grottoman

Hello all-

I've had my car for ~4.5 years, never had a problem with the roof. Have luxlink installed.

Today, I think I did my usual double tap (luxlink) to open the roof, but stayed in the car. I have a vague sensation that I somehow interrupted the normal sequence (I typically double tap, open door, hit door lock, close door, and walk off).

When I went to leave, although visually the roof was fully open, the light was red, and it was beeping at me when I was in motion more than ~3 mph.

I have checked all of the following:
-the button in the glovebox (set to operative)
-the 'cover' in the trunk that has to be in its seated position (the sensors to ensure nothing's blocking the roof from being stowed away)
-have tried turning the car on & off multiple times

I finally got to where I decided to try to close the roof manually, and see if that resolved the issue (in case it was a cable off its rail, or something like that).

What I found in trying to close the roof, is that it appears to be fully latched on one side, but not on the other, which is I think the inconsistency that's blocking it from opening or closing.

Having elevated the trunk lid to its up / extended position, I then raised the package tray and rotated the two 'side paddles' out of the way.

Next was the attempt to slowly / carefully lift the actual roof out of its stowed position (with two people).

That's when we saw that on one side, the roof was loose / ready to raise.
On the other, there is a small overlap of a 'finger' from the roof, underneath a small 'finger' of metal attached underneath the package tray.
It appears that when those two metal parts are 'stacked', it keeps the roof in place (i.e., if you try to lift the roof, its finger touches the other finger, so it's not free to be lifted).
So on one side, the two fingers are lined up, and the roof is not coming up.
On the other, the finger from the package tray seems to be rotated towards the front of the car just enough to let the roof finger clear it.
I wasn't able to figure out how to move either finger from either side, on the roof or the package tray side, but this seems to be the issue.

Does anybody know for sure which of the two fingers is supposed to move? (It seems like it has to be the one 'underneath' the package tray, not the one on the roof, to me).
Does anybody know how to rotate the one on the package tray side?

I'm convinced that if I could do that, I could then raise the roof, close it, fully close everything up, and then hopefully I'd be back in business.

However, as other posts have comments, the instructions in the manual are pretty crappy, and completely conflict (it seems to me) with the one page pdf drawing that Habious / others have posted & referenced. The manual talks about disconnecting cables, unscrewing hex bolts, etc. The pdf basically just shows lifting the ~3 components (trunk, package tray, and roof).
I was down that path, but as I say, the roof component seems to be blocked on one side.

Thanks for any feedback!

Habious

Here's the chapter from the service manual on the "sliding roof" (as they call it).

I think what you're looking for is on page 9.

I had a problem recently with the motor that works those 2 roof latches. My roof also got stuck in the trunk because it was latched. I took mine to the dealer (there was a thunderstorm on the way, and I don't have a garage); I didn't have time to mess with it.

It is my understanding that the two catches are tied together via a linkage in the roof panel. The motor (the part of my car that failed) turns the linkage and BOTH catches lock or unlock. Not sure how they would/could get out of sync.

I know this doesn't really help you but, you can manually move that linkage (with the Z-shaped tool in the toolkit) if the roof is closed/up.

grottoman

As usual, you're right on it and right.

'Roof stopper' seems to be the culprit.

Not sure I have the technical skills to figure out how to manually deal with this, but very comfortable I can push a local car guy or Lexus dealer to address it without trying to sell me brand new roof motors, etc, etc...

Thanks!!

Re: the getting out of synch, I see rumors about 'interruption' of the sequence if turning off the engine at the wrong time. I vaguely had the sensation that I had done something atypical, and I suspect perhaps that I interrupted the cycle and maybe that's how one latched and the other didn't...

BTW, was also interesting to read about your Tesla adoption. My current plan is to give my current 03 to my niece in about three years. I will probably garage it & try to replace the leather in a couple years, and then pick up a newer SC430, as I like them that much.

However, your Tesla option will make me at least take a sniff... How would you describe the cabin relative to the SC430 (size / room / comfort)?

Thanks buddy!!

Habious

If you look at the diagram on the top of page 16 of the attachment I posted...the two latches are tied together with a linkage. There's a single motor that moves both latches at the same time. I don't know how you'd move one without moving the other. So, I don't think it was about interrupting the cycle.

But, I agree with your plan to hand it over to a professional. I've messed with a lot of stuff on the SC430 but, the moment I had a roof problem, I drove straight to the dealership.

I don't want to take this treat too far off topic, so I sent you a PM comparing the two cars.

If others are interested in my comparisons, I can post the details in the thread I started about getting the Tesla.

grottoman

rear quarter windows are still down, and the code is still throwing 'half open' or something like that.

At a lexus shop (not dealer), but they weren't able to get the windows to finish rolling up, despite the roof now being closed...

I've seen reference to disconnecting the battery for a while, thought I might try that as a hail mary, I dunno.

But next stop seems to be dealer, ouch.

grottoman

Roof and windows are now closing and opening, but still reporting 'mid cycle' or something thereabouts, not operating properly.

Will post final diagnosis if I get there....

Argh!

grottoman

Final status:

Codes were B2511 and B2527

They replaced the roof latch motor.

Although he had no responsibility for the situation (I am in the SouthEast), I reached out to Steve Larkin of Luxury Motorworks for some insight and help about the LuxLink, and he was great as always. During diagnostics, I realized that I hadn't mentioned the LuxLink control to the dealer, and wondered if perhaps the LuxLink itself had become confused by a sequence issue (i.e., when I turned off the engine in the cycle of roof closure).

The dealer temporarily disconnected it just to take it out of the equation, but put it back in after the motor was replaced and all is back to normal.

In the middle of it, Steve offered that it might be shavings / metal in the motor causing issues.

The dealer says they ruled that out, but frankly it happened in a rush once that motor came in, and I didn't get a chance to talk to them about the details (or the other 3 minor things I had asked them to look at!).

Thanks to Habious and Steve for their help and responsiveness- they seem more interested in helping us than the dealers we pay!