Toyota Solara Convertible - 2004 and Newer

topgear

I think you will have better luck with business telephones.
Good luck and enjoy! (Blue 2006 SLE)

-Pete

vice

Pete, you are right,business only until I hook up with blue tooth. Was just at the dealer, they were able to get my home address into unit. Learned one thing, when I complained about the location distance being off. When my friend tried to get unit set up we did a short trip and the unit said we were about 19 houses from where we were. Service manager stated that sometimes people have complained that the unit is off by as much as a mile. Other than Nav., no problems, and love the car. Barry

ckb2004

I have the same problem along with all the rest listed in this forum. I am in a huge law suit with toyota as they wanted me to waive all my legal rights to both cars, the old one and the new one I was awarded thru the settlement board. Good luck on getting the work done, toyota is black listing those of us with on going problems.

topgear

Hi vice!
Only once was my nav off and that was on I-4 near Orlando. For about 1 or 2 minutes it was way off, then snapped to the correct position. Other than that, it is always very accurate. Mine does think it lives next door (but no-way 19 houses away!). Have you calibrated the nav? Also, note that the tire pressure seems to be very important in its ongoing calculations as you drive.
Just a couple of tips that I hope will work for you. I really don't think the nav should be that far off, though.
Good Luck!
-Pete

loric

The 07 Solara conv is out already . Do you mean the 07?

topgear

Do you realize you're responding to an '03 post?
-P

moms_max

Wow...could you recap your experiences for those of us who don't know what happened to you? It was obviously something major for you to have been awarded a new car. What year was the problem car? Is the new car the same year?

moms_max

I just went to the Autogeek site - product is not available. BUT... properautocare.com has the kit on sale for $31.95 (plus shipping - 7.90). Also has info from HAARTZ (maker of almost all tops) recommending RaggTop only! Good stuff, I guess!

dianeif

The snow tires may depend on where in PA you live and what type of tires you have on the car. I live in the Phialadelphia area and had no problems last winter with the all weather tires that are on the car. But if you have the sports tires you may have problems. Good luck with it. I love mine.

vice

In going thru sites, advice was to apply to new top to protect stitches. Just did mine. Purchased kit from Autogeek, $36.95 with shipping. Kit is 16oz. spray bottle of cleaner and 14oz. of spray can protector. If you have new top you really do not need cleaner. States put 2 to 3 coats on first time you do it. Can did 2 and 3/4 coats. Also says to clean off over spray right away off glass and paint. After first coat I saw this was going to be a big problem. It does not come off that well. For second coat, I got painter's tape and covered windows and all paint and trim by top. Worked like a charm, just pulled off tape after I was done. Do not use when there is any wind.

moms_max

I know, I know...most people don't buy them 'cuz they're a rip-off. BUT...with all the moving parts involved in just lowering & raising the roof (including the 'all window down' thing), we thought it might be a good idea - especially since we tend to keep our cars a l-o-n-g time! I've researched the Toyota Warranty dealership in the midwest, and also Warranty Direct in NY. Does anyone have any experience with either of those companies?

beachbunn

I have a 2004 Solara convertible that I purchased new - I have had it in to the dealership numerous times trying to correct the hesitation. It is not just when you do a rolling stop/then accelerate but also when you are driving along and mash on the gas pedal it boggs down for a few seconds - which in a tight situation such as passing could be dangerous. They tell me it's just they way the car is. I also have a water problem they have been unable to correct. When I open the car door, if it's raining, water soaks the drivers seat before I can get in or out and continues to drip from the roof. Same when I roll the window down water actually drops onto my shoulder and the armrest. The factory rep tells me this is just the nature of the car - a design defect - yet I know of 2 other people that have the exact same car-same year that do not experience these problems. Does anyone else experience these or know of corrections? I am thinking of getting rid of this one but I love the car. I'm wondering if anyone with the 2006 or 2007's are experiencing any of these problems?? I would love to have another Solara convertible without these problem.

beachbunn

I just posted a message concerning the water problem with my 2004 convertible top which I have not been able to even get replaced. Check recent messages. I have now gone to arbitration with the car and will have an answer within the next 4 days. Toyota is bound by the decision but I am not. If I do not agree with the decision I can still go for the lemon law. I am asking for them to do a buy-back because you only get one shot with the arbitration process so if they put a new top on the car & it doesn't correct the problem I'm out of luck. I would still like to have another Solara convertible - my girlfriend has one - same year - and does not have any of the problems I have experienced.

