Wear Holes in the Top (new info)

I have searched and read all the various threads on this. I am currently battling with Honda to get mine replaced and I am being denied. What I need to know is if there is anyone who has had theirs replaced after their 36,000 mile warranty has run out. I have found people who have had theirs replaced under warranty, but I need a little more info.

If anyone has had thier top replaced under warranty when their car had more than 36,000 miles on it would you please let me know? Also if you could be as kind to post or PM me the dealership that did it it would really help out a fellow owner.

Where exactly are these holes forming?

*nods* that's what i'd like to know....

i don't remember you pointing them out at the last meet... i'd really like to keep an eye on mine and prevent them if possible...

I'm going throught the exact same thing. I'm trying my second dealership tomorrow. My argument is that I told them about the hole before I had 36K miles and now they're telling me it's past. I'll keep fighting...

Good luck.

I can tell you where mine formed. At the base of the soft top on either side, about 1 inch in front of the only seam in the soft top that runs from side to side. With the top up, you can feel the sharp edge of the hinge mechanism at this point about 1 inch above the door. It appears that this sharp edge eventually wears a hole into the vinyl. Mine developed 1/2" long slit-like holes on both sides after 2 years. They started small and slowly enlarged.
I'd be surprised if many dealers replace a soft top for free after the warranty expires, though.

I didn't point it out at meets, because I didn't want to take away from the ownership experience by bitching about all my ills with Honda. I have determined that my 00 S2000 was the best car I had ever owned untill 50,000 miles. I have problems with the top, transmission, and differential.

There is a thread here with pictures, but pictures won't do it justice. Basically feel behind your left ear in the portion of fabric between the drivers side window and the rear plastic window for some material that feels worn and thin. This will eventually lead to a hole.

This defect has been fixed on later models. There is a piece of plastic and some extra material to keep this from happening.

This is EXACTLY where the wear holes developed in my '02 top, twice. The size and position sounds 100% like what I've seen on my top. Do you still lower and raise your top with the hole present? I've been keeping my top up to prevent them from enlargening.

Sorry to hear about your troubles man...

Interesting that you mentioned the 50k mile mark...my '02 just got to 50k miles, and the transmission is beginning to feel a little weird. It doesn't seem to shift and engage as smoothly as before, it's much more notchy and sometimes borders on grinding. I'm hoping a fluid change will cure it. What happened to your tranny?

I had TSB-054 done when it forst came out... since then that TSB has been updated because the original didn't fix the problem and the problem would come back. My transmission is shaking pretty good on deceleration now which was the original problem. Even though Honda shows where I had the work done prior to the proper update to the TSB they still won't fix a problem that was defective once the car rolled off the lot.

well, i'm sitting on top of 50k right now... so, based on S2K_LA's theory, everything should fall apart sometime early next year... just kidding man...

well, i am glad that you've pointed it out now, as i can hope to take some preventative measures to stop further wear... because, i just went and checked... in the triangle like area (above my ear) on both sides i have a spot that's the size of an eraser head that looks a little worn. i held a bright light outside the car on that spot, and could see no light, so i'm not screwed yet...

here's a pic where my wear spot is... (from this thread)


does this look about right S2K_LA?

i'm guessing i've lucked out or have very little wear (mine is quite minimal) because my previous owner was a wuss who never drops the top...

i'm thinking that maybe getting some black duct tape and placing it on this spot may provide a good way to buffer the wear from the top to the tape. thoughts?

here's another thread that shows different wear... is this yours S2K_LA?


i personally show no signs of this type of wear... still the suggestion to wrap sharpish parts of the top mechanism with a little black electrical tape might not be a bad idea.


and based on Charly's description -- i have no such spot that i can find... can you possibly post a picture or something? i'd like to look for this one as well....

Yes... Phil bring it to Team ASAP and show them! If we both do this our chances are a lot better!

Mine is wearing in the first picture.

GKW has suggested some Kevlar tape or Dacron Sail repair tape.

It may be prudent for all of us to put in a layer of the repair tape at these wear points to prevent this damage from occuring in the first place!

What? Ask Honda to replace a top once the warranty is over? "Don't let the door hit ya on the ass on the way out." True for any company, not just Honda.

It is difficult getting honda to repair things when the car is under warranty. I wouldn't event bother bringing my car to the dealer after 36k.

This isn't normal wear and tear. This a top defect. It rolled off the assembly line with this problem. I agree that if this were a wear type issue then bringing it to them would be useless.

Anyone with an 00-02 model should be really interested in this thread since history shows it is only a matter of time before the top will get two holes in it.

