Intermittent Failure Of Convertible Top Mechanism

[redhot47fl]

For several months now, I've been having trouble with the convertible hard top on my 2006 SC430.

Intermittently, it fails to operate -- or at least fails to complete the cycle. The top may close and seem to lock in place, but the dashboard red light stays on, suggesting that the top is not fully locked and loaded. At the same time, the trunk lid won't pop open and the windows fail to move up and down with the usual logic.

The trunk tray is properly locked in place, all doors are locked, transmission is solidly in park.

Sometimes, I can sort of reboot the system by shutting off the engine and restarting it, though that often takes several tries. Today, that is not resolving the problem -- which could be good news insofar as the dealer can't fix it when it fails only intermittently and never at his shop. So, with a little bit of luck, maybe it will stay broken until I can get it over to the dealership for a warranty repair.

Anyone have similar problems? Anyone figure out the cause?

[redhot47fl]

Well, in case this helps someone else:

The problem persisted and I was able to bring it to the dealer today with the malfunction quite evident.

The tech worked it hard and at first thought it required the replacement of a major and expensive element of the roof-lifting mechanism (on warranty, lucky for me, not so much for Lexus). Upon further review, he determined that one hinge was considerably out of adjustment (either too loose or too tight, I forget which) and that was causing a sensor to misfire.

He re-adjusted the hinge and said he believed that the problem was resolved.

Yeah, I know. This was a cheap fix for Lexus, but keep in mind that dealers make money from warranty repairs, do I don't think the tech or his bosses - I trust my long-time service writer completely - had any motivation to B.S. me.

At any rate, I've been testing it all day and the repair seems to be working. Will stay on it and report back if that is not the case.

All of this is posted in the hope that it might prove useful to someone else down the line.

[Dalton]

Hi, I know this was a lot of years ago but am having exact same issue with my 2006, have it booked into dealership who say possible sensor issue but will cost around £900 to check and replace and if not sensor then new hinge assembly could be needed at around £3000 . I am concerned dealers may not be as honest as yours. I think it is just an adjustment issue and I think the adjustment needs to be made at the accessible area of the mechanism but they say it needs 3 hours to strip and another 3 to put back as the sensor they say is registering an issue is low down in the boot area.

As our issues are identical, any info you can provide on where the adjustment was made and if it had to be all stripped down would be very helpful and could save me thousands of pounds that I don't have :-(

Thanks in advance