Power Convertible Problems
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,659
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas Location: Earth
Power Convertible Problems
My power top isn't working properly. Sometimes it stops in the middle of cycling up or down for no apparent reason. Usually, re-pressing the button solves the problem; but last night, it got stuck in the down position. I took the car to my local dealer today, they examined the problem and ordered parts but tell me they won't arrive for some time. Meanwhile I'm afraid to put the top down for fear of not being able to put it back up. Would it be wise to have the dealer disconnect the hydrolics so that I can use the top as a manual until the parts arrive? I've heard rumors that the factory has put a restriction on power tops because of an unusual amount of problems with them. I have also heard that Chevy is considering a recall on them. Any of this true?
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 34,034
Likes: 222
From: Land of Thunder
2018 C2 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14-'15, '19
I feel sorry for you. You pay a premium price for what ought to be a drop-dead simple mechanism and here you are. Thats why I'm not a big fan of first year cars. Good luck to you.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 809
Likes: 1
From: Grosse Pointe Shores Michigan
Originally Posted by Zoomin
I feel sorry for you. You pay a premium price for what ought to be a drop-dead simple mechanism and here you are. Thats why I'm not a big fan of first year cars. Good luck to you.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 583
Likes: 5
From: Western MA
Originally Posted by Zoomin
I feel sorry for you. You pay a premium price for what ought to be a drop-dead simple mechanism and here you are. Thats why I'm not a big fan of first year cars. Good luck to you.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,326
Likes: 5
From: louisville "derby city" kentucky
power top problems also
hey guys, just thought i would tell you about my p/t. i too had mine to quit working at 300 miles. got half way up and quit at our favorite resturant with everyone watching! took to dealer after getting it down, manually. dealer says the control module is bad., will be possably a month before can get a new one. so, here we are...... to work your top manually, start by tilting the pass. seat back forward, and feeling up under the top cover to find the manual release cable. pull cable and slowly lift cover up to full height. then look on the pass. side of the top area for a wingnut. remove nut and the carpet insert. there you will find the top pump. on the pump there is a velcro with a allen wrench attatched to it. remove the wrench and open the nut on the front of the pump. then you can raise/lower top a lot easier. it is easier with two people doing it. we leave it down most of the time, but this way if you get caught out in the rain you can put it back up. hope this helps, remember, we're all in this together. mike. bryant@iglou.com
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Liquordale Florida
Originally Posted by cranky
hey guys, just thought i would tell you about my p/t. i too had mine to quit working at 300 miles. got half way up and quit at our favorite resturant with everyone watching! took to dealer after getting it down, manually. dealer says the control module is bad., will be possably a month before can get a new one. so, here we are...... to work your top manually, start by tilting the pass. seat back forward, and feeling up under the top cover to find the manual release cable. pull cable and slowly lift cover up to full height. then look on the pass. side of the top area for a wingnut. remove nut and the carpet insert. there you will find the top pump. on the pump there is a velcro with a allen wrench attatched to it. remove the wrench and open the nut on the front of the pump. then you can raise/lower top a lot easier. it is easier with two people doing it. we leave it down most of the time, but this way if you get caught out in the rain you can put it back up. hope this helps, remember, we're all in this together. mike. bryant@iglou.com
Despite the parts constraints, I'd say a MONTH WAIT to fix an operational issue like this is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. Someone's regional factory rep needs to make a call to BG and get you one of these overnite'd.
They'd have to drag me out in restraints if they told me I couldn't work my top for a month.
Then again, for the additional price of the vert, plus the additional road noise (top-up) at fast speeds, plus the loss of cargo capacity, I opted for the coupe anyway - so what do I know...
Rick
Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area California
I had the exact same issue. In fact, I'm picking up my car today. The switch failed on mine ... and it took 3wks to get the part in so I used the manual operation.
Hopefully, it won't fail again!
Hopefully, it won't fail again!
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,276
Likes: 8
From: Tucson AZ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Thats a shame....probably part of the reason why they were on constraint for so long...not available when I ordered mine. Hopefully the fix won't be long off.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,659
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas Location: Earth
Thanks for the help!
Originally Posted by cranky
hey guys, just thought i would tell you about my p/t. i too had mine to quit working at 300 miles. got half way up and quit at our favorite resturant with everyone watching! took to dealer after getting it down, manually. dealer says the control module is bad., will be possably a month before can get a new one. so, here we are...... to work your top manually, start by tilting the pass. seat back forward, and feeling up under the top cover to find the manual release cable. pull cable and slowly lift cover up to full height. then look on the pass. side of the top area for a wingnut. remove nut and the carpet insert. there you will find the top pump. on the pump there is a velcro with a allen wrench attatched to it. remove the wrench and open the nut on the front of the pump. then you can raise/lower top a lot easier. it is easier with two people doing it. we leave it down most of the time, but this way if you get caught out in the rain you can put it back up. hope this helps, remember, we're all in this together. mike. bryant@iglou.com
Ric
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 34,034
Likes: 222
From: Land of Thunder
2018 C2 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14-'15, '19
Originally Posted by Sparky65
It's far from being drop dead simple but at the $1995.00 option price it should work flawlessly without question year after year.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 809
Likes: 1
From: Grosse Pointe Shores Michigan
Originally Posted by Kreuzen
Thats a shame....probably part of the reason why they were on constraint for so long...not available when I ordered mine. Hopefully the fix won't be long off.
The FIX? This should not even be a problem TO fix.
4th Gear
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Power Top Problem
Power top on my wife's car jammed half open on the fourth day of ownership... I was able to lower it after much fooling around. Car in shop two days - parts(?) on order. Thanks to all for the information on manually operating the top. This is our third Corvette and the best of the bunch, other than the $2K option that doesn't work...
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 10,976
Likes: 21
From: FL
St. Jude Donor '13
There is a little switch that the right side of the trunk partition depresses to complete the circuit for the power top.I have found on a few occasions that the partition does not apply enough pressure on the switch to complete the circuit.When lowering the top,the back of the top can contact the partition causing the switch to be in the "open" state 
The switch verifies that the partition is in the up position to prevent mashing objects from lowering the top.
The switch verifies that the partition is in the up position to prevent mashing objects from lowering the top.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,242
Likes: 8
Originally Posted by C-5 TECH
There is a little switch that the right side of the trunk partition depresses to complete the circuit for the power top.I have found on a few occasions that the partition does not apply enough pressure on the switch to complete the circuit.When lowering the top,the back of the top can contact the partition causing the switch to be in the "open" state The switch verifies that the partition is in the up position to prevent mashing objects from lowering the top.
The switch verifies that the partition is in the up position to prevent mashing objects from lowering the top.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,242
Likes: 8
Originally Posted by C-5 TECH
There is a little switch that the right side of the trunk partition depresses to complete the circuit for the power top.I have found on a few occasions that the partition does not apply enough pressure on the switch to complete the circuit.When lowering the top,the back of the top can contact the partition causing the switch to be in the "open" state The switch verifies that the partition is in the up position to prevent mashing objects from lowering the top.
The switch verifies that the partition is in the up position to prevent mashing objects from lowering the top.