I had the top on my ’07 XK stop opening after unlatching. This was the result of a somewhat discharged battery. The car had not been driven for several weeks and I had not locked it during that time to shut down background systems. After charging the battery, I went through the convertible-top reset process as outlined in the Owner’s Manual. I learned a few things in so doing.

1. A standard 4-mm Allen wrench works to open the hydraulic pump relief valve. There is no need to dig into the back seat for the Allen wrench supplied with the car.

2. After starting the closure operation, the tonneau cover lifted as normal. However, it took much longer than normal (~10 sec) for the top itself to start to rise, perhaps due to recalibration or repressurization. Since I didn’t know this at the time, I mistakenly stopped the closure process. This required that I restart the reset process.

3. After successfully closing the top, the rear windows would not close. Trying to reopen the top at this point required yet another reset process. After closing the top again, I reset the front-windows auto-up function. After doing so, the rear windows closed as usual. I have no idea why these steps are related.

Dan

 

Dan:
I am glad that the roof is now operating but take this bad behaviour as a warning: these cars need full battery voltage all the time or random system symptoms will appear in the operation of the windows, door locks, seats, roof (you have just had that), touch screen, warning lights...
Time to replace the battery and/or install a CTEK (or similar) battery minder, plugged in when the car is not in use. With that in place you will have no further electronic issues.

 

Gregory:

Thanks for your insight and suggestion re the battery minder. I am all too familiar with battery issues with my newer Jags and had installed a new battery in the '07 XK about 6 months ago, in part to address the issue of lowered voltage. I normally drive the XK at least once a week, but I am going to take your advice and acquire a battery minder.

 

time line of a battery? 2 years? amount of miles/use?

 

I have extensively studied the operation of the convertible top during the development on my remote/ one touch/rear window module.

The pause during operation is programmed in to take place after a battery disconnect if the windows have not been reset. In addition, both front and back window operation will be unpredictable until a window reset is performed.

In summary, as Dan indicated, after a battery disconnection or a discharged battery, always perform a window reset sequence per the owners manual before you operate the top.

As far as battery life goes, generally with a standard lead acid battery, the more frequently regularly you use the car, the longer the life will be. If you do not use the car frequently and regularly, an AGM battery is advisable since is is more tolerant of spending time in a partially discharged state. Total miles is not relevant, years is much less relevant than frequency of use, or use of a battery maintainer.

Also one little known feature of my Jagwrangler Remote Top/One Touch/ module is that it allows seamless operation of the top while you start the engine. DO NOT try this on a car without this enhancement, as it will usually result in having to manually reset the top.

Lastly a shameless promotion: I am running a sale on the Remote Top/One Touch with optional rear window control. It is 15% off with free shipping in the US for a limited time. Please visit my site for more info: NEW!! '06 -'15, XK / XKR (X150) Convertible Top Remote Control - TheJagWrangler

 

Maybe it has nothing to se with your top problem, Dan, but I have had something on my XK8 which could look like your concern. My top sddenly began to perform an erratic operating. After several days research, I discovered it was due to a low oil level in my top hydrualic pump. After filling it correctly, everything was ok, and the top operated much faster than before.
Hope it helps.
Peekaboo.

 

Everyone, found online a hack that really works amazing for resetting the convertible top on jag. Mine is a 2007 xkr and it works great. Here is the hack.
Ok first lets try another way. If you used the allen wrench to open the manual valve on the top pump close it then close all the doors and trunk and start the vehicle.Try pressing and holding both front window switches in the up direction and hold it for five seconds. Then press the top down switch and hold it for up to one minute and the top should lower. Then press and hold the top up switch for up to one minute and the top and all windows should close.
If this does not work then lets open the top manually.

 

This is not a hack, resetting the windows is actually a REQUIREMENT for resetting the top (as well as the windows) after the battery was disconnected and then reconnected. And yes, holding the top button can under some conditions (but not always) reset the top.

