convertible top problem

[greybeast]

Sequence:

1. Doors closed, brake on, key turned on
2. Top manually disengaged and pushed back until beep
3. Top down button held, seats slide forward
4. Passenger seat stops as it normally would, D/S seat keeps moving forward
5. D/S seat hits the forward limit and stops. Top does not go down

Questions:

1. Is there a sensor that detects that that seat has moved forward enough to permit the top to drop?
2. If so, where is it?
3. Is it more likely a sensor issue or an ECU issue? The top was working normally 3 hours before this happened.
4. Is there a way to bypass this process and get the top down anyway?

Thanks to all for your input,

GB

[WATSON]

1. Seat pot on drivers seat is most likely shot. Numerous posts about that and its repair.
2. The emergency power top operation is spelled out in the manual.

[gothspeed]

Have you checked the fluid reservoir level?

[jevs]

Seat pot broke or seat computer problem. Most likely the plastic piece on the pot broke. You can fix it free if you have a hot glue gun.

[ClydeM]

The emergency override should allow the top to go down bypassing the seat pots.

But check your fluid levels first if the top worked fine hours before.

[SoCal1]

Fuse. mine seems to go wonky at times

[Monteman]

I had a penny caught in the seat track that kept the seat from going all the way forward. Cost me quite a bit to figure that one out but it was an easy fix once th problem was located.

[jevs]

Low fluid shouldn't have anything to do with the seat movement, but check it anyway. Most people seem to experience that it dissapears somewhere in a black hole over time.

Something stuck in the track or blocking the seat from going all the forward could keep the pot from reaching the right resistance and therefore the computer might keep the relay engaged trying to move it forward.

If the pot broke in a position that it thinks it has not gone all the way forward that may be causing it too.

Honestly. I would just pull the seat and check the condition and function of the pot. It is the number one suspect. Both of mine failed along with other issues. I got my seat and tops working perfect every since going through everything. See some of these posts...

Started fixing the seats tonight....

Seats and top working excellent now! 355 Spider (Video inside)

Anyone know what 355 Spider top washers are made of?

[roadracer311]

Here's a thread I put together about how to diagnose and fix seat pots.

Fear not the seat pot (potentiometer) How to rebuild one without removing it.