Claires

Folks, this seems like a good stand-alone topic, so I've started a new discussion and have moved the posts over there to get it started:

Car Covers/Other Accessories

moms_max

Well, after owning my '06 SLE for one month, I now know what you mean about the water. It rained really hard the other day, and I had a bunch of errands, so was in & out of the car alot. Yup - I got soaked too. It really surprised me - and I didn't have a towel handy. I wasn't a happy camper... :mad:

I thought I read in a forum that, because a vert doesn't have the drip moldings on the roof, they ALL pour water down on you. But now you're saying this isn't true?? Hmm.. I'd love to hear from other owners about this issue!

vice

Have a 2007 sle, and have the same problem, open the door and get wet. Asked dealer, and answer is rain is channeled off roof and that is one of the points where it goes. Bad design.

ckb2004

It is a 2004 solara convert. It has had three tops and on the last fitting we found factory defect, the molding on the truck to which the top is attached never seated. My front end has been totally rebuilt, coils, springs, strut, brakes, transmission upgraded and is bad again. Rear wheel bearing replaced. Paint has been bad from the beginning, now have it peeling everywhere.. Finally got a lawyer and we go to mediation on Sept 5. Toyota tried to get me to sign away all warranties on both cars, I said NO. I was also black listed so I could not get warranty work done. The replacement car is in holding and it is a 2006.

mke60

I have an '05 SLE. This is my third convertible. The first one was a VW Rabbit followed by a Sebring. All three cars have had the same issue with the way the water drains from the roof. Let's face it. It is a cloth roof, no drip moldings. Where else is the water going to go?

navguy

Is the GPS icon displayed at the top left corner of the display? Does the vehicle icon in the middle of the screen jump while you drive? Have you tried calibrating your system in the MENU>SETUP> 3rd page CALIBRATION?

Lasty, portable electronic devices such as radar detectors and satellite radio over the center of the dash will cause the positioning to be degraded.

moms_max

WOW..... I certainly hope you win this one! Your experiences have been horrible.... makes me a little nervous, but it does seem that the '04s were really problem-prone.

Just my opinion, but the '06 is pretty cool - even with the minor hesitation, and the rain drips... I was just cruisin' today and was saying to myself what a s-m-o-o-t-h riding car it was!!!

I'm surprised you're getting an '06 instead of an '07... not sure where you live, but in mid-July when I was searching, the '06s were really scarce - more so now, I'm sure.

Good luck - keep us informed of the outcome!

h20randy

I just got my RaggTopp kit from Autogeek yesterday. The over spray, is that the cleaner or the protectant that is the challenge to clean? The painter's tape you used, did you use a painter's plastic sheeting too, or just a bit of tape around the edges? I was wondering how much it over sprays.

vice

Sorry, have not been on for a time. First, thanks for the help on the nav. system, but I have given up on it at this point till my daughter comes up from TX. I have only 671 miles from purchase, end of July, so don't go far enough to get lost. Really did not need it, but they all had it on.
Second, on the Ragg top, little better control than spray paint, but when you get to the edges of the top you will get it on the windows and trim. I put paper towel on the rear window and taped the edges down. On the front, back and sides, I put the tape where the top meets the trim, two rows. Then I held a piece of cardboard against the windows and car body when I sprayed, no over spray anywhere. When it dried, pulled tape off, no clean up.

