'03 Convertible top stuck

Eilermoon · Apr 28, 2020

'03 GT Convertible! My top has been really sluggish lately and just today stopped working at all-no sound coming from it, no movement when pushing the button to go back up (Yeah, it's stuck down right now). I imagine this may be due to the common issue of being low on hydraulic fluid, I filled this up due to a very slow top when I first bought it back in June of '19. My question is more if this is the issue, does that mean there is a leak somewhere? Should I be replacing parts of the hydraulic system so I don't have to deal with this again in just 6 more months?

wmburns · Apr 28, 2020

Eilermoon said:
just today stopped working at all-no sound coming

Just wondering. How do you know your problem isn't electrical in nature? It seems to me that IF the only thing wrong was low on fluid that you would still hear the motor run.

There are raise and lower relays under the rear back seat cover.

Brian 01 Cobra vert · Apr 28, 2020

My side lifter went bad. After it was replaced, the top raised and lowered normally.
I don’t remember if the top made noises when I tried to operate the top.
The main motor could be bad.
My car is nearly 20 years old. Looks like a pretty straight forward job to replace.

Eilermoon · Apr 29, 2020

wmburns said:
Just wondering. How do you know your problem isn't electrical in nature? It seems to me that IF the only thing wrong was low on fluid that you would still hear the motor run.

There are raise and lower relays under the rear back seat cover.

Yeah I've had this thought as well, I'm not sure as I haven't looked at it yet. Do you have any more info on these relays? I've spent a good amount of time under and behind those back seats but am not sure where those are.

Eilermoon · Apr 29, 2020

Brian 01 Cobra vert said:
My side lifter went bad. After it was replaced, the top raised and lowered normally.
I don’t remember if the top made noises when I tried to operate the top.
The main motor could be bad.
My car is nearly 20 years old. Looks like a pretty straight forward job to replace.

I imagine it's rare for both sides to go at the same time though? Neither side budged or made noise. In the meantime, does anyone know if one is able to manually pull the top back up without damaging anything?

Brian 01 Cobra vert · Apr 30, 2020

Eilermoon said:
I imagine it's rare for both sides to go at the same time though? Neither side budged or made noise. In the meantime, does anyone know if one is able to manually pull the top back up without damaging anything?

Eilermoon · Apr 30, 2020

Quick update: got the top up the other day manually, just had to push the button to go up while pulling up the top, otherwise it would lock.

That being said, the motor does whine when pushing the button still, I must not have heard it before as it's relatively quiet and I could only hear it in my garage yesterday as opposed to outside. So I can likely rule out electrical problems.

Still guessing it's just very low on fluid. I should get a chance to work on her this weekend, I'll update then.

Brian 01 Cobra vert · Apr 30, 2020

Only one of my side RAMS failed and the top was stuck open until it was replaced under warranty. It smelled like WD40. I once tried to pull up on the top to close it unsuccessfully. It’s an awkward angle, standing on the backseat. Two or three people might be able to carefully lift it to close it.

Eilermoon · May 3, 2020

So I was able to get into it this yesterday and filled up the hydraulic rervoir, worked fine after that. But I decided to look for a leak around the whole hydraulic system.

Specifically, one of the hydraulic cylinders was leaking from the seal between the extension rod and the exterior cylinder. The top also will not hold itself halfway up, but will slowly fall down as if the hydraulics lose pressure.

Is there a way to fix this cylinder? Maybe replace an O-ring? Or is the fix simply to replace the cylinder?

Franklino · May 3, 2020

Hey all. I am brand new to StangNet, just got an 04 GT Conv, nice, <50K miles.... Same problem, stupid question: Where is the hydraulic reservoir, and what do I fill it with? My conv top quit closing too. Thanks very much for any help.

Eilermoon · May 3, 2020

You have to take the rear seats out (bottom and back) and it's behind there. You fill with ATF that is labeled on the reservoir itself, Dextrom III if I remember correctly? It's a common ATF.

This is a good video on it, there's a lot of them: View: https://youtu.be/Ur384nS2QVU

Franklino · May 4, 2020

Oh super! Of course! Thanks @Eilermoon ! Really appreciate it, bud! This car is relatively new to me. I inherited it. It's been a ball though. Very clean, zero rust, loaded, 47K miles, lifetime garage queen. It's 110% stock too. I'd like to upgrade it some with suspension and performance parts but try to keep everything reversible. Body stability is good but not great--it torques a little, totally unsurprisingly. I am thinking strut tower brace and roll bar? (any suggestions? ) Anyway, thanks so much for the info amigo.Yee haw

Brian 01 Cobra vert · May 4, 2020

Eilermoon,
I don’t know about rebuilding the side RAMs. Mine were replaced Under warranty when they failed. Sorry brutha.

I looked up a few local convertible shops, some rebuild the cylinders. Try shops in your area for rebuild service and an estimate.

Brian 01 Cobra vert · May 4, 2020

Franklino said:
Oh super! Of course! Thanks @Eilermoon ! Really appreciate it, bud! This car is relatively new to me. I inherited it. It's been a ball though. Very clean, zero rust, loaded, 47K miles, lifetime garage queen. It's 110% stock too. I'd like to upgrade it some with suspension and performance parts but try to keep everything reversible. Body stability is good but not great--it torques a little, totally unsurprisingly. I am thinking strut tower brace and roll bar? (any suggestions? ) Anyway, thanks so much for the info amigo.Yee haw

Welcome brutha,
I’d skip the roll bar and instead move forward on your suspension plans. Steering Rack polyurethane bushings, Ball Joints and bushings, sway bars...all of that fun stuff. YouTube has a cool channel called: Warhorse Racing. He’s big into autocross racing and is knowledgeable about New Edge Mustang suspension workings.

Franklino · May 4, 2020

Brian 01 Cobra vert said:
Welcome brutha,
I’d skip the roll bar and instead move forward on your suspension plans. Steering Rack polyurethane bushings, Ball Joints and bushings, sway bars...all of that fun stuff. YouTube has a cool channel called: Warhorse Racing. He’s big into autocross racing and is knowledgeable about New Edge Mustang suspension workings.

Fantastic! Thanks so much Brian! Will do!

Eilermoon · May 29, 2020

Quick update: About a week ago I installed a used hydraulic cylinder in place of the one that was leaking pretty bad. Seems to work well and doesn't leak, I got it for ~$45 on ebay.

Unfortunately after filling up the system again, the top was still extremely slow going up and actually wouldn't go up at all after doing so once. The good news is no leaking from the cylinder, the bad news is that has to mean the pump is old and not doing it's job well anymore. It's trying and making noise when prompted, but isn't lifting the rams at all anymore. Gonna start looking for a new motor that won't break the bank or places that would rebuild it for relatively cheap. Any advice on where to look would be great! Would love to not have to drop another $200 into this problem.

Eilermoon · Jun 5, 2020

Found a used pump off a 2000 convertible sitting in a local junkyard I grabbed and threw in, it works great now!

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