| Author | Message | ||
| Dave Wapinski (Davewapinski)
Member Username: Davewapinski Post Number: 554 Registered: 8-2001 |
For my own education: For Ferraris that are not used that much, some people have put in relays, different connectors, etc. to improve reliability. Seems to help from the people I have talked to, but am not for sure. Is there any connection between the roof problem and usage? Do the cars that are used rarely have the problems and the cars that are used frequently not have them? Or is there no connection? | ||
| Kenny Herman (Kennyh)
Intermediate Member Username: Kennyh Post Number: 1041 Registered: 8-2001 |
Steve, you have mail  . | ||
| TAKO (Tako)
Junior Member Username: Tako Post Number: 214 Registered: 4-2002 |
Mine does it every 5 times or so... My both spiders do. | ||
| J.D. Smythe (Jeff)
Junior Member Username: Jeff Post Number: 201 Registered: 2-2001 |
Solly I'll check my 2002 manual again. Maybe I am wrong about turning off the car before reversing the top procdure. I'm starting to think a manual top may be the best way to go. | ||
| Al LaPeter (Lapeter)
Junior Member Username: Lapeter Post Number: 112 Registered: 6-2002 |
Before I bought my 355 spider, I was reluctant to buy the 355 because the top was not fully automatic (like my 996 cab). The 355 top has worked flawlessly for at least 50 times. I hope Ferrari can fix this top problem before my 360 (or whatever) shows up. | ||
| Paul Loussia (Bumboola)
Junior Member Username: Bumboola Post Number: 107 Registered: 3-2003 |
Mine stops mid-way about half the time. If I let off the switch for a second and press it again, it always finishes the job. I would actually prefer a manual top for the simplicity and the weight savings. Funny, even though my two Ferraris have been drop-tops, I've always considered myself a "coupe guy." Looking forward to a Stradale. | ||
| Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
Member Username: Solly Post Number: 497 Registered: 6-2001 |
J.D. I read that manual cover to cover but didn't see where it said to turn the car off anywhere. I usually just reverse the procedure with the engine running, and eventually it works. What year is your car? Mine is a 2001. Wonder if Ferrari realized this problem and changed the manual the next year. The most hilarious part is how to raise the top manually if it totally fails. This requires about a hundred different procedures, and then a 2nd person to help you. You are SPECIFICALLY warned that if you do not get a second person to lift the other side of the hood all kinds of nasty and terrible things will happen to the car and to you. Where am I going to find a willing volunteer off the street in a rainstorm? That's about the only time i put the top up. The Dino is a pleasure. Pop 2 latches, lift the top off and you are done. Never drove the 355 spider, but had a 348 that I grumbled about, but at least it was just a couple of catches and levers. Technological sophistication is great but not if it doesn't work as intended. | ||
| Ron Vallejo (Ron328)
Junior Member Username: Ron328 Post Number: 198 Registered: 3-2003 |
During the Memphis Italian car show last Sunday, a maroon 360 spider had a top "malfunction." The body-colored flap opened to release the soft top cover but the latter wouldn't move at all for a while (which it did later). The owner said "I didn't do that on purpose." I guess for older cars, it's acceptable; but for a relatively new car like the 360 is certainly disappointing. | ||
| noel smith (Noel)
Member Username: Noel Post Number: 353 Registered: 2-2003 |
mine does the same crap. | ||
| Kuzi (Kzma)
Junior Member Username: Kzma Post Number: 219 Registered: 3-2003 |
robert, did you end up using the lemon law? Four months in the shop seems like an excessively long time. How long did you have the auto over all? | ||
| robert biscan (Tn_ferrari_bob)
New member Username: Tn_ferrari_bob Post Number: 18 Registered: 1-2003 |
Solly I certainly feel for you. I had a 360 with so many things wrong after 4 months in the shop I sold it. The top operation was not a problem. I think you must accept the flaws as part of ownership if you can. They are far from perfect but there's nothing like them. I will receive another one in a month or two. Im hoping for a good one out of the box. I got a six speed this time and i think I will really enjoy the car. | ||
| Nick Berry (Nickb)
Junior Member Username: Nickb Post Number: 104 Registered: 8-2002 |
The 360 Spider top has always been a problem. I have resigned myself that on occasions it will not work properly and just deal with it. At whatever function it is performing if it fails I wait about 10 seconds and try the function again and that usually does the job. If that does not I reverse the process and start over again.I do not turn the car off when I do this. Helpful hint. Do not leave the top down over several days. Apparently the system operates better with use. BTW, the computer keeps count of the number of times your top has gone up and down and indicates the number of faults. | ||
| J.D. Smythe (Jeff)
Junior Member Username: Jeff Post Number: 198 Registered: 2-2001 |
According to the manual, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER. If the top gets stuck, turn off the car, wait a couple of seconds and then restart the car. THEN and this is the important part. REVERSE the procedure you were trying to do with the top. For example, if the top got stuck while trying to CLOSE it, turn off and restart the car, then hit the button to OPEN the top. | ||
| Manu (Manu)
Member Username: Manu Post Number: 757 Registered: 2-2002 |
Happens ALL THE TIME... Replacing part x or part y only solves the problem temporarily - ANOTHER inherent design flaw I reckon! | ||
| Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
Member Username: Solly Post Number: 493 Registered: 6-2001 |
No, the clamshell eventually drops back down once you take your finger off the button, then you can start all over again. come to think of it, most of the problems have been on closing the top, where the clamshell opens, but the hood won't rise up. Let the clamshell fall back down on it's own, then try again. I've never had it totally fail, but it is annoying as hell and can take 3-4 tries. On opening, i once had to get out and push the folded top down into the well further while using my toe to activate the open button. apparently if the top isn't totally seated the sensor fails to recognize it and won't close the clamshell. that only happened once, but it was in front of a really fancy hotel and you should have seen the looks i got. Of course my girlfriend had already disapeared into the bar, thus the necessity for the "toe control" Ahhh, the pleasures of owning a Ferrari | ||
| Kuzi (Kzma)
Junior Member Username: Kzma Post Number: 215 Registered: 3-2003 |
haven't had a problem yet..........i've got my fingers crossed. so when the tops get stuck either on the down or up stroke........how do you finally get it to operate correctly? or does it just stay "stuck" until you get it to a dealer? | ||
| J.D. Smythe (Jeff)
Junior Member Username: Jeff Post Number: 197 Registered: 2-2001 |
Solly I have a 2002 Spider. I don't why I kept count of how many times I have opened and closed the top (anal I guess). Anyway, in 8 months it's been 84 times. I had problems 3 times. The dealer thinks there could have been air in the system. Also, all 3 times the problem happened while trying to close the top. I've never taken it in to be officially checked. | ||
| Kds (Kds)
New member Username: Kds Post Number: 16 Registered: 5-2003 |
I have a customer who has had problems with the small flaps that open and close in the flying butresses beside the seats. They have stuck open as a result of some cable coming loose apparently. The other guys I know with these cars (half a dozen) have had no other problems that I am aware of. | ||
| Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
Member Username: Solly Post Number: 492 Registered: 6-2001 |
Anyone else had problems with the power top on a 360? Had mine "repaired" 4 times already, at 2 different dealers. Sometimes it works perfectly, other times it just stops in the middle of opening or closing (mostly closing), and I have to go through the cycle 2-3 times to get it to close (or open). Have had several sensors/switches replaced, always works fine for a while, then starts up again. Anyone else with this problem? Car is 2 years old, 6,000 miles and I don't use the top that often, so i can't imagine wearing anything out this early. For this kind of money i expect perfection. |