 

good to know, the manual says nothing about it.

 

Yes, the owners manual is very lacking in this and other details about the top.
It is mentioned in the service manual, however.

 

Can someone provide instructions on how to check the oil level in the hydraulic pump for a 2010 XKR convertible top? Much appreciated

 

Hello WhiteXKR,

Last year I had this problem with the roof not working or latching. I followed the steps, turning the Allen key to disable the hydraulics etc and then the top worked fine again. I'm having a similar problem now but the process to fix it isn't working. As the top closed down, the last part (tunneau cover?) folds down but does go all the way into the latch position. Is there something I'm doing wrong here? How can I fix this? Thanks for any advice.

 

Haver a helper press down on the tonneau cover to engage the sensor while you press the button to try to open the top.

 

WhiteXKR

I'm going to try that today when I go back to the shop where they are replacing my convertible top. I had lowered the top for the mechanic before I left there yesterday. He called and said he couldn't move the top. I know that has happened before to me, last year, the top locks up and then you have to do that reset where you turn the hydraulic Allen key about one turn counterclockwise to manually close the top. This time we were unable to get it to latch closed.

One other thing that may be a source of this problem. Although the battery does work, I had been told by AAA that it's not at peak performance. It is about 5 years old as well. I know low battery can cause problems with the Jaguar. Maybe that's why the top isn't latching closed? Anyways, today I'm picking up a new battery to install and continue this troubleshooting. Do you know if I have to reset anything after doing the battery swap out today? Maybe reset the windows or top settings? Thanks for your help on this.

Update: Actually, I'm looking back over this thread and seeing you are recommending the window reset etc. I'm gonna do that sequence after the battery swap out.

 

Hello WhiteXKR,

I hope you might be able to help me further pursue this problem. Here's an update on where I'm at with this convertible top replacement job.

Since my last message on this thread, we did manage to get the top into the trunk and the tonneau cover closed. The Jag was at an auto upholstery shop and they were able to get a new top installed that was covered under warranty from GAHH. But, I still have a problem with resetting the windows and top. To be clear, the top was functioning when I took it to the upholstery shop. And I had performed a reset of the windows and top months earlier that seemed to hold and the top was functioning properly. This process was outlined in the manual and worked well. But the upholstery guy couldn't help me out with the electronics and getting the top to perform. When I dropped it off, I opened the top just a little bit and left it with him, so that's where the whole closing sequence began to go awry I believe. That would've necessitated a windows reset etc.

A couple of things I've done to correct this problem:
1. Changed the battery - previous one was over five years old and probably ready to be replaced anyways. And I've heard low battery can cause electrical problems in these Jags. Unimpressed though with the battery install. The upholstery shop changed it for me and they didn't secure the battery back into it's brackets in the trunk and there were bracket bolts left lying in the trunk space. The battery would've slid around in that trunk if I hadn't noticed when I got home.
2. The panel cover at the front of the top was left in the cup holder of the Jag. The technician failed to replace this part which covers the Allen wrench key that helps you manually latch the top (at least I think that's what it's for) This is part # C2P21483AMN. It was easy to re-install cause it basically just snaps into place. But just another indication of the poor job the upholstery shop was doing.
3. At some point, I noticed that at the point where the convertible top folds in half, there's a bracket that connects to a little nub and it has some sort of c-clip that keeps it attached. On the driver side, this c-clip was present but on the passenger side, this clip was missing and the hinge was swinging loosely. I placed this bracket back onto the little nub or pin but it still needs a c clip. I've attached pictures, the first one is the driver side which is ok and the second is the passenger side missing the c clip. Where can I get this type of c-clip btw? Sorry if the pics aren't completely clear as to what I'm talking about but I can direct you to look at the silver-colored circle on the right side of the pic. You see a clip on the first one and none on the 2nd.

