Hi, I am new to the forum, bought my low mileage 350Z (40000) a little over a year ago. The car is in great shape, verything worked great, but the top needed replacing, because it had started to develop some tears. I installed a new Robbins stayfast top just this week. On completion, the top will not close completely. the fabric part closes properly. goes all the way to the windshield, and the glass rear section stays up properly waiting for the lid to close., but the storage lid will not close, does not move at all, stays in uppermost position. I can close the top and the lid closes and latches properly, but when attempting to erect the top the lid opens raises fully, the fabric top erects ,but only goes as far as waiting for the storage lid to close and goes no farther.
Any ideas, I have searched but found no help regarding my problem

 

Based on your description, going from full open to full close, the tonneau cover or storage lid is stuck in the fully open position.

After this step, the roof actuator sends a signal to start the close sequence. In order for this to happen, the following conditions must be met:
Storage lid full open detection switch : OFF → ON
Storage lid actuator (LH and RH) : OPEN → STOP
Roof actuator (LH and RH) : CLOSE
Roof full open detection switch : ON → OFF
Body interference prevention switch : ON → OFF

It sounds like a faulty or disconnected switch or roof actuator.

 

It's likely the roof full open detection switch isn't closing because the roof isn't quite fully open due to the tight new top.

The top probably isn't opening all the way because the fabric is new and too tight. It needs to stretch a bit. There are switches all over the top mechanism that tell the top module that the top is in the proper position for the next step in the process. If a switch doesn't get closed, the next step won't happen. Manually push the top to the windshield and latch it, then park it in the sun to let the fabric get hot and stretch.

 

The roof fully opens and the lid fully closes during the "top down" cycle, The lid will not close ONLY during the "Top Up" cycle

 

Yes, that's what I'm saying... When the top goes up, it's not going up enough to trip the switch for the next step because it's too tight. Park it in the sun so the fabric gets hot.

 

Do you know where that switch is located? I suppose it could have been accidentally disconnected also

 

At what stage does everything stop exactly?

After latching the front at the top of the windshield:

Does the 5th bow motor raise the 5th bow (rear of the top) to the 90 degree position where it is vertical and parallel to the vertical storage lid or is the 5th bow still at an angle?

Or, if pictures are better, does it hang up at CL 5 or CL 6?

 

Stops in CL6 position

 

Yep, that's the 5th bow full open detection switch. It is likely that the fabric is too tight and needs to stretch like i8acobra mentioned since that switch is also responsible for the opening sequence. If it was malfunctioning, I don't believe it would go from full close to full open.

 

If you're still not having any success, here is a diagram of all the switches and their locations:

 

Thanks, yes I saw this, downloaded and printed the complete RF roof manual. I am having trouble getting a perspective of of how "C" is viewed. Is the 5th bow partially raised in "C" view?

 

Hey! just fixed a sheared wire on that exact switch, the diagram for C is awful, the "5th Bow Full Open" switch you're looking for is actually lower than the circled area on the driver's side. the easiest way to get at it is to go with the 5th bow pointed upwards at 90 degrees, you can see a bracket where the bow meets the car on the driver's side. That bracket has the 5th bow switches bolted to it. if you can't find the bracket try tracing the black cables that run up to the roof, they'll lead you there. there are 2 bright blue switches on the bracket. The switch closest to the driver is the one you're after. the bracket comes out really easily with a screwdriver so doing that will let you inspect the switches with no problem!

If I may add my 2 cents though, when my "5th bow full open" switch broke, the storage lid didn't move at all, for instance; trying to put the roof up from a full close would only move the seats, and the storage lid wouldn't budge. But from what I've read, it sounds like your storage lid is actuating to allow you to put the roof up. which makes me doubt if the "5th bow full open" switch is the one you're after. in any case, it doesn't take long to check so I'd do it anyway just to see if anything sticks out as "wrong" with the switches.

Best of luck!

 

Finally figured this out, the top control module had failed for some reason. I replaced it with a junkyard part and all is good. Thanks to all that lent advice.