Credit for this discovery goes out to Jody, a fellow roadster owner who has been sharing observations/discoveries.

The solution is to rev the engine to 1700-2000 RPM while lowering the top.
I have done this for over a month now and the top has operated flawlessly every time!!

Jody diagnosed the problem as a power supply issue. There are many possible causes for this power supply issue, with the main culprit probably being the convertible top module. Another roadster owner had the module replaced and the problem disappeared---only to return in a little over a year.

With a new OEM module at around $900, and used modules a gamble, this solution works fine for me.

So there it is!
Hope this works for you!!

~Steve