2006 Lexus Sc430. When car in hot climate (temp> 88 F) the roof opening and closing will not finalize. The switch when pressed stays red and one can hear clunk sound when it is depressed. Sometimes continued togging of switch will finalize closure of the top. Ran techstream software and error codes B2529 and B2543 recorded. Appears luggage lock switch RH malfunction.

 

B2543 is "Abnormal Difference Between RH and LH Luggage Door Drive Motor Pulse"
(Luggage door drive gear assy RH // Luggage door drive gear assy LH)

B2529 is "Luggage Front Lock Switch RH Malfunction"
(Limit switch assy (Luggage front lock RH))

Sounds like the ECU is getting the message the LH side is closed but the RH side is not closed and so the ECU stops the procedure.
This would be consistent with your pressing it again and maybe now both sides are reporting closes, so AOK.

Have you lubed everything to make sure that nothing is binding on the RH side and keeping it from smoothly finishing the operation? Certainly a cheap place to start. Probably goes without saying but use white lithium grease and definitely NOT WD-40 (which is perhaps the most misunderstood product of all time).

 

I lubricated all visible sliding parts with spray white lithium grease. Inspected the limit switches which seem to be depressed when needed and open when needed. I wonder if these switches can be adjusted, as in the small metal arm bent further out to depress the switch more firmly when operated. I did this to the rear trunk release switch. It was mounted in a slide adjustment. Just slid it over tightened it and it worked fine. Also has anyone seen these switches fail?

 

Can you hear the switches click? (Um, probably can't with the top moving.) Observe how far the switches get pressed and then do it manually to see how far you have to depress the switch for it to click. If you have to press if farther or just about the same distance as the top does, then perhaps a switch adjustment would help. If the switch depression is right on the edge (working or not working) then definitely adjust the switch.

I think the most failures reported on this forum have been motors, cables coming off of pulleys and something else mechanical that is slipping my mind right now. (There have been a couple with bent arms but I think that those were related to previous wrecks.)

 

My garage is close to 98 F right now. I will have to wait for it to cool down before I disassemble the trunk liner and start testing switches. This switch appears to be just an on/off switch as seen on the techstream. You guys are awesome. I will get back to you and let you know what I find. I hope it will help others.

 

Not that switch, but a similar "what position is the top in" switch. Check out this thread. Similar situation where the switch failed and so the ECU was given a fault that stopped the top.

 

Can you tell us more about your car? Was it ever in an accident? That is a common reason for the convertible tops to have problems. In fact, that is why I had problems with my convertible top.

I think this means that the motors are not turning at the same speed. This could be due to damage to one of the motors. It is important the motors turn at the same speed, or else the top ends up cockeyed and the ecu stops the process.

 

Did you ever turn any of the little bolts on your right hand hinge? If so, you turned one too much. If you look at the center of your hinge, there is a catch that closes when the roof is retracted and opened. If the catch doesn't fall all the way, the switch isn't closed.

I ran into this problem when I was trying to get my trunk to sit flush, I turned some adjustment screws that got the lid to sit better, but at the cost of the trunk not closing properly. I had to turn them back of course and get body shims to go under the hinge.

Here are some pdfs from the great BGW that may help you.

 

Hi Johnny what are the issues with wd40 ? How are you doing
Buddy

 

its not really meant to lube the roof gear and joints unless you are cleaning rust etc.

 

This happened to my car.

Here' the whole story. After owning my car for about a month top quit. Red light on dash came on..and that's was it. Then my shift lock would acuate and not allow shifter to move. Bought the useless...to me .... Techstream cable. Never could get it to load on my laptop. I took it to an independant shop that had proper diag equipment. Codes said power lost to shift interlock and magnetic trunk switch bad. Had a loose wire on Interlock switch...fixed...and replaced RH mag switch. Top worked for about a week....then when activating it made a weird clicking sound coming from the right hinge. Took back to shop..and code was the hinge motors were out of sync. Luckily shortly after I bought my car...after reading these tops are prone to breaking...I bought a pair of hinge assy's on ebay for $150. I had the shop replace complete RH hinge....fixed the problem. Now trouble free for about 2 months.

The moral of the story...the SC...while a excellent reliable car...the tops are very complex and are the somewhat prone to quirky problems. BTW my car is a 2006 2 owner car with 35k miles... excellent service records from a Lexus dealer.

 

Sorry for the delayed answer to the original problem. The adjustment bolt that the top rests on towards the rear had to be lowered just a tad to allow the luggage latch motor to catch the horseshoe shaped latch. Top has worked perfect since.