BMW 8 Sunblind & Convertible Top Stuck: Help Needed!

Hey there! I've got some experience working on cars (nothing too fancy, but I've dealt with similar issues). I actually had a comparable problem with my 2020 BMW 6 Series diesel last year. The sunroof system completely froze up, and it was driving me nuts! After taking it to my regular workshop, they found it needed a complete system reset and recoding of the control module. The fix was pretty straightforward, they hooked it up to their diagnostic computer and performed a full coding sequence. Took about an hour, cost me 75 Euro, and it's been working perfectly since then. What's your exact 8 Series model? Also, have you noticed any warning messages on the dashboard? This info would help me share more relevant details from my experience.

Thanks for your input! I drive the 840d, and my car just hit 79526 KM after my latest service last month. Funny you mention warning messages, yeah, I've been getting this annoying "Initialization Required" pop-up on the display. It started right after a software update. Tried the basic reset procedure from the manual (holding the button for 30 seconds) but no luck. At least it's good to know yours was fixed with just a recoding, definitely gives me hope it won't be a mechanical issue.

Ah glad to hear back from you! Yeah, that "Initialization Required" message is exactly what I got on my 640d too. Actually, I probably should've mentioned in my first reply that mine also started acting up right after a software update, seems to be a bit of a pattern here. The manual reset didn't work for me either, it was pretty frustrating. I first thought holding the button would do the trick, just like you did, but these newer BMWs are a bit more complicated than that. After my successful repair, I learned that the software update can sometimes mess with the calibration settings of the convertible top and sunblind systems. One thing though, make sure you get it checked soon. In my case, waiting too long caused some extra stress on the motors because they were trying to operate with incorrect positioning data. The recoding sorted it out, but my mechanic said I was lucky I didn't damage any components by driving around with it like that for a while. Have you noticed any unusual sounds when trying to operate either the sunblind or convertible top? Mine made this weird clicking noise before I got it fixed.

Thanks for the detailed follow-up! Yes, actually I've been hearing that exact clicking noise you mentioned when trying to operate the sunblind. It's kind of like a stuttering sound, right? After what you've shared about potential motor stress, I think I'll book it in at the workshop this week rather than keep trying DIY solutions. Really don't want to risk damaging anything further. This software update seems like it's causing more trouble than it's worth! But at least now I know what to tell the mechanic, sounds like they'll need their diagnostic computer for a proper recoding. Hoping it'll be a quick fix like yours was. I've got some long drives coming up and would really like to have everything working properly. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it's been super helpful knowing someone else went through the same thing and got it sorted without any major drama. I'll update the thread once it's fixed in case anyone else runs into similar issues!