Sliding and lifting hatch (BMW 3 Series E46)

Lifting - opening - closing

After turning the ignition key to position 1, press the switch or slide it to the point of increased resistance in the desired direction.

When raised, the cover in the headlining will only move back a few centimeters.

After turning off the ignition, you can still use the sunroof for 15 minutes, unless you open and then close any of the front doors.

Automatic opening and closing

The hatch cover opens and closes automatically if you move the switch in the appropriate direction beyond the point of increased resistance and then release it.

The following operations are performed automatically:

When the lid is open, touching the switch in the "Lift" direction moves the lid to the final lifting position.

When the cover is raised, touching the switch in the "Open" direction allows the cover to be moved to the final open position.

Touching the switch again stops the movement.

To avoid injury, control the process of closing the hatch cover and be very careful when doing so.

When leaving the car, always take the ignition key with you so that, for example, children cannot operate the sunroof and injure themselves.



A vacuum and drafts will not occur in the passenger compartment if, with the sunroof open or raised, the nozzles in the front panel are fully open and, if necessary, the air supply is increased, refer to Section Heater, ventilation and air conditioning of the passenger compartment.

For information on automatic opening and closing of the sunroof by turning the key in the door lock or by using the radio remote control, refer to Section Keys, single lock and anti-theft system.

Trauma-protective function

If, during the closing process, the hatch cover encounters an obstacle approximately in the middle of its stroke, it will stop and move back slightly.

This feature can be disabled (for example, if the lid moves heavily along the guides in frosty weather or if an unauthorized person tries to enter the car from the outside), if you move the switch beyond the point of increased resistance and hold it in this position.

Drive failure

In case of electrical fault, the hatch can be opened or closed manually.

(The original article is available on the website «BMWman»)