Our 2002 SC 430 top opened but would not close. We read in the book how to manually close and managed somehow to get it closed as rain was coming. Anyway, now we need to get it working automatically again. The book just says you have to take it to a dealer. Is there a way to do it yourself?

 

Welcome to Club Lexus!!!

i suppose you could click this link and start reading here...there are several reasons the top may not operate.
are you willing to learn? It may involve tools and taking things apart.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...-problems.html

 

The SC's comnvertible top is awesome. It is a symphony of moving parts.

However that makes it a little more complex to fix.

If you want to get it fixed your best bet is the dealer or an independent mechanic that specializes in Toyotas or Lexus

If you want to fix it yourself, and are of average mechanical ability with hours of time to spend, let us know and we will set you down the path.

 

Hi All,

I saw this thread, this is my first post and also have a 2002. I took mine to a dealer today, and as usual, could not offer much assistance without paying $$$$$. Anyway, they located my problem and apparently the trunk is not raising at the same speed on the right and left. It will raise all the way up, but at the very end there will be a tiny screech like a doorhinge as the driver's side adjusts to meet the passenger side, and you can see a slight flex. Because of this, the car must send a malfunctioning message stopping the main flap from raising, which is the second step. OF COURSE, they said this was very rare and would take hours, meaning tons of $$$. Pics and video attached. I'm praying to the internet gods and all you fine people that I did not buy a lemon. Car only has 100K miles.

 

You could make sure every joint is properly lubricated.

are there any codes?

there are more threads on this subject, just do a search.

 

I don't want to distract from the OP's post, but there seem to be alot of convertible problems for the 2002 model 15 years out. Do you know what this mechanism is called so I can search for the right thread? My car did not come with a manual.

 

see if this search link will show results.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sea...rchid=16913308

i just searched with "roof problems"

 

That is an interesting problem. The fact the motors aren't synched is weird.

Has there been any damage to the rear of the vehicle (Which is a comon reason in the SC for the top not working properly.)

My first step would be to take out all the carpet in the rear. This will allow you to see all the moving parts.

If all the parts are lubricated properly, maybe someting is binding (Causing that screeching noise) because the hinge isn't aligned properly.

You can watch this video to see how to take out the carpet, skip to the three minute mark
https://youtu.be/HAhQwPqpsyc

If you want, you can look through this list of codes, the description of the problem and the recommended solution. See if you can find a description of the problem similar to yours and then try the solution

Even better is if you look at the receipt from the dealer and see if there is a trouble code on it.

 

I think you are correct about the hinges not being aligned properly, as that was more or less what the technician told me. They didn't charge me for the initial diagnosis, but based on the (very helpful, btw) trouble codes, it looks to almost definitely be: "B2543 (05-2082) Abnormal Difference Between RH and LH Luggage Door Drive Motor Pulse". I don't however, see solutions to fix this problem and/or realigning the hinges.

To answer your other question, no, there is no damage whatsoever on this vehicle, aside from this malfunction, the vehicle is in pristine shape. It just seems to have happened randomly. I know this is probably not suggested or should be avoided, but if the luggage door stops at a full open, would trying to close it one side at a time by manually pressing down on it help or hurt my situation?

 

I don't know about that. I don't think it would be a good idea, because you may mishape some of the gears.

Which side is slower? The left (U.S. Driver's side) or the Right (U.S. Passengers side)

Can you visually see a difference?

I think you need a trunk lid motor, but before I jump to that conclusion, I think you should take out the carpet and see if the gears have gunk in them or if your problem can be solved by putting axle grease on them (like BGW said)

 

According to the technician at Lexus, the motor shows no sign of struggle, he's confident it's the alignment. And although it might be off, I still can't tell which side lags, it must be off by the smallest amount. The hard part about taking out the carpet is that the entire roof is in the trunk right now, so it's incredibly difficult to access most of those clips and screws. Would WD-40 do the trick on the hinges pictured above or does it have to be something stronger, like the grease you and @BGW mentioned?

 

UPDATE: I decided to spray some WD-40 I had lying around, drove it out in the sun for about an hour, it went up like there was never a problem. I am now thoroughly perplexed as to what is actually the cause. I must note, upon first trial, the roof went only half way and stopped. I restarted my car to restart the cycle and guided it with my hand and it is now closed, thank god. Now, I am more than nervous to ever open it again, could it really be that easy that the hinge needed lubrication? I lubricated both sides, btw...

^^ Maybe this will help the OP's problem since we both have the same 15 y/o 2002. A little TLC may go a long way.

 

WHO WOO! Let's hope it is a permanent fix.

I am not a big fan of WD40 for this application, I think you would be better off in the long run getting something thicker.
Maybe this:
Or this:

Something that you should keep in mind is people with top problems say they start out intermittent, so the grease may help, but it might not be a permanent fix.

 

WD 40 is more of a water displacing solvent rather than a lubricant. Any use of WD40 on parts meant to be lubricated should be followed up with an application of an actual lubricant like machine oil or grease depending on the application in question.

 

Please do a search for proper lubrication of these parts.

i myself used white lithium grease and thicker high quality grease depending on the area!

the result you experienced is telling me the roof needed some lubricant!

let this be a lesson to all of us...if you don't lubricate the top, it will bind and wear out those motors due to extra stress!

this also applies to all areas of the car, Door hinges, windows etc.

as for the engine area, you MUST change the fluids, to include the transmission, brake and power steering fluids. And don't forget about the antifreeze!
besides, it's cheaper to change the fluids vs rebuilding a major component!