tyresmoker

I am sorry to hear about all of the problems..If you look at the history of this board, you will see that we have one of the first '04's built. It now has 28+/-k miles on it and very little in terms of "trouble". The trans was reflashed and the top cables were replaced and that is about it....It is a Toyota afterall, and actually our 4th one.
I drive a Range Rover...wanna talk about warranty work & visits to the dealer????

larrymit

Our early (July) 2004 has been virtually trouble-free. The door latch on the passenger's side failed and was replaced under warranty. The dealer said he'd never seen that problem before, and I tend to believe him as there was only one replacement part available in the Southeast region. Other than that, it's been over 30,000 miles without a problem.

mored

We (mostly my wife) are proud owners of an 07 SLE convertible. I have read all of the prior posts and it seems that everyone that has a windscreen feels that it is money well spent. My question is did anybody do their own installation and can any idiot do it? My dealer says that it is complicated to do and requires a few hours labor which I of course do not want to pay for. Can anyone share their experience that did it themselves? Thanks in advance.

a58

I have a 06 solara convertible with the JBL radio with XM. Lately, the sound fades out for a about 2 secs every now and then. This happens on either of the radios, am/fm/xm or the cd player. It also happens more frequently when it is overcast or raining. Anyone else ever have this problem?

topgear

Two weeks ago I backed out of a parking spot -as did someone else and we connected. No real damage (light paint chips around the lic plate area). With the top up, as we all know it is difficult to see. So, after researching rear cameras here on this forum, I ordered the Eclipse camera from Crutchfield. It plugs right into the Nav system, much to my Best Buy installers surprise, it worked right out of the box! (He seemed sure it wouldn't).
Again, the unit is available from Crutchfield for $239 and the install cost me $67.
Yes, it is a fish eye lens (as it should be) but it looks clear and in color which is enough for me to see what's behind me now when in reverse (-even at night!).
Great Investment!

moms_max

I'm very interested, topgear....
How does the camera attach to the rear? (I'm guessing there isn't any need to drill holes, since Best Buy usually doesn't do that! :P )
And - can other places install it, too???
Thanks for the valuable info!

topgear

Hi moms max!

The camera attaches in the rear very easily via some heavy duty double stick tape. It has a bracket that I installed right above the rear license plate.
Behind the plate, there is a hollow cavity that you (or whomever) can lead the camera wire into the trunk area. From there, it is just a matter of running the wire through the interior up the dashboard and into the radio. From that point I chose Best Buy to finish it because of their experience.

If you do not have the DVD Navigation, ALL BETS ARE OFF unfortunately. Because, there will be nowhere to plug it in and no screen to look at. (My Toyota dealer does offer a rearview mirror screen/camera setup for non nav. owners).

But, if you do have the Nav., it will plug right in and work instantly. Bottom line...no holes to drill.

And yes, I don't see why other places couldn't do this too!
(So long as they are talented enough to reinstall all the panels, dash, etc., properly)

I hope you do have the navigation, so you can consider this neat option.
Good Luck! -And keep us posted!
-Pete

moms_max

Thanks Pete! Yes, I do have the Nav...don't know how to use it yet, but I do have it... :confuse: Maybe with the camera, the Nav screen won't be a total waste, huh??? :P

Just 2 days ago, I had a close call backing up.... and freaked out! I think I'm gonna ask Santa for the camera...

topgear

Yes, I would ask Santa! Was your top up? Down here in Florida I almost always drive with the top down. Lately though, the weather has been cooling down and then I use my Avalon. However, when the top is up, and I bet that is what happened with your close encounter, the rear visibility is very poor.

The camera will pay for itself when you don't hit that "other" object, be it a person, car or whatever.

By the way, having the Nav is one of the coolest features! If nothing else, it will show you your exact position and alternate routes while you're driving. Have you set it up for you local area? Have you zoomed in enough to see your local streets?

At night (or day), you can "see" hidden upcoming roads that you may need to find and turn into. Also, anytime you view your screen, you should see the name of the road you're on. That has helped me occasionally. And if you want, of course it will "guide" you to an unknown destination (via voice directions).

