roadster top warning light and beeper error

[bbquest]

Hi fellow Z roadster owners!

We've got a 2010 pearl white 7AT sport package roadster that we've owned since the day the fiance drove it off the showroom floor. We LOVE this machine. It's a daily driver, but we don't have a commute so it's still only got 8,000 on the odometer. It lives in a heated garage, since we reside in northwest WA and half the year is crappy weather. The car has been flawless until a few weeks ago.

We had a cold snap over the holidays that got down into the mid 20's. All of a sudden, when we take the car out of the garage to go somewhere, it runs fine TO our destination, but after parked outside for a while, we have a problem with the convertible top warning system on the ride home. There's a red icon on the dash that lights up, and the warning beeper/chime goes off ALL THE WAY HOME. It's enough to drive someone insane.

I've checked the top alignment and latches, and I've run through several open/close cycles in the garage with no problem. Yet the intermittent top warning error seems to keep reoccuring when the car is out in the cold. It's been at the dealership for two days, and they are very accommodating and have been on the phone with Nissan for hours but so far nobody can diagnose the problem.

I can't find any other threads on the net about this issue.

[SouthArk370Z]

My first guess is that the switch that tells the car that the top is fully closed is not aligned properly, but surely the dealer has already checked that.

[bbquest]

Thanks for the quick response SouthArk. I'm pretty sure we've got the only 370 roadster our local dealership has sold, so I'm guessing their tech's don't know squat about diagnosing these tops. They are trying. I just find it odd that it seems to be temperature dependent and intermittent. If a switch or sensor was out of alignment you'd think it would happen all the time. Thank god it acted up while they test drove it so at least they know I'm not hallusinating LOL. (It was cold again when I took it in for service)

[SouthArk370Z]

Originally Posted by bbquest

Thanks for the quick response SouthArk. I'm pretty sure we've got the only 370 roadster our local dealership has sold, so I'm guessing their tech's don't know squat about diagnosing these tops. They are trying.

My local dealer didn't seem to know much about 370Zs of any flavor (other than the MSRP) so I now use an out-of-town dealer for all my service. Don't be afraid to take it to another dealer - your warranty is with Nissan, not any particular dealer.

Originally Posted by bbquest

I just find it odd that it seems to be temperature dependent and intermittent. If a switch or sensor was out of alignment you'd think it would happen all the time.

That was just a guess. If the switch is just barely making when warm, the cold may shrink things enough to cause problems. Maybe not. I can't find anything on the 2009 FSM about the vert top, so I'm just shooting in the dark. Let the dealer worry about it.

[bbquest]

OMG!

Turns out there's some type of microswitch built into the hydraulic fluid pump mechanism that tells the car when the top is fully closed. This switch is acting up, and it apparently can't be replaced. The ENTIRE hydraulic pump assembly has to be replaced as a single unit to the tune of $3,500 in parts, plus some insane amount of labor time yet to be determined. Warranty is covering the repairs 100%, but this is virgin territory for the dealership. The technicians have never worked on a 370Z roadster top before. YIKES

[IDZRVIT]

Originally Posted by bbquest

OMG!

Turns out there's some type of microswitch built into the hydraulic fluid pump mechanism that tells the car when the top is fully closed. This switch is acting up, and it apparently can't be replaced. The ENTIRE hydraulic pump assembly has to be replaced as a single unit to the tune of $3,500 in parts, plus some insane amount of labor time yet to be determined. Warranty is covering the repairs 100%, but this is virgin territory for the dealership. The technicians have never worked on a 370Z roadster top before. YIKES

Don't sweat it too much. If they can read the service manual they'll get 'er done. I had my top replaced under warranty and the dealership had no experienced techs for top replacement. Worked out fine other than it took them an extra half day over what Nissan estimates for labour.

[Daveski38]

bbquest,

From what I was told. It will take 2 mech's 3 working days to replace the hydraulic system.

The problem the dealership will have is scheduling the 2 mech's.

I was told it would take a week for this to happen.

[bbquest]

Well, so much for replacing the hydraulic pump and all of the little cylinders. The technician broke a piece on my top trying to reassemble everything. The dealership now has to order an entire new top. The bill for parts and labor has now hit $15,800 and I'll be without our car another two weeks.

The good news is that the new top will come with all of the hydraulic cylinders and hoses already installed from the factory, so I don't have to worry about a botched job by the technician trying to tear my top up like he did the first time.

[zakimak]

I had the same problem and it was never really resolved. They change the top once already because of the notorious window tearing into the top. Now my top will not operate if both windows are fully down. I will try to resolve this problem in the spring. Good to know about the switch within the cylinder, I will advise them when I take in for the next service.

[bbquest]

zakimak

They told me that what's been throwing error codes to the cars dash and buzzer was a pressure sensor switch on one of the many hydraulic cylinders that open and close the top.

They don't know which one, and there's no way to trace it, so the entire assembly gets replaced. I call BS, but whatever, I'm under warranty.

I'll be asking for an extended warranty AT NO COST for this repair.

I'll update as my repairs progress.

[bbquest]

The entire new top assembly arrived and was installed easily and quickly. It fits like a glove! The dealer never should have attempted to replumb the hydraulic cylinders and hoses in the first place.

We're happy campers now.

[BeachZTT]

Same thing happened to us... they went as far as putting a new main ecu in the car before they realized the wire bundle in the top was chafed through. :/ We had a rental on them for a week and it was 100% covered. This is the only car I have ever purchased a warranty for and it was specifically because of the top. Glad they got you sorted out.

[Zrider79]

wow, im getting this constant beep at times, i couldn't figure out why, its kinda intermittent right now, i have not got a code either.

[SouthArk370Z]

Originally Posted by Zrider79

wow, im getting this constant beep at times, i couldn't figure out why, its kinda intermittent right now, i have not got a code either.

Many auto parts stores will loan you a ODB scanner. Before I got my own scanner, I'd go to my local OReilley's, give them my drivers license, go out to the parking lot and read the codes, take the scanner back inside, and get my d/l back. Took all of about 3 minutes.

[Zrider79]

I havent gotten a code to scan, no light on dash ! The beeping is intermittent at this point. Sounds like im going to get the bring it back when the problem is there solution from nissan, got a appointment next week, we will see.