Please see the convertible top chapter (In Section 5 Body) of the workshop manual here: http://jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepa...150Service.pdf. It explains the system and where everything is located.

There is a section with fault codes that can be read with an SDD system.

The Convertible top control module is behind the left hand passenger seat and the automatic rollover bar safety module.

 

Small dude with a flashlight?
Oh, and as long as you can absolute assure yourself that you can keep the deck lid from interfering with the tonneau and the roof parts, it's easy to fool the car into thinking the boot is closed while it's still partially open enough to observe stuff. Again, just be ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that parts won't collide.
Of course, everything WhiteXKR says first. He's the King **** when it comes to this.

 

Thank you both for the suggestions - much appreciated!
@WhiteXKR - I was curious about modules as I'd heard some SDD devices couldn't read all the modules... though I suspect any recommended one would catch these. Have put out a request on my local area facebook page to see if anyone has one, otherwise it'll be a toss up between a garage visit and the cheapest one that'll do the job on amazon/ebay.

@Cee Jay - I tried taking a video on my phone from inside the trunk There is a definite whirring sound for less than a second when trying to retract the roof (even makes the caerma wobble a little). Nothing other than the relay switch when trying to close the roof. I did a temperature check by hand, and it is the three solenoids on the top that were HOT: tension bow up, down and tonneau panel up.

 

Yeah, seems to me either electronics fighting each other or something mechanical going on. Steve would know more than me by a lot, but my solenoids and pump get at most slightly warm.

 

I just ordered the SDD cable and software from britishdiagnositcs... now I have to sit patiently!

 

What model did you go for?

 

I went for the V130 ... It looked like the 2007 model would be covered under both the V130 and V138 product descriptions. However, I thought I'd play it safe as their flowchart pointed towards V130:
http://britishdiagnostics.co.uk/car-compatibility/

 

I had the same issue and it turned out to be the hydraulic lifter seals. There are several ways to be 100% sure.
1) If the hydraulic pump is working (making noise as it wants to move the top up or down) then at least you know the electrical is working
2) Have you noticed any oil on your driveway in front of the rear tires? If yes, you are losing hydraulic oil from the hydraulic lifters.
3) Remove the rear seats, do you see any oil accumulated there? If yes, you are losing hydraulic oil from the hydraulic lifters.
4) If the pump is working, slightly move the side covers on the back convertible tonneau, and with a flashlight look inside, if you see oil or oil spots, the seals on the Hydraulic lifters are not holding pressure and you are losing hydraulic oil, so the seals might need to be replaced. (See pictures)
5) If you can't determine that you don't see hydraulic oil, I suggest adding some oil. Buy "Febi Bilstein for Mercedes 2Lt Hydraulic Fluid for Suspension and Convertible" which is the same as Jaguar but much cheaper. Buy it from Amazon and buy a pump "Plews 55001 Lubrimatic Fluid Quart Pump, Fits Standard Quart Bottles" also from Amazon. Add the fluid to the convertible pump reservoir. If it works, your main hydraulic lifters are still leaking, but you have isolated the problem.
6) New Hydraulic lifters cost about $1000 each at the dealer. If you are handy, you can remove these yourself and send them to someone that can fit new seals. I used a company out of Oregon, USA called tophydraulics and it cost me around $300 for the pair.

Let me know if this helps and if you need help walking you through the process of removing the lifters

 

Thanks John for such a detailed post!

I haven't noticed any hydraulic fluid leaks, but now will go triple check in the areas you've mentioned. It did look to me as though the fluid level was at the maximum on my reservoir, but not sure where it started or what others' look like.

 

One thing that I forgot to mention is that on mine the reservoir fluid looked full, that is what threw me off from the start. It did not take much fluid after I rebuilt the Hydraulic lifters, so I guess it is very sensitive to the level.

 

Patience is a virtue.... and I still have some!
I received my Mongoose cable and V130 software from British Diagnostics today, after about a week since ordering. Pretty good! Hooked it up to the car and didn't have the engine running during the diagnostics and everything went kaput! Note to others: when the SDD software talks about "Is the ignition on (position II)" it means have the engine off but ignition on -- thanks @Cee Jay

Anywho, after some more patience spent on recharging the battery, I got the diagnostics working.... though I'm not sure what to do with the info, or with the software at this point. Suggestions welcome, such as where to click and what else can the system do!

I took a couple of screenshots in both "Diagnosis" mode as well as "Service Functions" mode. The module that I think controls the roof is the FTCM (folding top control module) under CAN_MS. Note: I thought I'd taken two sets of screen shots, but I see "Diagnosis" in the top right of all four pictures. I thought the first ones were the results from clicking "Service Functions".

 

No NOT have the Engine Running!!!
Position II means Ignition On, engine NOT running!!!

 

In Service Functions, look for the module, and then click on the "Run" on the right side.

 

Thanks @Cee Jay ! I'll edit my post so others don't get misled

 

I found some investigative leads under "Diagnosis" by clicking the tabs at the top of the screen. Got to put in the symptoms, and it reviewed the DTCs for relevance. I did look under Service Functions but didn't see a relevant thing to run.

Here are some screen shots of the symptom list and the suggestions, with a diagram to investigate as well as a checklist to work through! Surely it can't all be down to the Hall sensor can it? Why would the pump get so hot if the system wasn't enabled by a faulty sensor? Hmmmmm....... as always, thoughts welcome!


Symptom list

Related DTCs: the top two are "Convertible top lid compartment piston out sensor" (66%) and "Convertible top lid compartment switch" (100%)

Related DTCs ordered by relevance

Pinpoint

Reference

Flow chart

 

You're already way past my experiences. I hope someone who knows more comments for you.

 

I'm way beyond my own limits -- as you've seen! Still I take on this chance to get to know my XK better

Gonna call on @WhiteXKR to see if he has any tips, even for navigating through these check lists... which I might explore a little this evening. I'll be relieved if it is some dodgy Hall sensor or loose cable that's caused all my chaos

 

Since the one diagnostic piece that registered for 100% was about the Hall sensor, I took a couple of pictures of it and the wiring.... I didn't see anything wrong here. Next step is to look at where all the wiring goes: behind the rear seats


Wires at the Hall sensor - the other side of the luggage compartment slider from the infamous metal piece

The circuitry? for the Hall sensor

Top down look at the wires heading for the control module from the Hall sensor ciruitry

 

In my efforts to diagnose the problem, the battery kept running low. I went and got a replacement today, with a slim hope that a battery gremlin might explain everything I'd been seeing... unfortunately that seems not to be the case :-/ I have a new battery though!

 

Once the new battery didn't magically solve the problem, it was time to dig into the SDD advice!

I had thought the components being referred to in the SDD lived behind the rear seats, but all I found there was the rollover devices! Instead, I think I found the connector it wanted me to look at next to the hydraulic pump in the trunk...


I think the 22 pin connector the SDD talks about is in the bottom right of this picture

SDD suggests checking pin 14 and the battery positive and negative terminals to check resistance in > 100k ohms (it was!)

This is where I got stumped. I was measuring resistance in the last step on the female part of the connector.... note that one is grey and one is dark grey....

The two sides of the connector are the same shade of grey!

This makes me think that there's another 22 pin connector somewhere that I need to test against this one. As to which is which (FTCM_2 vs Powered hood_1)... I'd appreciate any advice you can give!