Convertible top recall

RoundelM3 · 02-09-2017, 07:30 AM

Got a call from my dealership yesterday about a recall for the "tensioner strap" in the convertible top that can supposedly damage the top and even require replacing the entire top itself. Anyone else get notified about this? They say it's going to take 2-3 days and they'll give me a loaner, which is fine, but I've not noticed any problems or visible damage to the top on my barely-1-year-old 228i cabrio.

BEM-S4 · 02-09-2017, 07:42 AM

Did they give you any indication on how long you could wait to get it fixed? If they are giving you a brand new top I'd want to wait as long as I could and get the most wear out of the old one (so the new one will look good longer). Interested as I have a 2016 M235.

p912guy · 02-09-2017, 08:06 AM

I had this done recently while in for the first oil change service. They do not replace the whole top, just replace or adjust some cables / tensioners from what I understand. It's definitely not a 2-3 day job. They had my car for about 2-3 hours and that included the oil change. Make an appointment and have them do the work. You might also combine it with other required service.

Maynard · 02-09-2017, 08:35 AM

Others have posted that this can turn into a tear that will require a new headliner and/or top - best to get some assurance that if you delay and it rips later, they will still cover the full fix (or have a good excuse for not bringing it in at time of the alert). Recently had a relative in similar situation w/ another company, and they were very direct that if the repair wasn't done quickly, they would not cover secondary damage when the part did fail (suspension).

Rayscott · 02-09-2017, 09:14 AM

Got mine done last week while it was in for other service. It's a strap, took 2-3 days to get it.

wdc330i · 02-09-2017, 09:22 AM

Any idea which years/VINs are recalled?

mdputnam · 02-09-2017, 09:31 AM

I've got a 2016 convertible, my headliner tore in December due to this problem. They fixed it under warranty with a new headliner and tension straps. So far, so good!

p912guy · 02-09-2017, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdputnam

I've got a 2016 convertible, my headliner tore in December due to this problem. They fixed it under warranty with a new headliner and tension straps. So far, so good!

Just curious, where did it tear? Did you see or hear it tear? Going up or down?

mdputnam · 02-09-2017, 09:39 AM

The headliner tore on the passenger side near the rear passenger side window. The headliner got caught in the frame's hinge mechanism because the straps became loose. I heard and saw the tear as I raised the top. As a point of reference I put the top down almost every day, except when it rains. The service advisor said he had seen three other cars with the same problem that month.

RoundelM3 · 02-09-2017, 01:08 PM

What I was told is that they have to investigate by getting into the top itself and checking to see if there's any damage, which might then take a few days to repair. Since we've had the car for almost a year with zero problems, I'm fine with them replacing whatever straps they are recalling.

Maybe I can coax them into loaning me the new 540i that they just got in, since I talked with my sales guy for a good while about it.

p912guy · 02-09-2017, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roundel335

Maybe I can coax them into loaning me the new 540i that they just got in, since I talked with my sales guy for a good while about it.

That's the way to look on the bright side of things.

Gabrola · 02-09-2017, 02:21 PM

My car is in at the moment for the same reason. Apparently, according to BMW, 10% of the cars with the defective tensioning straps will have a torn headliner right at the C-pillar, which I have unfortunately and will require a replacement of the headliner.

DF · 02-09-2017, 03:01 PM

It happened to mine about two months after I got it. It took two and half months to get the parts. Took five days to install. I was the first one they did. They replaced the headliner not the entire top

SMB F83 · 02-09-2017, 03:50 PM

Mine was done 2 days ago during the 10k/1 year service. No tears or damage yet. They were worried they wouldn't have the parts in stock (they'd done 2 others the previous week) but they did have one more set, so 3 hours (including the normal service) and it was done.

dah · 02-09-2017, 06:56 PM

I had mine replaced twice last year, about a month hassle each time. My dealer had not seen it before. All the straps, wires, and steel in there seem over complicated.

RoundelM3 · 02-10-2017, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dah

I had mine replaced twice last year, about a month hassle each time. My dealer had not seen it before. All the straps, wires, and steel in there seem over complicated.

Aside from the original VW Beetle, German cars have never been "under complicated".

BEM-S4 · 02-10-2017, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dah

I had mine replaced twice last year, about a month hassle each time. My dealer had not seen it before. All the straps, wires, and steel in there seem over complicated.

Try a folding hard top. Those are a f*cling nightmare. My admin paid $800 to have a tensioner on her Volvo fixed.

