Hopefully I still have the Turkey baster. The last one I did took ATF. Thanks for the response

 

ANYONE who is driving a Roadster around and has not practiced the manual procedure (and verified they have the tool in the console) is playing with fire.
You never know when the top may refuse to move, just as you are trying to put it up because it is starting to rain...

Just a fair warning, folks.

 

They are playing with FLOOD Mark, not FIRE

 

I refilled my reservoir today. It was low and apparently the cause of my problem. It was a little less accessible than I thought it might be from photos. I used a turkey baster but pushed some tubing (fish tank tubing) into the end to be able to just fill directly. I pulled the bulb off the end of the baster and just poured carefully into the open end with the tube inserted into the reservoir. That worked great without any spills. When I got to the desired fill level I pinched the tube and pulled it out. I cycled it once, let it set to allow drain back and then refilled the reservoir to the mid point just to make sure I didn't overfill.

 

I love this forum. My convertible top hasnt worked for 2 years and I have taken it to at least 3 mechanics who had no idea what was wrong and suggested replacing the finger switch first. Today i was about to use the 15% off ebay coupon to buy the switch I decided to do a search here and found out there was a cheap sensor switch up by where the passenger head is in the convertible top frame. Wasnt visible at first but as soon as i found it and pulled it away from its switch the convertible top came alive. Works perfectly after bending the metal clip back away from the button. My symptoms was at first the top would just beep and me and i would keep hitting the button over and over and it would work after about 15 times. That worked for a while until it just completely quit. Attached is a picture of the stupid clip and switch button for anyone else who might be affected by this issue.

 

That's the "Top Open" switch. I've not had a problem with it in the three I've owned- but others have.

This goes to show you, many issues are NOT rooted in complicated electronics - but in a simple mechanical fault.

 

yep i also had a problem with the alarm going off randomly during the night. i had an extended warranty on the car at the time so took it to the dealership. they said the service book told them to replace the skreem module first so they charged me $100 and charged a bunch to the warranty company. That didn't fix it they found out it was a cheap switch in the glove box that made alarm go off if it was opened while it was armed. They said the part was not able to be ordered and just unplugged it. I asked them to put the old skreem back in and refund me for that but they said they had already thrown the original away. Unplugging the glove box switch fixed it but cost me like $200 and they broke half the fasteners on my dash so my dash vibrates at speeds over 75mph unless i wedge a piece of cardboard between the windshield pillar and the dash cover. they also broke the piece that goes under the steering wheel that has the screws to hold the bottom of the trim. they told me they would find a replacement or plastic weld it but than the dealership sold to another company and they don't acknowledge it ever happening now. i strongly dislike dealerships. its a good thing this forum exists as neither Chrysler or Mercedes seems to acknowledge this car, at least where i live in eastern Oregon.

 

I wonder what would happen if that switch was just removed?

 

Nothing, as long as you make darn sure that you don't touch the top down button without first releasing the D handle and raising the front section.
That's all it's there for, to prevent the pump from running with the top still in the latched position.
BTW, you must bypass it electrically by connecting the 2 wires together, not just unplug and remove it.

 

Thanks for the info. I guess that would be an alternative if the switch failed and you could not locate a replacement.

 

Yes, I broke that switch once when replacing a guy's top, he ran OK for a month with it bypassed until I could source a replacement switch.

 

Roadster top issue


Goes up and down just fine


Start the car, hit the button roof goes down and I go for a spin. When I return and press up button, I get the beep warning and top does not raise


I turn the car off and then back on. Press the top up button and all works. I can’t work it out.


Has anyone experienced this?

Do any of you have any idea as to why it will not cycle down and up in the same run without having to turn it off and on again.


It only happens after a drive.


On the driveway up down is fine in the same cycle


I’ve changed the switch (I now have several and it’s still the same


If I do nothing other than turn the car off and on again it works and I can put the roof up.


Any ideas

 

that was an issue i had before it quit working all together, check that stupid switch in the passenger top frame i talked about earlier in the thread. it prob needs bent back into shape.

 

What a great suggestion

I’ll try it early tomorrow

 

I guess that I need to be bent back into shape as well.��
My guess is something gets reset after the ignition is turned off. I have no idea what though really, a sticky solenoid?

 

I'm with Dave (180) on this one:
Sounds like the sensor on the electric trunk lock or a glitch in the Power Top Control Module to me.

 

I'm having the same problem with intermittent top operation.

Prior to this the top operated smoothly with no issues.

What happened with me as I was putting the top down, I had to move the car as I was blocking a person's drive. The engine was on and I moved the car about 30 feet with the top front bow partially raised. The top went down very slowly but sounded strained as it finally finished the cycle.

Now, every time I put the top down, the windows go down and the rest of the operation is still very slow and strained. I went through the procedure of draining the hydraulics...turn the key to on, hold down the top key and while holding the button, turn the key to the off position and hold the button for 5 of more seconds. The top operates but still in a "stuttered" mode and very slowly.

Accordingly to our resident expert, Valk, I need to manually lower and raise the top three time to cycle the hydraulics that Valk . Am I correct???

Here's the link:
HELP!!!

 

That is actually pizzaguy in that film clip.

 

My apologies to Pizzaguy.... His youtube video is GREAT!!!

Now, any answer to my problem???

 

My top was a little slow in operating. I lubed all the hinges and pivot points i could get access to even my spoiler and it helped a lot