Gang, My top wont go all the way back and I'm digging through the tons of posts on this popular subject but need an interim solution. I've read about a manual override button but not sure where it is or how it works. From the posts it looks like this is going to be a full day project to diagnose, repair, etc and I just won't have the time for another week or so, but I have a full weekend of events where I'll need a functioning top. I am willing to 'go manual' for now until I can spend the time to really fix the issue. Can someone send me detailed instructions or links on how I can operate the top (both up and down) manually over the next couple days? Thanks all ketel
I hear you on that Fchat search option, bit archaic. When you say it doesn't fully retract; is it caught in something, sometimes when not aligned it will retract a few inches then sit's on top of the hooking pin by the door prohibiting full retract. Do you hear an audible tone when you manually unlatch & pull it over your head before you activate the switch? There's many ways of going about this, just need more info. Check the fluid level. I went through this nightmare few months ago.
The switch is in the area that the reservoir is located. Here is a photo - Tom Image Unavailable, Please Login
KidAces - I pulled the pump panel and checked the level and it was topped up recently so the hydraulic oil is at the Max line. No problem with fluid level. I tried to pull some of the overlay panels on the parcel shelf area but one of the Phillips screws is stripped so can't get the covers off so check all the bracketware. Here is what's happening: After I unhook and push the top back 6 inches or so until the beep, the top will retract a few inches and then start slowing and then stop like its bound up. The pump starts sounding like its working hard but the top is no longer moving. Any other thoughts? ketel
You probably should bleed the hydraulics first before trying anything else. Then after the hydraulics are bled, you want to try opening the top again. When it slows down, give it some help by pushing back/pulling down on the cross bar and see if that does anything.
You are moving the second top bow up and out of the way correct? If the elastic bands weaken, that top bow will not move out of the way and bind up the top.
Check the overhead bar with the elastic straps, this bar over your head must be manualy moved back if your elastic straps are worn out. I just went through this..
Not sure since I'm unclear on which is the 'hook' and which is the 'pin.' The WSM is not clear on this and, as it happens, the PDF out there on the various sites does not have all the pages relevant to the top. I've seen other posts reference pages H80 but the version I downl'd only went to H71. Anyhow, after a lot of futzing with the top it miraculously "popped" out of its bind-up and retracted fully last night. Whew. Not sure what it was but it felt like something was in the way. The last thing I did before the problem corrected itself was remove the leather shroud from the Drivers' side pistons and jiggle some of the wiring a bit. It looked like when the primary piston began its movement it would bump into that square copper block with the cables coming out of it like its a relay. I jiggled it and the next thing I know the top sprang out of its bind quite violently and retracted. Not sure how correlated the two actions were -- hence, this could happen again today - but for now the top's working. I will take the advice of others and lube up the pivot points. How can one tell if the elastic bands are worn? ketel
Look above your head at the bow directly overhead, second one front the front. On each side there should be an elastic band about 8" long that is dsigned to pull that bow back automatically when you unlatch the top and push it back until you hear the beep. If the second bow does not move back on it's own then the straps are shot. Visibly they will look stretched out and disfigured like mine are. If that second bow is not fully retracted when the top is going down it will not go down correctly. Lube all pivot points. Those straps will only last a few years. Heat will kill them.
if it doesn't catch the hook; it will sit on top of the pin, this happens after just a few inches of travel after the first beep. Assuming it's not the elastic band issue. There's a bolt that becomes loose that will cause an alignment issue causing this problem. I had both the elastic and hook not catching the pin issue addressed. Now it's all good. Image Unavailable, Please Login