Our tops are pretty nice as far as the trunk stow versions go. That said the 911 one is sooooo awesome how it folds down on itself and the front section is the cover.

p912guy · 02-10-2017, 10:44 AM

The retractable hardtop is an engineering marvel, but just think how much weight the 4 Series could save if it went back to a traditional cloth top, not to mention added trunk space with the top down. I haven't driven a 4 with the top up, but I doubt it's a whole lot quieter than my 2 with the top up.

BEM-S4 · 02-10-2017, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p912guy

The retractable hardtop is an engineering marvel, but just think how much weight the 4 Series could save if it went back to a traditional cloth top, not to mention added trunk space with the top down. I haven't driven a 4 with the top up, but I doubt it's a whole lot quieter than my 2 with the top up.

I have driven it, not quiet enough to justify all the other compromises.

DF · 02-10-2017, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p912guy

The retractable hardtop is an engineering marvel, but just think how much weight the 4 Series could save if it went back to a traditional cloth top, not to mention added trunk space with the top down. I haven't driven a 4 with the top up, but I doubt it's a whole lot quieter than my 2 with the top up.

Everything I read says the folding hard top is going away. The next gen 4 series will have a cloth top.

I had an e93. It wasn't more quiet then the 2 with the top up. It did have better visibility. And with the top up it felt like a traditional coupe. But the center of gravity was weird. That weight changed the handling dynamics a lot from my e92. I also lost almost all the trunk space with the top down. A gym bag barely fit

p912guy · 02-10-2017, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Everything I read says the folding hard top is going away. The next gen 4 series will have a cloth top.

If that's so, it would make sense. I have always found it interesting the 4 Series had the retractable hard top, when the more premium 6 Series stuck with the cloth top.

Spydeputy · 02-11-2017, 11:31 AM

How do you find out if your ragtop has been recalled.
I got nothing in the mail on this.

