Bongo Fury

Hello, my first post here and I get to make one about a roof that won't go up! Grrrrrr!

Background first, bought the Bongo privately from a nice chap in Mansfield. Roof worked with no trouble (tested it before handing over the brass!). Had a weekend away in Masham, still no trouble.

Takes van home, daughters boyfriend is around and says 'Show me the cool roof on your Bongo' I dutifully go to oblige and of course it's having none of it.

Cue debug the problem time...

1. Roof has never beeped ever, this apparently was how the guy before me had it. Understand that is generally controlled by microswitches in the runners. I'll come back to this...

2. Ruled out open/close ceiling switch as I've both run a continuity tester to the control box and replaced the switch temporarily with one of the known good front electric blind switches. All appears to work as it should as you operate the switch...

3. Ruled out handbrake switch, again makes contact when brake is up and tested continuity back to the control box.Brake warning also shows on the dashboard.

4. Ruled out fuses, both checked and replaced them.

5. Ruled out motors, if you Hotwire the 4 pin plug that comes out of the control box, the roof works, up it goes!

6. Oddly if you raise the roof via hot wiring, the plug the control box in normally, you can lower the roof via the ceiling switch and the cancel button, that doesn't wholly rule out the control box, but suggests it is mostly working...?

Note all of the above tried with the engine running. There is only a single battery setup, everything else electrical works, so windows, blinds, mirrors etc. So don't think this is a battery or general wiring issue.

It's leaving me few culprits left...

1. Roof microswitches... There are two microswitches in the runners in the roof itself. Passenger side one appears to operate fine. Drivers side one operates, but it looks like the 'plunger' under the metal spring has got lost/fallen out. You can operate it via a toothpick though. Tried both disconnecting the connector that goes to it and shorting it out, doesn't appear to let me raise the roof regardless. Would these switches prevent the roof going up?

2. Control Box... Can't see any obvious failed elements on the circuit board and we've cleaned all the contacts. Do these go wrong? I've found places I can get a replacement one for £25, is it worth taking a punt?

3. Park sensor... Only other element I know that stops you raising the roof is the gear selector not being in Park. Where do I find the sensor for this? Note oddly you can drop the roof with both the handbrake off and the gear selector in neutral or even drive. I suspect this is normal?

4. Open to suggestions... Have I missed anything obvious? Are there other safety checks than the handbrake, gear selector and roof switch? We had a new radio fitted just before it stopped working, are there any other known interferences I should look into?

It's driving me mad! Worse comes to worse it's booked into Dore Service Station next week (I'm based in Sheffield) but I'd much rather bottom this out than have some poor mechanic have to go through all the stuff I've already done...!

All help gratefully received!

Steve

There is no "P" sensor, you can actually raise the roof whilst driving provided you operate the handbrake!
The limit switches in the roof detect the travel and stop the motors - via the computer - travelling beyond the limits.
Given all the test you've done are correct then its difficult to say that its not the control module, possibly its not seeing the "Up" signal.
The wiring diagrams are available here;

Click the module for the internal circuit of the module.

Thanks Geoff, that's really helpful!

We are pretty sure the up signal is making it to the box, the resistance drops across the switch when operated and we've got continuity between the roof switch connector and the control box plug.

So I'll take a punt on a replacement control box, worse case scenario and it doesn't fix it, at least I will have a spare down the line if needed!

Be nice to get it back working

Steve

OK, update on this...!

Got new box, plugged it in, made no difference to the operation, well until we then wanted to go for a drive. As soon as you let the handbrake off... Beep! Beep! Beep!

So this one has a working beeper!

"Hang on" I think "Those little microswitches control the beeping thing" so hot wired the roof up, looked to see where they were connected and run down the inside and all of them appear to go through the black plug connector (there is a black plug and a white plug, motor power and other elements go through the white one!).

For a laugh, I disconnected that one single plug, crossed my fingers and went to try the ceiling switch again. What do you know... Now the roof goes up and down. There was of course a constant beeping...

...but then I had the old control box with no beeper, plugged that back in, everything works!

Well except the beeper and of course, the roof microswitches!

But I have narrowed it down. Whatever goes through that black plug in the roof (and I'm assuming it's the microswitches) was stopping the roof going.

So next job, get some replacement switches, then get them fitted, then I can go to my new beepy control box!

Steve