1994 audi cabrio roof will not open pump is working maybe low in fluid

top up the hydraulic oil for the cabrio roof

no need to convert.
the electic roof can be opened manually by:-
unlock the roof using the handle on top of the windscreen and push roof back as far as posible.
lift flaps adjacent to door pillers
you will see a small lever which can be retracted (both sides)
when these levers are retracted the roof will push down fully into its compartment
when erecting the roof ensure that the two levers are fully open to accept the roof retaing lugs

sounds like the fluid level to me ,it could have a small leak and might just need some oil

Hello there:
Yes there is a hydraulic pump that has fluid in it.
depending on the unit you should be able to have the resivor topped off i would refer to the owners manual maintenance section for clarification it may be simply the hoses them selves are not tight or the seals are not tight and may be getting air in them ok
Best regards Michael

If you hear a whining noise, you are probably low on fluid.
The pump/motor/reservoir combination is probably behind the rear seat.
Fill it with ATF with the top down. Cycle the top as much as possible, repeat till the reservoir accepts no more fluid in the down position.
Check lines and cylinders for leaks, replace/repair leaks.
If you hear nothing, check the fuse.
If that is good, hotwire the motor, if that works, check the switch.

As noted in one of the earlier questions on the topic, it appears (will verify for certain after the pump is removed) the plastic resevoir tank has cracked and the hydraulic fluid was lost. Leakage was visible in trunk once spare tire removed.
Audi also noted this is not unusual for a vehicle this age, and the replacement tank is a $100 kit.

The answer is in the manual but, failing that, look under the passenger side sun visor where you will find a little ****. Push the ignition key into it and this will release the roof. Push back the hood until you can see the two panels, one on each side behind the seatbelts on the back shelf. These can be lifted and the mechanism inside will allow you to open the boot to pack away the hood. Good luck!

i have a 2003 the botton should be between the seat next to the lighter just pull on it and the roof should open and push it to close

I've done it 2 ways:
1st - loosen the pump assy - nuts on either end, then unscrew the plastic bottle. This is a pain unless your hands are the size of a baby's!
2nd - undo the nut on the side of the pump assy. (looks brass, from memory and is about a 13mm) and this uncovers a hole which leads into the top of the bottle. Then use a small hose and syringe to refill. This can get messy but was slightly easier than the first method.

just had same problem on 1994 2.6e audi dealer found it to be a solinoid behind driver side panel took 3 days to find fault, also check fluid level