HELP!! Soft top issues!!

[Zach5.9CTD]

Hey guys, my parents soft top will retract down but the motor WILL NOT run to bring it back up. Not that i needed to but i checked fuses and surprise surprise they came out good - as i suspected beings that the motor runs when the top is put down.

Any help/suggestions would be awesome, my dad has about made himself sick over this!

[Bradford]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

Is it both sides or just one. I had a issue about a year ago where my top would go down fine, but going up, one side would not go up with out help. On mine it was one of the hydraulic piston, I would think it would be odd for both to go at same time, that's why I asked if it were both sides or just one. Also, my top had been down for a extended rime with the Hardtop on. Has his top been down for a time? Mine was fixed in about 2 hours, don't know the cost as it was covered by ESP extended warranty. Give us more info if there's more to give.

[00mustng]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

.........any other electrical issues?.....everything else checks out?.....Is the T-Bird running during the up/down procedure?.....

[Zach5.9CTD]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

bradford - thats not the problem, when i push the "top up" button the motor does not even buzz, therefore there is NO POWER going to the top when the button is pushed, BUT the motor runs to put the top down.

00mustang - no other known issues, everything else i was able to look at seemed fine, car is running, in park, door open, closed, makes no diff. motor will not run to bring top up. Im thinking the switch in the dash may be bad. not sure.

[Bradford]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

Sound more like a bad switch / switch contact issue. Anybody else have any ideas?

[007Cruiser]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

I'd vote for the switch.

[Ediron]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

I'd vote for the switch.

I also say a switch one side or pole is NG

[Zach5.9CTD]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

anyone know how hard it is to pull that all apart and get to the switch to test it to make sure? also, where can i get an OEM switch and approx whats the cost

[kbrighton]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

Silver state Ford parts lists the switch at $18.12:

https://www.silverstatefordparts.com...ord-parts.html

Look under Instrument Panel->Cluster and Switches->Switch Assy->Convertible Top. It's item number 10 in the following diagram.



I've never done it, but getting at the switch doesn't look difficult.

1. Remove the lower instrument panel finish panel. This should just (CAREFULLY) pry out.
2. Remove 2 screws at the bottom of the lower center instrument panel finish panel. This is the panel that contains the switch for the convertible top.
3. Pull out the panel containing the switch. You should be able to get at the wiring behind the panel.

[Tbyrdy]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

Sounds like the car thinks it is not in park or the switch is bad. I'd remove and inspect the switch first.

[snowbird]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

If it is not the switch, there are also two relays, convertible top lower relay and convertible top raise relay. (located in rear auxillary relay box 1)
Good luck.

ps. relays as a rule are always hot (power) and when you press switch, you energize the relay (close contacts) to send power to hydraulic motor to put top up or down.

[PaulD]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

Try tapping on the relays. if they are stuck, sometimes that makes them start working again. If that turns out to be the issue, replace them because they will no longer operate reliabily.

[Johnny TBird]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

Several months ago my top would only go down about 3/4 of the way and stop.. the motor would run but the top would not go down....could put hand pressure on it and it would go down. My ford service manager replaced the motor under the extended warrenty. Proplem fixed.

[Will]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

There's trouble in River City & that starts with "T" ...

[snowbird]

Re: HELP!! Soft top issues!!

Several months ago my top would only go down about 3/4 of the way and stop.. the motor would run but the top would not go down....could put hand pressure on it and it would go down. My ford service manager replaced the motor under the extended warrenty. Proplem fixed.

Just wondering, did the top go back up under power after going down 3/4 of the way ? As you know, these systems are hydraulic and if the motor was still running, then either the pump went out (stopped pumping) or you ran out of fluid. Was there a leak of fluid ?