Driver Side top hinge C-Clip present

Passenger Side top hinge C-Clip missing

4. I've tried several times to reset the windows using different directions I've seen posted. At first I was doing both windows at the same time, but then I read the Door Window Motor Initialization document and tried it that way. I've attached that document here as well.

Currently, the top is stuck about six inches from closing. If I press the button to open the top fully, I hear a motor running for about 30 seconds and then it stops but the top doesn't move at all. When I then try to close the top, I hear the motor running for about 30 seconds and then it stops. Then I get the error message on the dash saying the top is not latched. The windows do move down automatically when I depress the top button, which seems normal and correct. Rear windows have stayed down for days now while I'm sorting out this problem Probably makes sense because they're not really supposed to come up, I think, until the top is firmly latched into the closed position. One thing I noticed as well is that the passenger side window does not operate at the same speed as the driver side window. It basically takes a bit longer to open and close, it's slower than the drivers side window. And, when I open that passenger side window, it doesn't go completely into the door. A fraction sits above the door, a very small fraction, less than 1/8" really. I can push it down manually and then it will sit completely inside the door. It doesn't seem correct at all that these two windows aren't operating at the same exact speed. They're not "in sync" somehow.

At this point, I'm getting to the point where I think there's not much else I can try and I'm about ready to go to the *********** and see if they can troubleshoot further. There are probably more diagnostics they can run to pinpoint where the malfunction is happening. Thanks for all the help on this guys. This resource of expertise is invaluable. If you have any other suggestions, I'm open to it.

 

The shop messed up and didn’t put your passenger side back together correctly.
The slow passenger window is unrelated, as mine works like that too, and often sits a little high when in the down position.

 

Good to know about the slow passenger window being unrelated. But I think you're spot on about the auto upholstery shop messing up.

UPDATE:

So yesterday I took the Jag, slowly, with the top holding at about 6" over the closed position to a Jaguar shop in LA. After getting the car back from the upholstery shop, I wanted to get some answers to the hydraulics or electronics issue with the top. They had left parts out that should have been put back together. The top isn’t working now, it was working when I took it to them. I saw him using a power tool where the convertible motor is located in the middle of the top at the front. You’re supposed to be able to unscrew the allen nut just a little bit but I saw the guy take a power tool to it and now the Jaguar shop I took it to yesterday is telling me that the front motor’s gear is stripped. This is the convertible top latch motor I think. Part # C2P7558. I don't know but I feel that it must have been stripped at the upholstery shop. Most of the literature says to be very careful with that latch area.

So the error code the Jag shop gave me was 107731, Front Latch Control Fault. Makes sense if the gear is stripped. He also said the right hand latch may need to be replaced too. This is gonna be a very expensive job.

C2P7558 - $1,459 + Labor $785 (includes the diagnostic cost)
Right hand latch - $824.55 + $247.50 Labor (that's 1 1/2 hours more since he'll already be in there fixing the first motor.

I can't help but think the upholstery shop screwed up that gear. But I really don't think taking it back to them will accomplish anything.

Ugh, this is becoming a real nightmare.

 

Hi, I have a problem,too with the roof. The flap on the left side doesn't work anymore. Anyone an idea?
Sorry, have some problems with the right engliish words.

 

Yeah, your Image failed, you posted fifty pages of text.

 

Not sure you're on the right thread. Your profile says you have a 2006 XK convertible. The XK (aka X150) only came out in 2007 if I'm not mistaken. And was discontinue in 2015. The flap could just be stuck inside the compartment. It slides towards where the driver side door is located. Mine seems to be broken on the passenger side. I'm definitely seeing that the tether line is broken and maybe that's why mine is not closing properly. But then again I've got a janky latch motor right now I need to fix first. Maybe the tether got broken when a mechanic forced the top back into the trunk. Check your tether line and check to see that the flap is still there and maybe just tucked inside. I had previously thought mine flew off but there it was inside the compartment and just not closing properly.