convertible top problems

[gazzelle]

Has anyone had problems with their convertible top? I have a 2001 Solara, purchased in July '01 new, that has been taken in for warranty work 5 times. When opening the top, the glass window strikes part of the back seat assembly. The noise produced ranges from a medium popping sound to a crack that resembles a gunshot. The dealer response has been to keep shimming the rear seat forward, which stops the problem for a short while only to return. I'm in the process of going to arbitration over this car. Am interested if anyone has had a similar problem. I've seen technical bulletins about this and ...

[SolaraConvertable]

Hey Gazzelle, i have the same problem with my convertible. I just learned to live with it, didnt bother going to the dealer. Mine is a 2001 one also and it only started doing that last summer but i wasnt going to go to the dealer because it started happening after i did my custom system in the trunk. Now that you mention it, i guess its just something with the top not just mine. Mine only makes a slight crack pop noise when it comes down. What i do is stop it at the point where its going to hit the back seat and put the rest down slowly.

[Ragtop George]

My 2002 started doing that a few months after I got it. I go slowly down with the top at that point so the glass has time to move back before going past the seat. I don't think that dealers are really equipped to handle convertible top issues, you need to get help from a convertible specialist.

George

[regtor]

This problem is endemic to all Solara convertibles since 2000 (I have a '00 SLE V6). Toyota issued a TSB on this (NV007-01), calling for a new part to be installed. The new part is the strip of plastic that has both the openings for the seat belts and the 'lip' that holds the convertible boot in place. This piece runs along the top of the back seat, the entire length of it. As I understand it, the new part is a bit lower than the original one, thus allowing clearance for the window portion of the top to fold down. (Have someone lower the top while you're watching and you'll see that the noise comes from the top of the window panel catching and 'popping' on this plastic part.)

While I had this problem too, I never bothered to take it to the dealer as my car was well out of warranty when it started to occur. So, I don't know if this new plastic part will fix it. Instead, I unscrewed the plastic part, pushed it further down the back of the rear seat, and duct taped it in place. To reach the screws you need to really fold down the top of the back seat cushion -- again have someone help you. I did this last summer and it's still doing fine -- no rattles. I'm not worried about structural integrity as the only apparent purpose of this part is to provide the lip onto which the boot attaches, and I've only used the boot ONCE in 3+ years (too cumbersome and, frankly, just ugly).

Good luck - regtor