it, otherwise I'd not be have a car. I felt trapped between a rock and a hard place. Furthermore, the garage also mentioned that this is not uncommon for the "control unit" to blow when replacing the roof motor.

My question is; if these points are this common - why has there not been a recall to fix it? Why is it not in the service schedule? And surely BMW should make a contribution to the cost of repair. My bill was nearly £1400!

Asked on 18 April 2011 by Roseyleigh

Answered by Honest John
Manufacturers only ever issue TSVBs or safety recalls if they have to. It's already in, but will expand on this in Car by Car Breakdown.

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