TOP Tearing issue

Hi-Step'n370Z

I have been keeping an eye on this issue and have been wondering how many of us are experiencing it.

Seeing the workmanship that that place the Dealer had install the top, and of course wanting to have the whole thing paid for under warranty, if that happens to me, I will more than likely take the new top and go to the highest end place that does that kind of work and pay for the install myself. I would be more concerned about the job being done right than getting the whole thing paid for if the workmanship is sub-par.

HOWEVER, did anyone actually find the cause of the tear? If not, it will most likely tear again.

So, bought the Z in December of 2009, put it on the road in April, and so far there is no sign of trouble. (yet)

On my top, that area is smooth as can be, not even any crease's, and if I gently push in on that area, I do not feel anything underneath that is rubbing against it. However, that doesn't mean that when the top is folding up during closing that something may be rubbing against it then.

How about the rest of you Roadster owners? I'd like to see if this is a wide spread problem, or some factory installation goof up.
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vifferman

I took delivery of my roadster on June 7, and have opened/closed the top about 5 of every 6 days since. I have a small 3/8 inch crease & some discoloration on the driver's side only, but in the same location as Z-U-Later's problem. I can feel two small nodules, about 5/8 inch apart on both sides (cable ties, perhaps?) in the suspect area. If it weren't for Z-U's nightmare experience, I wouldn't be overly concerned, but now I'm a bit paranoid.

Merlin

See my post today (Oct 7, 2010). There are issues with 2010 Roadsters and the tops. Nissan isn't saying much about it for obvious reasons. They are screwing around with it. In my case, they took parts off, bent the rear hatch arm and basically devalued my car in efforts to stop the top from being rubbed every time the top is put up and down. Every time they touch it they screw it up further. And these are techs they have brought in, not dealer service people. They are going to replace the canvas top now, but I read what they did to Z_U_later’s top and that scares the crap out of me. Purchased my car in June and frankly am very disappointed. Only have 2630 miles on it. I DON'T have any patience with anyone who sells a shoddy product and knows there are problems. Nissan is doing just that. To be honest, based on Nissan North American responses thus far and what they are doing to try and fix the issue, wish I had not bought this car. I am OCD about my cars and this BS is unacceptable. Most likely I will sell this POS and cut my losses.

vifferman

What was your top issue, Merlin? Was it the same as Z_U's Did you have tears in the canvas; just the tell-tale indentations/creases, or what?

Merlin

The problem is the rear hatch arm on the driver’s side. Attached to that arm is a hydraulic line and a wire (for the rear window defogger I think). The wire passes thru a conduit. When the top is lowered and raised that sharp edge of that conduit digs into the canvass top and is wearing a hole in it. Rather than take the edge off the conduit, the Nissan regional tech appears to have bent the arm out and twisted it a little (and left deep, raw tool marks in the metal arm). He also wrapped black tape all around the hydraulic line and wire and remaining conduit. Can't tell what is under the tape, but suspect it ain't pretty. The arm (layered tape) still rubs the canvas when raising and lowering the top, but now in a different spot. And the arm now rubs into the rubber gasket on the edge of the area where the top drops in. He bent it out too much. It is hard to explain. They now plan to replace the canvas as the material where it was previously rubbing is now beginning to show threads and will slowly unravel. I am just shaking my head as watch them do all of this and just make it worse. I do have slight indentations and creases on the left and right side of the top, but they are minor.

vifferman

Well, Merlin - first, the tech's clumsy effort (deep tool marks, et al) is outrageous. I know exactly how you feel; it's like your beautiful new car has been violated and it will never be "new" again. I'm the poster boy for OCD, and I've been in a couple of similar positions with new cars. My ZR is just four months old and the odometer shows just 1,700 miles (I drive the Z only for pleasure/sport); yet the tell-tale driver's side wear spot is already quite evident, and I abhor the prospect of a top replacement and the nightmares that will likely accompany such an ordeal. That said, it appears that the diagnosis re: your "top-tearing issue" differs from that of the OP (Z_U_Later), as his diagnosis referrred to sharp edges on the 'folding assembly' and they had to cut the top fabric to see it. Frankly, your diagnosis makes far more sense to me, as my indentation, crease & discoloration clearly has to come from something rubbing on the outside of the canvas. Tomorrow, I will open the top part-way to reveal the hatch arm, and attempt to confirm the diagnosis. I'll post my findings.

Thank you for the update, Merlin and best wishes for a successful resolution. Please keep us fully posted. BTW, I too have feelings of buyer's regret, but other than the top issues, my Z is nearly flawless, and I love it, so...

