my friend has a 2005 cabrio, and the top won't go down. when she pushes the button, the sun roof part opens, and then stops. if i'm not mistaken, if she continues to hold the button, it should then continue to go down, right? none the less, it doesn't. but i do know that if she releases the button then pushes it down again, then the top should go down. when she does that, the little sensor light comes on, and the top goes nowhere. i have a feeling like there is a simple solution to this, but i've never messed around with a cabrio top. any ideas or suggestions?

 

Check the package shelf. If it is not seated correctly the sunroof will open but that's it - exactly the symptoms you are describing. Same thing if the 2 latches for the rear of the top are not latched. Sometimes if I put a package or roller bag in the trunk I will bump the package shelf and it will become unseated just slightly. I know as soon as I try to put the top down!

Good luck and let us know what she finds!

 

Exactly right ^. It's one of those two things. The red LED on the top down button flashes when she pushes it, I bet. That's what it's telling you... it thinks the rear shelf is out of position.

 

you know i bet you guys are right, she did have a bunch of stuff in the trunk because she just moved! i'll check it out tomorrow.

 

Yep. Classic symptom that the shelf leg is not sitting in its perch and therefore not depressing the switch. The switch is on the lower left side perch as your facing the back of the trunk. Drivers side.

When I was looking at buying mine this was the case. The dealer it was at was a Ford dealer and they knew nothing about the car and, really, neither did I. They almost lost a sale because they could not get it to work. I finally figured it out because I also own a MB SLK230 that has similar contact switches (although it has two, one on each side) that will not allow the top to go down if the Screen is not in position pushing down the switch. The MCSc only has the one switch. Its all a safety device to keep from damaging the top if something too tall is in the trunk for the top to clear.

 

My top also stopped working. The sunroof opens, the front latches open then nothing. I am 100 miles from a dealer, took the car to the dealer, he is telling me it needs a new cassette, $2700. How can this be, top worked fine then quit, how can it need an entire cassette. 2005 63000 miles on it.

 

Hmmm... if one latch wasn't opening, it would be a broken cable, and there's a DIY for that - but haven't heard the specific symptom you're having.