Broken convertible top :(
 

I've had my MINI less than a month. Yesterday, without warning, my convertible top simply stopped working. I stopped at a stop sign, hit the button and put the top down (gorgeous day, I couldn't resist), and drove the 5 minutes to my office. Went to put the top up, and nothing happened. No noise, no movement, nothing. Only the rapid blinking of the light on the button which closes the top.

After reading the manual, and trying everything I could think of (including calling the closest dealership), I finally figured out how to get the top back up by hand. I was curious to see whether something about the mechanism had just been stuck or something, so I tried putting the top down again. It went down fine, but refused to go back up again...so I had to put it up by hand again.

I thought it was interesting that once I got the arms up and near the place where they hook in at the front, I could get the sunroof to close mechanically with the button. So I don't know what is going on there.

My question is this: Obviously I am going to have to take this in to the dealership to have it fixed. Does anyone have any advice about whether I should press for them to replace the whole top rather than repair it? My thought is that if it is defective almost immediately out of the gate, I should get a new one altogether. I don't know if that's reasonable and I'm wondering what the experience of others might be.

It is difficult for me to schedule time to deal with repairs...especially because the dealership does not offer loaner cars, so I have to involve another person in shuttling me back and forth. PITA. Since I have to deal with this, I'd like to get it handled the first time and not have to make repeat trips for the same issue.

Thanks for your thoughts on this!

UPDATE: My car is at the dealership, even as we speak. According to the service guy (that's the MA, right?), they have looked the problem over, updated some of the software, looked at the wiring, and I'm not sure what else. All to no avail. At this point they are stumped and are keeping the car until they are able to contact another support level for some help in figuring out what is causing the problem. Thank goodness for the warranty. And by the way, they put me in a rental to minimize the inconvenience....which I thought was really nice. Only problem: I'm driving a Dodge Caliber. Blech. Oh well. Hope I get my car back really soon! This Dodge is definitely not my style! Can't motor in it!

I'll let you know what they find out...

RESOLUTION: So I finally got my car back on Thursday a.m. Whew! I really hated that loaner...OK, so here's the update about what went on with the convertible top. BTW, the dealership was somewhat stumped at first and had to call back to NJ to talk to whatever problem-solving gurus they have there to figure this out. The following is what they described as the problem and the resolution for the malfunctioning convertible top:

762 defective hall sensor on conv top harness interrogated fault memory. Found no fault related. Performed function test. Not working. Removed convertible top canvas to expose conv top frame. Inspected wire harness on conv top frame. Exposed wires. Wire ok. Removed rear left panel to expose conv top control module. Swapped conv top control module with known good one. Problem still occurring. Inspected wire harness. Performed power and ground test between connector x13038 and sensor 101188 and intermittent problem to ground. Found wire to hall sensor next to left rear window coming out of sensor. Found wires loose. Hall sensor not picking up correct readings. Replaced complete wire harness to conv. top. Installed left rear trim panel cover. Installed conv canvas top. Performed function test. Top working properly.

My favorite part is the wiggle test.

Everything seems to be working fine, and I had a lovely drive out to Los Angeles last night (top down, of course!!). No problems to report with that!

Thanks for all the feedback...!!

They aren't going to replace the whole top if it isn't needed (I think it's about a $3000 part). It sounds like it it something electrical (the motor or wiring harness-which I had replaced in my last 'vert). If it is one of those things they will only replace the defective part. If there isn't anything wrong with the cloth part of the roof there really is no reason to replace it.

The delearship is just going to replace the part that puts the top up, I doubt that they will change the whole top.

Good luck with the repairs.

My top acted up mechanically once & they just replaced the side arm & some other part. It has worked fine since then (well except for the one day it mysteriously wouldn't open but it opened fine the next day) :grin:

Inquiring minds want to know Tamson, how did you put the top up by hand? :confused:

I have never done it but supposedly we have a tool in our tool kit & you attach it to something in the boot & manually crank it up. The instructions are in my owner's manual :grin:

Better be reading my book on that one, thanks Bamatt.

Before you get excited check your tool kit. When I had my problem I found out that my top crank tool was not even in there :roll: :lol: :lol:

Oh great, you might finally need it and then to find out your crank is missing!:eek:

check the plug on the left side, while standing at the back of the car. It's up above the package tray. we had our top replaced and the plug wasn't fully snapped back together....it popped apart months after the work was done and we had the exact same symptoms.

Tamson - any update would be much appreciated! My top was replaced due to wear on the canvas at 10k miles, but it has not failed mechanically.

I posted an update on the OP at the top... :)

Oh boy ! :roll:

I know the feeling. When my MINI was in the shop last year, the Enterprise office thought they'd do me a "favor". I heard them whispering... "mini cooper... wow... nice... let's give him the.." ... and then I couldn't hear what they said. So out comes my rental--a black 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser.

:eek2: Blech ! I'd rather have had your standard Dodge Stratus instead of that hideous thing. But, didn't want to hurt the manager's feelings as he thought he was doing me a favor and I knew I'd only be in it for two days.

Driving it was even worst than LOOKING at it though. If that were to happen again... :no: not taking that thing. :lol:

Anyway... hope they fix your MINI soon and have you back to motoring in style !!

Mine was at the dealership for a week and a half for a top issue. They gave me a BMW X3. Not a mini, but not a bad car for a loaner!

I love a happy ending! Which dealer did you take it to?

I went to Assael in Monrovia. They were pretty good there. They seemed genuinely interested in making sure that I was up to speed on the progress.