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On 3/17, it was the first beautiful day in KC, and I put the top down. Drove it from a shopping area in KCKS home with the top down - about 15-20 miles. Pulled right into my garage, and left it there over night. The next morning, I went to raise the top as it was much cooler than the day before. I just happened to glance in my rear view mirror as it was raising, and noticed an angle to the top - I turned around and the passenger side was not moving, but the driver side was. I immediately stopped and put it back down. I got out and inspected what I could see, and had my partner try raising the top. As I watched, I noticed that the frame was catching on the plastic covers as it was coming up, and I could not pull it out of place to get it to come up. So, at 42 degrees, I drove it up to the dealer and had them look at it. A few hours later, they called me, and told me they couldn't do anything for it, that they would have to send it out. The service tech actually advised me to come get the car, and take it to the place where they send all of their 'top' issues to, in order to get fixed, and that would save me the up-charge from the dealer.
I took it down to the repair shop, and the guys looked at it, and they initially could not get the top up even by hand. At first, they were unsure as to the problem themselves. Nothing really looked out of the ordinary, other than what I had already discovered, that the frame was hitting against the plastic covers on the sides. There were no holes or rips in the top.
They eventually popped the plastic pieces off, and once again, while I held the button, they lifted from both sides. They got it about half way up and we stopped again. After more inspection, he could feel that the frame on the passenger side was severely bent out of place. After inspecting the driver side, the frame (this is the frame within the top, and luckily had not punctured the top), was bent the other way. He then showed me gouges once the plastic pieces were lifted where over time the frame was getting worse and worse. "This did not just happen over night." was his exact words. He then shared with me that after several repairs from the dealer back in 2005 when they first came out, there was an article in a mechanics trade magazine, alerting repair shops of this issue. This guy showed the Service Manager but again, Ford would not accept it as an issue, and therefore did not issue any recall.
The repair is going to cost $2293.00 to get fixed - $1242.66 for the parts and 867.79 Labor. They are replacing both sides. The gentleman at the repair shop stated initially that Ford only replaced one side. They eventually went to replacing both sides, because eventually the other side would fail and was causing issues with the top, i.e., tearing and holes.
I contacted Ford, and they of course denied any assistance - stating there was no recall or known defect. Even though both the Service tech and the Service Manager at my local dealership acknowledged they were aware of the issues. So if a local dealer is aware, surely (and by reading the posts on here), there are others around the country, I'm sure enough that would cause Ford to make a recall.
I was advised to hold on to my receipts - but I was also advised that I should coordinate the repair through my dealer, otherwise, in the event a recall was made, I would not be covered by taking it to the repair shop myself - even though, it was the Service department that advised me to take it to the shop I have it at. Just another charge I would have to incur, having the dealer coordinate this.
So, I'm asking - if there is anyone else with a 2005 model that has had both sides of their frames repaired and/or top, please contact me - I'd like to show Ford that this is indeed an issue, and that they need to 'man' up and take care of the issue themselves.
Steve in Olathe KS
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Hello , I own a 2005 Ford Mustang Convertible , My problem is that the mechanism that is on the drivers side top corner of the windshield frame snapped and is barely holding down the top when
closed , I would like to know if you know where I can get a replacement , and possibly look at a video , or read something that tells me how to replace it . .
Thanks for your time , and Help .
Please reply to me at ,
Namely those products which are specifically designed for cloth tops care.
There's one from Google search which seems to favor a product called - RaggTopp.
Are there any others you guys give merit to consideration?
Your top material is made by the Haartz company http://www.haartz.com/en/Products/Convertible_Toppings/cleaning/cleaning_guide.a- sp.
They make the material for almost all convertibles worldwide.
They recommend Raggtopp only to clean and protect their materials.
Karl at aoksales.com
1 Lightly vacuumed using a fine horse hair attachment. No plastic or harsh bristles necessary, Can use a horse hair shoe buffing brush which is acceptable...
2. Rolled top with a sticky lint roller to remove misc, including hair.
3. Used a little water (the universal solvent) to clean spots with a horse hair brush allowed it to dry.
4. Masked all windows and covered painted surfaces to keep spray blow-by off.
5. Mildly sprayed 1 coat of RaggTopp and let dry for at least recommended time.
6. Sprayed a moderate amount for 2nd coat of RaggTopp protectant an let it dry fully.
7. Tested areas to see how water beads.
8. Avoided linty rags or towels for drying. Could use blower easily while outside.
9. Remove and save masking materials for next time.
An ounce of prevention is usually worth a pound of cure.
Our mustang is a third car, and garage kept. It is rarely out in the weather. We live in the northeast and the car isn't driven from December - March. So this issue doesn't seem to be weather or maintenance related. That's probably why the roofs are replaced without an argument.
Delarygirl, how is the new roof? No cracking on this one?
The CLOSED top needs to sit under the hot sun which will allow it to stretch into correct fit. After one summer, the top will fit like a glove.
If the installer fitted it loose when new, in a year, it would fit like a blanket on a pig.
Convert tops should NEVER be raised or lowered in temperatures lower than 70 F. which allows the fabric enough elasticity to bend and fold without stress.
This is what caused the piping to crack, Next would be the fabric behind the back window where the most severe fold happens.
Our 2010 fabric topped GT has been giving us good service, however the vehicle is not a 'daily driver' and is kept in a garage and cared for.