A new "Top" problem

vifferman · 06-30-2010, 04:59 PM

Well, this is really strange and hard to explain, but my top bulge seems to have self-corrected. It first appeared after a top-down drive on Sunday morning, and was still prevalent on Tuesday after several efforts to diagnose/correct. Went for a top-down drive last evening, and stopped at a friend's house to show off my new baby. Raised the top to demonstrate the process & to let him view the problem. What? - it's gone! Followed through with a 9:30 appointment at the dealer today to check the top issue and replace a faulty illuminated kick plate. New kick plate looks good, and the technician said that while he didn't have a final answer from Nissan yet, his contact said that they will most likely replace the top. Got home, did two more top-down/up tests, and everything seems good again. Hmm...fingers are tightly crossed, as I would hope to avoid the trauma of a top replacement at this early date (my ZR is just 3 weeks new).

BTW - the tech (seemingly a smart, good guy) said that they've already replaced a couple of tops (one was improperly stitched, and separated at the driver's side rear seam). Hope we're not all in for a bad adventure here.

vifferman · 07-01-2010, 03:42 PM

Eureka! I think I've solved the mystery "top bulge" problem myself (no thanks to the dealer tech who was dumbfounded, and called Nissan before making any real attempt to diagnose the problem himself). He said, "well, there's no access to the interior of the top, so my initial call to Nissan suggests that we'll have to replace it." WRONG!...got to thinking last evening, and lowered the top just half way to reveal a full open view of the area in question. The culprit is a nylon pad/guard (as expected) that is velcroed to the top fabric to cushion it from a plastic rail clip assembly below. My guess is that the bulge occurred when the pad got caught on the back edge of the clip, and then eventually freed itself and returned to normal. There's another nylon guard that runs the middle length of the frame rail, and it may have been a catch point as well. Made a few adjustments, and so far so good. Can't begin to express my sense of relief, but now wonder if I should trust the dealer even to do the Free first oil change. The "top" issue didn't exactly inspire confidence.

06-30-2010, 04:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
vifferman Base Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 62 Drives: '04 TSX, '10 370ZR Rep Power: 18	Update Well, this is really strange and hard to explain, but my top bulge seems to have self-corrected. It first appeared after a top-down drive on Sunday morning, and was still prevalent on Tuesday after several efforts to diagnose/correct. Went for a top-down drive last evening, and stopped at a friend's house to show off my new baby. Raised the top to demonstrate the process & to let him view the problem. What? - it's gone! Followed through with a 9:30 appointment at the dealer today to check the top issue and replace a faulty illuminated kick plate. New kick plate looks good, and the technician said that while he didn't have a final answer from Nissan yet, his contact said that they will most likely replace the top. Got home, did two more top-down/up tests, and everything seems good again. Hmm...fingers are tightly crossed, as I would hope to avoid the trauma of a top replacement at this early date (my ZR is just 3 weeks new). BTW - the tech (seemingly a smart, good guy) said that they've already replaced a couple of tops (one was improperly stitched, and separated at the driver's side rear seam). Hope we're not all in for a bad adventure here.

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07-01-2010, 03:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
vifferman Base Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 62 Drives: '04 TSX, '10 370ZR Rep Power: 18	Eureka! I think I've solved the mystery "top bulge" problem myself (no thanks to the dealer tech who was dumbfounded, and called Nissan before making any real attempt to diagnose the problem himself). He said, "well, there's no access to the interior of the top, so my initial call to Nissan suggests that we'll have to replace it." WRONG!...got to thinking last evening, and lowered the top just half way to reveal a full open view of the area in question. The culprit is a nylon pad/guard (as expected) that is velcroed to the top fabric to cushion it from a plastic rail clip assembly below. My guess is that the bulge occurred when the pad got caught on the back edge of the clip, and then eventually freed itself and returned to normal. There's another nylon guard that runs the middle length of the frame rail, and it may have been a catch point as well. Made a few adjustments, and so far so good. Can't begin to express my sense of relief, but now wonder if I should trust the dealer even to do the Free first oil change. The "top" issue didn't exactly inspire confidence.