Rottie

OK, maybe it's just me and this car, but I can't figure out how to operate the convertible top. There is no owners manual in the car, so reading that is out.....

What I can see there are two latches, one on each side of the car. Once these are unlatched, the top should go down right? But when I try the switch on the dash, it makes a noise like it tries to operate, then stops. I've tried it with the car off and started in park.

OK, I feel stupid for asking, so please someone tell me how this top works. Is everything on this car hard to figure out (first the engine , then the radio , now the top ....)

Thanks,

Samps

the parking brake must be on!

WestJaxVert

Try setting the emergency brake. The car does not have to be running; just the ignition in the on position. If it doesn't go down with the e-brake on and in park, but makes a sound like it tries, then you may have some mechanical binding which you would have to check for.

Dan

EDIT: Damn you Samps! I will get you for posting faster than me.

Icemark

Don't feel stupied... I had the same problem when I got my '88 'vert.

Okay, you figured out how to un-latch the top right?

Key on
In park or neutral
parking brake on (just has to be one knotch up, so that the brake warning light is on).

Rotate the top/roof switch above the wiper switch backwards.

It will start beeping, then go back about half way. There is a delay there that tends to make you concerned, but don't be.

release the switch, then again turn it towards the rear, it again will start beeping and then finish the opening procedure.

I think the pause in the middle is so you can flip the latches and their covers back down and into place.

Rottie

OK, parking brake must be on in an auto? These cars get stranger and stranger..... I'll try that. Boy do I feel dumb.....

Thanks for the info!

13B2QuIcKNy

yup just like those new mustang verts lol p.o.s.'s

Icemark

You had trouble figuring out the radio????

Icemark

whoops... double post

Rottie

IceMark: I knew I should have left that out They just couldn't put a power button like all other radios could they? Nope, need seperate power buttons for each feature you want to use, and we'll hide them behind the shifter so you really have to look closely at it to find it!

OK, I'm done.

Icemark

LOL

Rottie

Well, since it's all out in the open anyway! How about not being able to shift the car out of park? The battery was dead, but we were unable to get the car out of park no matter what we did! I read the small print on the side of the shifter about the emergency release button, but could not get it to work at all. Is there a trick to it, and what button are they talking about? There are three of them on the shifter! Two on the shifter ****, and one on the consule next to the shifter. We tried all three, but to no avail.

So, we attached jumper cables and turned the car on, and it shifts out of park! This tells me the car must have power to shift out of Park? Please tell me this is not the case.....

ok, now how dumb do I feel.....

NZConvertible

I'm not 100% sure about the RX-7, but a lot of auto gearboxes (including Mazdas) must have the ignition on and/or the brake pedal depressed to move it out of Park. It’s a safety feature. If it’s an electrically controlled interlock, that would explain why you couldn’t get it to work without power. The emergency release button is usually pulled to release it.

Here’s a link to a site with the convertible sections of the owner’s manual in PDF format, with all the info on roof operation.

Owner's manual

Rottie

Thanks for the top operation link, that helps alot. I would have been back on here asking why the top wouldn't go all the way down.....