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Hey not sure if you guys have checked out this thread out to see if it solves your problem with the 5th bow motor. I googled it and found this to be very helpful after i replaced my top and it was not closing all the way. https://my350z.com/forum/maintenance...th-photos.html
Hey not sure if you guys have checked out this thread out to see if it solves your problem with the 5th bow motor. I googled it and found this to be very helpful after i replaced my top and it was not closing all the way. https://my350z.com/forum/maintenance...th-photos.html
I'm laughing right now because I just changed my top and had such easy access to the motor, haha. But thanks, I'll give this a shot. Definitely looks good. Hopefully fixing it will make my top close all the way. Appreciate the link
so i tried cleaning that motor and i didnt work any other ideas. its right before it goes down all the way like it just dies. ill have to get a vid of it probably
Last edited by 350Z Project X; 12-02-2011 at 01:14 PM.
Mine stuck for a minute the last time I opened it this summer. I freaked out and peed my pants a little. I'm praying that it will not be an issue next summer. lol
I also have an 04, I spent over $600.00 at Cerritos Nissan to have the elastic bands replaced, which is what the service tech advised me to do to get the lid to completely close(Jan 5, 2012). Today I took the vehicle back to Cerritos Nissan cause the lid still did not completely closing. after over two hours of waiting the service tech said it was cloth top. He said the cloth top did not fold correctly "meaning the material was creased in the wrong area" Next he suggested I wet the top on a hot day then open it and when it folds into the storage area continue to hold the button and have a friend push the lid completely closed. Next let the vehicle sit in the hot sun for several days and hopefully it will be creased in the correct location, then he referenced "its like ironing your pants" (wtf)...or i could order a new material top for $1700.00 before labor.....Have you had any luck figuring out you problem. I will never go back to Cerritos Nissan for anything.
I also have an 04, I spent over $600.00 at Cerritos Nissan to have the elastic bands replaced, which is what the service tech advised me to do to get the lid to completely close(Jan 5, 2012). Today I took the vehicle back to Cerritos Nissan cause the lid still did not completely closing. after over two hours of waiting the service tech said it was cloth top. He said the cloth top did not fold correctly "meaning the material was creased in the wrong area" Next he suggested I wet the top on a hot day then open it and when it folds into the storage area continue to hold the button and have a friend push the lid completely closed. Next let the vehicle sit in the hot sun for several days and hopefully it will be creased in the correct location, then he referenced "its like ironing your pants" (wtf)...or i could order a new material top for $1700.00 before labor.....Have you had any luck figuring out you problem. I will never go back to Cerritos Nissan for anything.
Geesh, $600 just for th elastic bands? That's pretty crazy. There was one suggestion on here that I have not tried but sounded like it might take care of my problem. Here is the link. I believe the issue is the motor. I would have tried the repair but I learned of it after changing the top.
I ended up replacing the top myself and that was only $520 and a free weekend. I kind of understand the logic of a new top and a hot and cold day, but to try and force the top close just sounds like it will damage some of the mechanisms in the top. I would play around with the tension on the velcro strap that's right above your head.
I hope this helps. I know the frustration of having this car and not having it work properly. Have you had the issue of the BASS cutting in and out? That's a headache also.
Press the button with your left hand. Push the 5th bow down with your right hand as the top folds. Do this everytime and you will never have to replace the elastics bands.
Thank you so much for this post Jennifer this helped a lot.
Originally Posted by juanl1999
Jennifer, thanks for the info. This is the best response I’ve found to the problem although unfortunately it didn’t fix it. And yes I was referring to “the latch built into the hatch lid that reaches up and pulls the back of the top down tight.” I did what the service bulletin said however it didn’t work. It seems like the motor in the hatch lid has lost its strength. I took off the pin to the cable just to see if it would move and it does so I at least know it kind of works but unfortunately it does not close down the top tight. I moved the mechanism with my hand and it moves very smoothly so I don’t think I will add anymore grease to the mechanism.
Brian, here is the link that I found for the service bulletin Jennifer told me about. It’s very detailed and even shows pics of what to grease and what kind of grease to use.
Juan, there two different functions that could be at the root of your problem. The 5th bow motor folds and unfolds the rear panel (the one with the rear window in it) of the roof. This motor works through quite a lot of linkage and sliders that should be lubed every few years to keep from getting sticky, or alternately the motor might be getting lazy.
