Baffled!

[billyboy8]

I just purchased an 02 sc430 3 weeks ago. Love the car, but the top won't fully retract. Hit the button...all seems to go well, then stops before it dislodges from the front. Took it to the dealer, he had it for several hours. Everything tested ok, but he can't seem to figure why it won't unlatch from the front. He said he's worked for Lexus for many years and he's NEVER seen this with Lexus (Mercedes yes, Lexus no). Again, all diagnostics checked out fine. It just won't completely unlatch from the front. Help!!!

[Bluesman]

Hi Wil and welcome to the LOC, we are a
friendly bunch and some of us even know how to pull them to bits and
put them back together again, with of course the one bolt and washer
left over.

We recommend you spend a couple of mins
looking over the rules of the LOC, we will be asking questions later

I cant help with your present queries
but I'm sure someone will be along ASAP.

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/terms-conditions/

Regards Mike.

[Tel]

Hi Wil,

Put you ? to Safari or Google as someone will know the answer to your issue.

Tel

[Neil E]

Hi Wil

Welcome,

It would seem the motors that unlatch the top from the front screen assembly aren't operating or aren't moving far enough to disengage one or both latches. So my first thoughts are that it could be the latches or their unlocking actuators are stuck or that a sensor permitting their action in the opening sequence has failed. I did a quick search in the usual fashion and could only find one vaguely similar instance but no solution followed. Will dig a little more and let you know if I find anything.

A few questions for starters.

Did the roof work when you bought the car?

Is the Battery fully charged and the car running when you operate the roof?

When the roof doesn't open, it should produce an error code.

Has a diagnostic test actually been done on it by Lexus or with a proper scan-tool whilst the roof was in operation? (Info I've read suggests the codes aren't 'stored' so needs to be read whilst the roof is attempting to open.)

Did the dealer attempt to reset the roof ECU by disconnecting the Battery? (that would be my first move)

Does the roof open/close switch flash red when the roof stops in its cycle?

And finally if when the roof opening stalls and doesn't unlatch if you operate the button to close it momentarily and then try to open it again, does that free the latches at all? (It did in the other case I've read)