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.

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?

I am absolutely convinced that this is a known and common defect. As I write this, the windshield is being replaced on my 2006 SC430 after a crack appeared spontaneously (without impact) last week. The guy who is doing the job said he has a 2005 SC430 scheduled for later in the day. A little over a year ago, I had to have the windshield replaced on a 2004 SC430. Three strikes right there. I just wish I had read this thread before I filed an insurance claim to get this handled. Next time (and I am beginning to believe there will be a next time, unfortunately), I will take this back to the dealer and insist it be done under warranty.)

I know that most folks here are tired of the tire questions, but here's one more: Can anyone recommend any runflat tire for an SC430? Like many people, I ditched the OEM runflats soon after buying my 2003 SC430 and replaced them with the Michelin Pilot Sport AS. I've been very pleased with those and it's now time to replace them. I'll probably buy the Michelins again, but I'm not crazy about the insecurity of driving around without a spare. (Yes, I carry some cans of flat fixer in the trunk.) So, before I commit again to the Michelin Pilot Sports AS and a few more years of flat-related insecurity, I'm wondering if anyone has found a runflat that offers reasonable handling, comfort and quiet. Many thanks in advance.

For the record, I solved the problem. Keeping in mind that this is an SC430, with even less room in the dash or stack than probably any other model, I ended up buying the XM Commander, which is a very low profile receiver. The display/controller unit fits very nicely in the hole designed for the ashtray/storage cubby just to the right of the cigarette lighter. (The door must remain up, but that doesn't bother me at all.) The small receiver "box" is hidden behind the dash at the passenger seat well. The tiny antenna (the smallest satradio antenna on the market) sits atop the dash near the windshield. Everything is hardwired in and the sound comes through the included FM modulator. I highly recommend this solution for SC430s. That's the XM Commander ($159 complete) at Circuit City, Best Buy, etc. You can see it here: http://www.xmradio.com/index.jsp

Here in flat South Florida, the XM antenna works just fine on the SC430 dashboard. I have mine -- attached to a first-generation Pioneer XM aftermarket receiver -- Velcroed on the dash very close to the windshield and the reception has been perfect for a year now. My question is, where are you folks mounting either the SkyFi or the smaller Roady control unit? I want to upgrade, probably to a Roady, but cannot find a logical spot for it. One idea that occurred to me today in desperation -- the steering wheel mount. It would offer excellent sight lines through the steering wheel, but I'm not sure there is enough clearance when the steering wheel retracts when the ignition is turned off. Any ideas?