The second item that might be causing this is the linkage from the auto lock motor (housed in the hatch lid) being out of place. This is the latch built into the hatch lid that reaches up and pulls the back of the top down tight. There is a technical service bulletin on this from Nissan. It’s a very simple and quick repair that doesn’t require any new parts.
If you google Nissan Service Bulletin NTB03-122 it has information on few problems relevant to this operation of the power top. Check a few sources for this bulletin to get one with all the detailed pictures of the service procedure.
I also have a 2004 roadster and lubing all the power top mechanisms (there are a lot of them) every three years has kept the top operating very smoothly.
Jennifer 2 -- Help me ObiWan... Need that info on the soft top rear latch auto lock alignment. When raising my top, the rear comes all the way down but the rear latch won't seat. The rest of the movement is healthy, so I don't suspect the 5th bow motor. I have lubed what I can reach via the access panel in the rear deck, and followed NTB03-122 (even took a bit of slack out of the auto-closure wire.) With the cable unhooked I can actuate the latch by hand. Any other suggestions?
Well like I said other people have had the issue, gotten it fixed but it's never clear what was the root of the problem. Not having it close isn't a big deal but if I can fix it on the cheap then all the better.
i know this is a very old thread but I am having this exact issue with my lockdown motor and cannot find the bulletin anywhere to save my life!! If you still have a link that works or a copy to the bulletin so I can troubleshoot to see if I can get mine working I would greatly appreciate it!! Been praying the weather doesn’t get bad here cause it’s my only car and water is just gonna poor in from the 1” gap that I cannot close!!
And fair warning since you're new. I have no idea what your technical skill level is, but if you haven't back-probed connectors before and added power (and for this, I strongly recommend you use an appropriate tool like a PowerProbe as opposed to the jumpers they show in the TSB,) then find someone who knows what they're doing. There is a very real possibility that you could fry your BCM or ECU if you accidently probe the wrong wire or short a connection with the pin and that can get VERY expensive to fix.
And fair warning since you're new. I have no idea what your technical skill level is, but if you haven't back-probed connectors before and added power (and for this, I strongly recommend you use an appropriate tool like a PowerProbe as opposed to the jumpers they show in the TSB,) then find someone who knows what they're doing. There is a very real possibility that you could fry your BCM or ECU if you accidently probe the wrong wire or short a connection with the pin and that can get VERY expensive to fix.
Ok first of all thank you so much for the response and the link to the bulletin! so when I opened panel it did look like it was “overextended” so I took out the pin and turned it counterclockwise and it went back into the motor, put the pin back in and closed it up and tried once again to put top up and still would not do anything once it got to the point where it is supposed to pull tight. Is it possible that I still need reset the auto wire? Kinda lost at this point.
I don't have a roadster, so I'm not going to claim any expertise with regard to the issues you're having. Feel free to post a help ticket in the Maintenance & Repair Forum. Also, please introduce yourself on the New Owners Forum and finally, if you need a copy of your Factory Service Manual (FSM,) you can download it from Nicoclub at THIS LINK.
Be sure to list your model year and mileage when you ask for help in the Maintenance & Repair Forum.
Reviving a dead thread here but incase anyone needs help. I solved the issue!
My problem was that a spring in the tonneau cover's latching motor broke off, perhaps rusted after I decided to wash it with the top down to clean the cover.
Here:
Juan, there two different functions that could be at the root of your problem. The 5th bow motor folds and unfolds the rear panel (the one with the rear window in it) of the roof. This motor works through quite a lot of linkage and sliders that should be lubed every few years to keep from getting sticky, or alternately the motor might be getting lazy.
The second item that might be causing this is the linkage from the auto lock motor (housed in the hatch lid) being out of place. This is the latch built into the hatch lid that reaches up and pulls the back of the top down tight. There is a technical service bulletin on this from Nissan. It’s a very simple and quick repair that doesn’t require any new parts.
If you google Nissan Service Bulletin NTB03-122 it has information on few problems relevant to this operation of the power top. Check a few sources for this bulletin to get one with all the detailed pictures of the service procedure.
I also have a 2004 roadster and lubing all the power top mechanisms (there are a lot of them) every three years has kept the top operating very smoothly.
How do I get photos to show how how fix or check the 5th bow?
I replaced the REAR LOCK FOLDING ROOD, which is the component that pull latch down to completely close the top. Now, it is sticking right behind the seats. Is this the 5ht bow?
10-06-2011, 09:06 AM
any other ideas. its right before it goes down all the way like it just dies. ill have to get a vid of it probably
Thanks