John Bradley

I got one of the first ones back in November, so far I see no problem areas.
I'm very OCD (or so Mr. Lou says) and I would notice anything on my car..
Hopefully it stays like this, if I see a problem I will let y'all know..
Hope everyone gets theirs solved though

Hi-Step'n370Z

John, do you put your top down much, or just once in a while. If the top stays up all the time, then no wear should be seen.

I have been driving my '10 Z since April and I drop the top two to three times a week on average, and no sign of any wear so far.

John Bradley

Yeah I drive it maybe once a week or every other week always with the top down.. I know that's not as much as y'all it could be awhile before I see any issuses if they ever appear

Z_U_later

I just wanted to give everyone an update on my issue. I got my car back and they repaired the molding on the passenger side and it looks fine now. However the center front of the top still has a 4 inch long loose area. The service rep told me that she was told buy the repair person that it should work itself out once I put the roof up and down a few time and if it doesn't to bring it back in and she will contact Nissan for another repair authorization. It has been a few weeks now and the fabric is still loose in the center after lowering and raising the roof several times. So I will have to take it back. Now this is really pissing me off, this is my first Nissan, first Z, and first convertible and I have to say I'm very disappointed. Not to say that Im not happy with everything else with the car but this top issue has soured the my experience with Nissan.

Zaggeron

I drive mine maybe three times a week. Always with the top down -- so it gets opened and closed maybe 6 times a week. There is definitely a wrinkle there, but after using some top cleaner on the area it doesn't look distressed. I think the wrinkle/crease that occurs in that area might have a tendency to collect dirt and make it look worse than it is. I felt around as well as I could on the inside area there and couldn't feel any scraping or wear on the inside of the canvas there so I think I don't have the problem that Z_U had. I'll keep an eye on it still.

__________________
2010 Platinum Graphite 370z Roadster:Touring/Sport
2013 Subaru BRZ Limited

Lee123

I've only had mine about three and a half months. The top was down almost all the time for the first couple months, but now it's up and down a lot. There are no signs for damage at all yet. It's disgusting that people are having problems like this with their tops already. I've had four previous roadsters of various kinds, a couple for around 100,000 miles, and none wore holes through their tops. Maybe I was just lucky.

vifferman

You may recall my earlier posts to this thread. Haven't heard anything of late, and wondered how Z-U-Later and others who reported early signs of his issue are faring. Z-U...did they ever fully resolve your new top installation issues (i.e. the loose front)? Others with indentations/creases/discoloration in the area of Z-U-Later's perforation...any further deterioration, etc.?

I still have a 3/8-inch crease and a small (1/8") indentation (pinch?) on the driver's side. More wrinkles, but no crease or indentation on the passenger side. The driver's side canvas is a bit more taut which may explain both the crease/indentation and the fewer wrinkles.

I will likely visit my dealer for the "free" first service (biting my nails), audio system recall/upgrade, and to discuss the top issue sometime in late September or early October. Because I drive my ZR only recreationally (just 1100 miles in less than 3 months), I fear that the top issue may progress slowly only to leave me with the cost of replacement after expiration of the warranty. Anone know...is the top covered under the general 3-year warranty, or is it subject to the 1-year "exterior trim" exclusion? I've read that warranty twice, and it's still not clear to me.

Sorry for the long-winded post, but it's my new love we're talking about here. Hee!

Z_U_later

Vifferman, yes they did resolve all my installation issues but guess what not more than 2 months after the new top was installed I started seeing wear marks in the same location again and it had gotten worse. I'm certain that a whole will apear shortly. I took it back to the dealer and my service rep agreed. After a few calls to Nissan Corp. my service rep got Nissan to fly out a top specialist to take a look at my car, they may have to replace the whole top assembly. They needed to find out the underline cause of what is causing the holes or else it will just keep happening. So the specialist is flying in next Thursday and I will be dropping my car off on Wednesday so he can have all day to look at it. The dealership is providing a loner car. Does anyone know if the lemon law applies here? I think is states if the same problems occurs 3 times and they cant resolve it they have to replace the vehicles or something, I could be wrong.

Zaggeron

^
Creases and wrinkles I can deal with -- I expect to get wear lines and so forth that outline the frame. I think that particular spot we are seeing, because of the way it creases, is collecting dirt. Z_U's problem was definitely the result of something rubbing a hole through the fabric. It may be that you can get the crease, and not have the same problem -- at least I'm hoping that's the case.

__________________
2010 Platinum Graphite 370z Roadster:Touring/Sport
2013 Subaru BRZ Limited