Bear in mind, you can only enter a destination while the vehicle is stationary. If it's a business, you can even enter their phone number and will help you find their place. You can ask for restaurant, gas station, etc, icons to be on your screen to show you where to locate one. Press on the icon and will give you the exact address and even it's phone number. This navigation system is packed full of useful information.

I encourage you to try a few of these features!

It may be a bit overwhelming at first, but I love it and use it quite often!! After all, this is the 21st century!

Good Luck and Merry Christmas!! :shades:

mscharff

Just got a convertible SLE... Has anyone heard of any after market boots that are easier to handle and do not stick up so high?
Thanks,
Michael

jlutin1

I have an '06 SLE convertible and the top lining over my head is pulled taught and has ripples in it at the seam. Looks like it is stretched too tight. Does anyone have a similar condition or does the top liner lay flat and smooth.

Thanks,

Jerry

thestevo44

There is a feature on the radio which changes the accoustics when the top is lowered or raised. Maybe there is a short in that circuit. That would certainly explain why it happens more when moisture is in the air, as any electrical problem is worse with rain.

jlutin1

Topgear,

What year Solara do you have and do you know what radio/nav unit is in it? I have an '06 with what the dealer said is a Nippondenso radio/nav unit. I paid for a dealer installed aftermarket camera and the installer said the Eclipse was not compatible. He installed a different brand camera that never worked properly. I had it removed and got my money back.

However, I would still like to get a camera installed and I am interested to know if the installer was just feeding me BS. Maybe I can learn something from you.

Thanks.

topgear

Hi! Very sorry to hear about your unsuccessful installation -so far. I also have an '06 Solara. The Nav unit I have (if I remember correctly -based on when it was being installed some time ago), is a Denon which I think is a Nippondenso product. Did you get the Eclipse camera? My installer guy at Best Buy was convinced that the unit would not connect. I had to persuade him that it would. He was shocked that it plugged right in.
I think your installer was perhaps BS'ing, but to be fair, he/she may not have realized this does work as advertised.
I hope this information helps you! Good luck!
Let us know how you make out!
Topgear

rsbeen

Just bought my 07 convertible yesterday. Silver SLE. Didn't get nav, so the backup camera question didn't matter. I did ask about the "beeper" backup warning and they said they'd order and install a "Park Pilot" for around $500. Anyone have this or other "beeper" type warning installed?

I get a little vibration between 50 and 60 mph, but nothing serious. Is this common for the raptop?

Looking forward to driving this car and sharing experiences with others!

rootsrchr

the rear window defroster in my 2004 convertible doesn't work. I've been told they have to replace the whole top!!by my local Toyota dealer..anyone had this problem..easier solution? :confuse:

larrymit

I hope that's not true because mine just stopped working too. The side mirrors do still defog.

I'll let you know what I hear from the dealer.

That extended warranty is looking better all the time!

rootsrchr

Thanks for the reply..my dealer was quite emphatic that the defogger could not be repaired ..so the whole top has to be replaced...the problem was with the window itself ..all other electrical components were working...faulty coils in glass??..side mirrors etc are fine..this is a horrendus issue if top replacement only corrective measure.. 25,ooo m!!

larrymit

If the problem is a open circuit in the grid on the glass, it should be fixable if you can find where it is. Auto supply stores sell a kit containing the conductive "paint" that can be used to reconnect the scratched off conductors.

ckb2004

Toyota has a problem with the convert. tops and are refusing to recall. I had 2 new tops for my 2004 and I notice that the 2006 has the same puckering problem. The 2004 ended up being that the molding attached to the trunk that holds the top was not seated..Keep and eye on the puckering its the first indication you could have top problems. Go back and read all the discussions in the past it'll be an eye opener..Good Luck

ckb2004

Your dealer is right. After two years of fighting with Toyota over the top problems on my 2004 I have enough information to sink a battle ship. Its part of the design (FLAW) of the tops of the Solara convert. Maybe if enough of us get the tops replaced they will have to do a recall. My 2004 got two new tops before it was all over with and I notice that the 2006 could very well have the same problems. It has 2500 miles on it and the back window does not defrost properly and the lining is puckering just like the other one. I'd let them put a new top on it, otherwise you will just keep having more problems with this top ..speaking from experience..I got the info I needed from an independent service center showing the diagram of the top assembly..makes for good reading.