02-09-2017, 07:30 AM	#1
RoundelM3 Major General 1833 Rep 6,986 Posts Drives: 15 F80 M3, 22 G01 X3 30i Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Wendell, NC iTrader: (2) Garage List 2022 BMW X3 [9.83] 2015 BMW M3 [6.50]	Convertible top recall Got a call from my dealership yesterday about a recall for the "tensioner strap" in the convertible top that can supposedly damage the top and even require replacing the entire top itself. Anyone else get notified about this? They say it's going to take 2-3 days and they'll give me a loaner, which is fine, but I've not noticed any problems or visible damage to the top on my barely-1-year-old 228i cabrio. __________________ 2015 F80 ///M3 Sedan 7DCT Tanzanite, 2022 X3 sDrive30i 8AT Brooklyn Grey
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02-09-2017, 07:42 AM	#2
BEM-S4 Major General 4516 Rep 8,942 Posts Drives: Dinan M235, Dinan Sport Wagon Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Philadelphia iTrader: (5)	Did they give you any indication on how long you could wait to get it fixed? If they are giving you a brand new top I'd want to wait as long as I could and get the most wear out of the old one (so the new one will look good longer). Interested as I have a 2016 M235.
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02-09-2017, 08:06 AM	#3
p912guy Captain 373 Rep 702 Posts Drives: 2016 M235i Convertible Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: The Ville iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 BMW M235i Conv ... [0.00]	I had this done recently while in for the first oil change service. They do not replace the whole top, just replace or adjust some cables / tensioners from what I understand. It's definitely not a 2-3 day job. They had my car for about 2-3 hours and that included the oil change. Make an appointment and have them do the work. You might also combine it with other required service. __________________ 16 BMW M235i Alpine White Convertible / MT (Daily Driver) 16 Audi Q5 3.0T (Wife's Daily Driver) 66 Porsche 912 (Project) 17 GMC Canyon Denali Long Bed 4x4 (Tailgatin, Haulin & Towin) various 'one design' sailboats / stinky hockey gear
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02-09-2017, 08:35 AM	#4
Maynard Colonel 3833 Rep 2,869 Posts Drives: 228iX & M2C Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Upstate NY iTrader: (1)	Others have posted that this can turn into a tear that will require a new headliner and/or top - best to get some assurance that if you delay and it rips later, they will still cover the full fix (or have a good excuse for not bringing it in at time of the alert). Recently had a relative in similar situation w/ another company, and they were very direct that if the repair wasn't done quickly, they would not cover secondary damage when the part did fail (suspension).
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02-09-2017, 09:14 AM	#5
Rayscott Major 376 Rep 1,154 Posts Drives: BMW 228ix Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Lewes DE iTrader: (0)	Got mine done last week while it was in for other service. It's a strap, took 2-3 days to get it.
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02-09-2017, 09:22 AM	#6
wdc330i Lieutenant 223 Rep 478 Posts Drives: '22 M440xi GC Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (0)	Any idea which years/VINs are recalled?
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02-09-2017, 09:31 AM	#7
mdputnam Lieutenant 289 Rep 556 Posts Drives: 135i & M235i Convertibles Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	I've got a 2016 convertible, my headliner tore in December due to this problem. They fixed it under warranty with a new headliner and tension straps. So far, so good!
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02-09-2017, 09:39 AM	#9
mdputnam Lieutenant 289 Rep 556 Posts Drives: 135i & M235i Convertibles Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	The headliner tore on the passenger side near the rear passenger side window. The headliner got caught in the frame's hinge mechanism because the straps became loose. I heard and saw the tear as I raised the top. As a point of reference I put the top down almost every day, except when it rains. The service advisor said he had seen three other cars with the same problem that month. Last edited by mdputnam; 02-09-2017 at 09:50 AM..
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02-09-2017, 01:08 PM	#10
RoundelM3 Major General 1833 Rep 6,986 Posts Drives: 15 F80 M3, 22 G01 X3 30i Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Wendell, NC iTrader: (2) Garage List 2022 BMW X3 [9.83] 2015 BMW M3 [6.50]	What I was told is that they have to investigate by getting into the top itself and checking to see if there's any damage, which might then take a few days to repair. Since we've had the car for almost a year with zero problems, I'm fine with them replacing whatever straps they are recalling. Maybe I can coax them into loaning me the new 540i that they just got in, since I talked with my sales guy for a good while about it. __________________ 2015 F80 ///M3 Sedan 7DCT Tanzanite, 2022 X3 sDrive30i 8AT Brooklyn Grey
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02-09-2017, 02:21 PM	#12
Gabrola First Lieutenant 191 Rep 314 Posts Drives: 340i Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Egypt iTrader: (0)	My car is in at the moment for the same reason. Apparently, according to BMW, 10% of the cars with the defective tensioning straps will have a torn headliner right at the C-pillar, which I have unfortunately and will require a replacement of the headliner.
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02-09-2017, 03:01 PM	#13
DF Major 237 Rep 1,255 Posts Drives: F23 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Sherman Oaks iTrader: (0)	It happened to mine about two months after I got it. It took two and half months to get the parts. Took five days to install. I was the first one they did. They replaced the headliner not the entire top
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02-09-2017, 03:50 PM	#14
SMB F83 Private 41 Rep 52 Posts Drives: 2016 SMB M4 Convertible Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Seattle iTrader: (1)	Mine was done 2 days ago during the 10k/1 year service. No tears or damage yet. They were worried they wouldn't have the parts in stock (they'd done 2 others the previous week) but they did have one more set, so 3 hours (including the normal service) and it was done. __________________ '16 M4 Vert - San Marino Blue/Sahkir 6MT
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02-09-2017, 06:56 PM	#15
dah Private First Class 21 Rep 138 Posts Drives: 2016 228i convertible Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Texas iTrader: (-1)	I had mine replaced twice last year, about a month hassle each time. My dealer had not seen it before. All the straps, wires, and steel in there seem over complicated.
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02-10-2017, 10:44 AM	#18
p912guy Captain 373 Rep 702 Posts Drives: 2016 M235i Convertible Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: The Ville iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 BMW M235i Conv ... [0.00]	The retractable hardtop is an engineering marvel, but just think how much weight the 4 Series could save if it went back to a traditional cloth top, not to mention added trunk space with the top down. I haven't driven a 4 with the top up, but I doubt it's a whole lot quieter than my 2 with the top up. __________________ 16 BMW M235i Alpine White Convertible / MT (Daily Driver) 16 Audi Q5 3.0T (Wife's Daily Driver) 66 Porsche 912 (Project) 17 GMC Canyon Denali Long Bed 4x4 (Tailgatin, Haulin & Towin) various 'one design' sailboats / stinky hockey gear
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02-11-2017, 11:31 AM	#22
Spydeputy Brigadier General 205 Rep 3,523 Posts Drives: 2015 F23 M235i/2008,E90,335xi Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The County, Maryland iTrader: (19) Garage List 2017 X5 M Sport Pac ... [0.00] 2015 M235i, F23 [0.00]	How do you find out if your ragtop has been recalled. I got nothing in the mail on this.
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