'04 Cabriolet - Roof Inoperable

[JeffM]

We have a 2004 A4 Cabriolet for a long while now and the electric roof was something that was lowered more regularly until the novelty wore off. At the moment, there are plans to sell it and when I went to lower the hood the other day for pictures, the switch was dead with no response.

I have read online that there is a issue that can be traced to a falsely triggered sensor and there is a process involving lowering the hood manually, then raising it to potentially fix the problem. I accessed the tool on the side of the dashboard and went to do this today, but hesitated after the owner manual discouraged doing such practice. I then thought possibly that it would be worth checking whether a fuse could be potentially blown after ten years and it might just be a case of replacing it. Would this be plausible??

[wmccann]

We have a 2004 A4 Cabriolet for a long while now and the electric roof was something that was lowered more regularly until the novelty wore off. At the moment, there are plans to sell it and when I went to lower the hood the other day for pictures, the switch was dead with no response.

I have read online that there is a issue that can be traced to a falsely triggered sensor and there is a process involving lowering the hood manually, then raising it to potentially fix the problem. I accessed the tool on the side of the dashboard and went to do this today, but hesitated after the owner manual discouraged doing such practice. I then thought possibly that it would be worth checking whether a fuse could be potentially blown after ten years and it might just be a case of replacing it. Would this be plausible??

Hi,

Obviously check the fuse first (it is electrically powered). There are a number of other options once you rule out the fuse:

1) Do the full manual reset - using the key unlock at the front windscreen - little piece of plastic is prised out get into access hole, push the roof back so that the rear lifts up vertically
Then in the back in the ski hole, put in the key and turn it to open the cover - this can be tricky - lift cover and push roof into storage hole (should really use 2 people so as not to warp anything - though not strictly necessary if you are careful/do it from the centre).
Close cover and lock it (this is important to ensure a full reset). Then repeat process to close the roof.

2) Check windows (especially the rear ones) - are they working fine (one of mine went and then roof would not open).

3) scan car to see if any errors in the module

4) Check hydrolics are all ok (right hand side of boot behind covering) - ensure all are plugged in etc.

5) make sure the storage box is down - mine I have to bounce it a bit when I put it down for the switch to respond. - Check dash if you get an error message when trying to open.

Best of luck - the controller will give you lots of advise so you can quickly work out what is going on.


Can't believe you have not used the roof for 10 years - I have been driving convertibles for 10 years and use the roof when ever possible but at a minimum twice per month (even in the winter!).

W.

[JeffM]

Hi,

Obviously check the fuse first (it is electrically powered). There are a number of other options once you rule out the fuse:

1) Do the full manual reset - using the key unlock at the front windscreen - little piece of plastic is prised out get into access hole, push the roof back so that the rear lifts up vertically
Then in the back in the ski hole, put in the key and turn it to open the cover - this can be tricky - lift cover and push roof into storage hole (should really use 2 people so as not to warp anything - though not strictly necessary if you are careful/do it from the centre).
Close cover and lock it (this is important to ensure a full reset). Then repeat process to close the roof.

2) Check windows (especially the rear ones) - are they working fine (one of mine went and then roof would not open).

3) scan car to see if any errors in the module

4) Check hydrolics are all ok (right hand side of boot behind covering) - ensure all are plugged in etc.

5) make sure the storage box is down - mine I have to bounce it a bit when I put it down for the switch to respond. - Check dash if you get an error message when trying to open.

Best of luck - the controller will give you lots of advise so you can quickly work out what is going on.


Can't believe you have not used the roof for 10 years - I have been driving convertibles for 10 years and use the roof when ever possible but at a minimum twice per month (even in the winter!).

W.

Thank you for the very detailed reply.

How would I know which fuse it is?

I don't feel too confident in putting down the roof manually, but may give it a try.

[wmccann]

Thank you for the very detailed reply.

How would I know which fuse it is?

I don't feel too confident in putting down the roof manually, but may give it a try.

Hi,

Look on the fuse box cover (right hand side of console) - it is clearly marked.

BTW, if you have a cab you need to know how to do it manually as murphy's 7th law states that "your open roof will refuse to close if a thunder storm starts" (It is actually very easy, just remember to have the key handle I cross shape before putting it in an then align them again once in - could be the other way around - aligned first then crossed).



W.

[JeffM]

Thank for the tips again everyone; turns out it was a fuse that had been mysteriously removed by someone. Roof is working fine now.

My father has had the car since 2007 and has not used the roof all that much recently. We're getting rid of it anyhow after a few problems and fear of it shitting itself with its CVT box next.

[Betsy]

Hi Jeff,

Not sure if this is linked but I have a similar issue every spring (after I have not used the roof for the winter) and I have to do the same fix every year. This year I decided to make a video of how to fix it incase anyone else has the same issue. I've just uploaded it to YouTube.

Audi A4 Cabriolet - fix for roof not opening - YouTube

It's a pretty easy fix, takes about 20-30 mins (a little longer if you have to video all the steps!). The issue (on my car) is that the little spring-loaded pin inside the electric motor that connects to the rotor in the motor gets stuck on my car. It's the motor that drives the hydraulics for the roof, the one that makes a whine when the roof is opening. In my car, the roof opens a crack but the whine of the motor never kicks in. The video shows the symptoms in my car, and then at the end of the video shows the roof working again. Hope that's some use to you, although it's a while since you posted!