tommyg12

Dealer agreed to replace under warranty, no questions asked. Since my orginal post, the chipping has continued along the passenger side. My service advisor had no problems ordering all three pieces, even though the driver side has not chipped (Yet!).

Only have 15k miles in two years, car has been flawless. My lease is up in November and I was really disappointed to hear that the Solara will be cancelled. There is not alot out there in the 4 seater convertible market, low 30s price range. The new Sebring conv. is coming out, but way cheap interior. Will probably keep the Solar.

iluv2dive

I line in toronto and am thinking about buying a conv. I have driven trucks for 10 years and this will be my first car. I love the look and have driven it on the highway, how does it handle in winter? Not on the road, but with Snow and the coldness? I am looking at the SLE with the heated seats. Would love it in oceanus blue, but think i will take the light blue.

mke60

This is the second winter for driving my SLE and it handles great in the ice and snow (I live in Missouri). In fact, this winter we had an ice storm that put half an inch of ice on our streets. I was forced to come to a complete stop at the bottom of a steep hill. When I attempted to start back up the hill, the wheels just spun. I thought I was stuck. Then the traction control feature kicked in and I slowly started moving up this hill with no problems! In my previous car, I would have been stuck - no question. I have been very pleased. I would definately get the heated seats. They are very nice on those cold mornings. I am not cold in this car. Good luck with your search.

olddude1

I just purchased an '07 Camry Solara SLE conv /w nav (the car is great), but would like to add the rear view camera. Does the Eclipse camera display automatically when the gear is in the reverse position or do you have to separately select the video? Also, I looked at the BEC 106 unit @ Circuit City - (It has the Molek connector - same as the 105 unit) but there is no separate wire to the gear position indicator - is that not needed? is that gear position info input to the nav system separately and used for the rear camera display? any more info would be helpful. thanks.

olddude1

FYI - I went ahead and took my '07 Solara SLE conv/w nav to an aftermarket installer to have a rear camera (Eclipse BEC 106) installed. However, the nav system on the '07 Solara has been changed from the '06. The plug into the nav system (for the backup camera) has been removed.

oicjkj

I have a 2006 Solara 6 cyl. and there is a problem with the car hesitating. My example is: When your in a parking lot and coming up to a speed bump, you have your foot on the gas and then take your foot off the gas (slowing down a little)to go over the speed bump, you then put your foot back on the gas to accelerate - THE CAR HESITATES! It almost seems like the car is in neutral and you hear the engine reeve, but no power. Then the power is back - but the car hesitate! This is a terrible problem and it always does it!

If anyone else is have a problem with the car hesitating after acceleration I want to hear hear from you please. I have some important info. that I think will help. But I also want help by hearing from others who have a similar problem. We can get this fixed, but we need to voice the problem so that Toyota steps up and fixes it. I am going to pursue this matter until an update is re written for that problem. It involves the computer and I know for a fact Toyota is aware. They fixed this for the 2007 Camry and they must do an update for the 2006 Solara!

Thanks.

oicjkj

We can get Toyota to fix the hesitation problem, but we need to complain. They can do an update to the computer. I know for a fact Toyota knows about this and they have told their techs to repeat some blah, blah, blah statement telling us there is no problem. So if they have done that that means they know in fact there is a problem with the Solara hesitation, just like you stated it does. My 2006 Solara 6 cy. does just that and I hate it.

They did fix it for the 2007 and they can do a patch for the 2006! But we need every ones help and we need to speak up!