I stand in awe at how you know this stuff. It seems that just as I start tugging down on the D ring is when the car starts beeping/flashing. When the top is pushed up from the latch retainer and resting about six inches above the latch retainer, the beeping stops and the top opens normally. But as soon as I pull down on the D ring to close the roof, it starts beeping. So what Pizzaguy says is that this tugging forward may be tripping the rear bow latch sensor.

When I replaced that sensor I tried hard to put the sensor in the same location as the old one. (There is a little vertical movement where the switch mounts to the latch mechanism.) It could be that I didn't mount it high enough. Meaning the slight tension of pulling the D ring trips the sensor.

Good grief -- even I can understand that! Thanks, Pizzaguy. Will give that a shot and report back.

John