My model of MX-5 is: __2013 NC 3.5 sport tech coupe hardtop
I’m based near: __grantham
I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __ an issue with the folding top
this has happened twice now.
I pushed the button to put the top up and instead of the top going it, it just beeped at me.
it gives 3 quick beeps and the top didn’t go up.
the first time it happen I locked the car went away for 5 mins and when I came back and got in it and pressed the button the top went up fine.
the second time it happened
I got out of the car opened and closed the doors and boot lid and then locked and unlocked the car a couple of times from the key fob. and when I got back in again it went up fine.
so I’m going to take a wild guess here and it really is a wild guess.
I think the sensor that tells the roof that the car is in gear or moving is not resetting properly.
moving logically from the fact that the roof won’t operate while the car is moving or in gear I presume that there are either 1 or 2 sensors, probably in the gearbox, that give that info to the roof.
and the fact that when I have gone to close the roof on 2 occasions now and it has beeped as if it was moving or in gear, leads me to think that the sensor or sensors are at issue and need replacing!
so what do you guys think?
is my wild guess on the mark or am I way off?
Have you pressure washed the car?
A car I had a test drive in had similar issues and it turned out to be water driven into the electronics on the driver’s side of the roof mechanism.
As you suggest, the boot lid has to be closed and the windows also have to be down a bit.
Is the battery low perhaps??
Also check the bright silver bolts are tight. One on each side
Hi Thibor
My first stop before getting into some of the more tricky areas would definitely be that boot lid. Is it closing properly and does the car know that i.e.contacts all good and clean.
Google knows more than me BUT . . . . the window switches are a key part of the system. There have been cases where they are faulty and this causes problems. A guy in Oz did a YT video about repairing a poor solder joint in his switches. The soft-top swiches are NOT the dsame as our PRHT ones.
All the above!
And I assume you don’t have a “Smart-top” in the system.
To summarize:
Operator errors: (I’ve done the first three)
Is boot properly shut?
Is it out of gear? (Foot on clutch is not enough.)
Is hand brake fully on? (Brake light showing.)
Low battery or loose battery terminals. It is always best to operate roof when engine is running.
Possible real faults in order of probability:
Chrome headed bolts loose on deck mech, I used the gentle Loctite thread-lock to fix these.
Water in electrics 1 - footwell connector and fuses, fix passenger side scuttle grommet leak
Maybe the top-centre latch switch thinks it has not released, fiddly fix but easy when you know how.
Electric window switch - soldering fatigue on one pin, resolder properly
Water in electrics 2 - motor connector, fix deck seal leak.
There are some other possible problems I’ve heard of , but somewhat exotic, and usually the result of some inexpert fiddling about with electrics or the roof mechanism.
thanks, guys.
I think it might actually be the boot lid sensor as both times it did its beeping thing after I had been in the boot and then it worked again after I had opened and closed the boot lid.
also, @999to5 thank you for the tip about pressure washers!
I knew from the owner’s handbook that I shouldn’t use the automatic car wash (tho i tend to stay away from them anyway because of the marks they leave)
but I didn’t know that pressure washing could cause issues too.
from now on I will only use a hand car wash that uses a normal hose.
so thanks all, excellent advice once again from the members