Brian, i agree -- this is far too common to just be general wear and tear. this is a design issue that exists with the top mechanism and its interface with the top. still, getting Honda to cover this is not going to be easy...

i'll bring mine in to Team today (if at all possible) and at least show them about the wear... i won't be making a claim on it since i don't have enough wear to need it... but a 2nd instance from our group should show that this isn't just a random wear pattern... hopefully it will lend your claim more credibility.

regarding GKW's suggestion of Kevlar tape -- are you familiar w/ where we can get this?

All convertible tops wear - I think it is whining to expect this one to be any different. If the bracing was not tight, everyone would be complaining about flapping.

Here is a source for a variety of repair materials which could be applied to the brace wear points:

http://johnrsweet.com/index.html

or p.n. 8822K632 at www.mcmaster.com this is a 1" x 5 ft. .125" thick Kevlar for only $6.15. You will need a resin to apply it.

or 8838K61 which is a Kevlar/PBI hybrid size 40" x 1' and black $9.15.

I would use DuPont 76 or 77 to attach it to the metal.

This isn't wear. It is a defect that was changed on later models.

Same answer. Manufacturers reserve the right to make ongoing improvements to their cars with no liability to previous owners - I accept that, why can't you? For example, the early S2000's are infamous for the 1-2 gear shift "crunch". Are all owners entitled to a MY04 transmission? I must be from a different generation.

Apply the Kevlar - happy motoring!

I have a 2000 s2000. I take extreme care of everything I own. Most of the time it rewards me by my things staying in like new condition. (looking good and working properly) But I have to say the top on my S in one exception. My car will be 4 years old in january. Just a week ago my plastic back window cracked upon lowering it in my garage. The temp was about 40-45 degrees. The crack is about 14 inches wide and it runs horizontal about 1 inch up from the bottom. When it cracked it made a pretty loud crack sound. I felt sick to my stomach because first of all I knew it was probably going to cost me a pretty penny and second my car is going to look like trash from the back-side from the ghetto rigged tape repair job till it gets fixed. So later that day at work I jumped on this site to find out if other owners are having the same issue and I start finding the "holes wearing in top threads". After reading a while I realized that there must be some common problem and decide I better have a look at mine. Sure enough My day got worse when I found the the exact same holes wearing in the exact same places as others mentioned and photographed.
Now I'm really dissapointed because my car is falling apart at no fault of my own knowing that I did everthing I could to keep it tip top. These holes can only be wearing the way they are when the top is down. I live in Ohio where its too cold to even have it down about 5 months out of the year. If your living in Florida or cali. I'm sure your wear has to be worse. My car has 40 k miles and is more than 3 years so its out of warranty. I know rag tops wear out, and I would not have any problems paying for worn parts if I felt as if they lasted a normal expected amount of time but the car is not yet 4 years old and the holes definately started during the warrranty period.
So heres the good news, I called my dealer from where I purchased the car and told them about the back window and everyone there agreed that the back window should not have broken and they wanted to look at it. I brought it in, they inspected it, and told me they would make some calls and let me know what they could do for me. I also called hondas customer care line and told them everything. Well... a couple of days later the dealer called and said that they would pay 75 percent of the total cost to have the top and back window replaced. This was a generous offer but I would still have to pay about 500 bucks for a no fault of my own factory defect. So I called the Honda relations people and they said that there must of been a mix up between them and my dealer and that they (Honda) would replace my top and window at no charge to me. Now thats some excellent and well done customer service. Thank you Honda!

Bobby - well, you were fortunate, but this is exception it appears.

Curious - on plastic windows, I have always taken a small shop rag, rolled it up, and put it in the crease of the window as I lowered it - this trick has never put me in the crack zone.

????

I had my 01 top replaced at wesloh honda at around 30000 miles under warranty.

Im at 33000 miles and the NEW top is already showing signs of wear, it will turn into a hole soon.

I showed the service manager tony and he said they are not replacing any more tops even under warranty. Honda has put a hold on doing it as there is a class action lawsuit against them right now.

Id say just wait and see what turns out..

theres a law suit going on over it? sweet...we might get new tops that wont wear...maybe even glass back window from a recall....is there anyway we can all sign some kind of petition and get lots and lots of pictures to show honda....if this lawsuit doesnt turn out well....if enough people are dissatisfied im sure honda would do something about it if they wont to keep loyal customers.

Ryan

Owners are entitled to a fix hence the TSB for the 1-2 grind. This is equivalent to their being a defect in the fender that causes the tires to rub and wear at half thier life expectancy.

This is not a wear issue from normal use. This is a defect in the top mechanism that cuts into the fabric from normal use.

A TSB under warranty and a top replaced out of warranty are apples and oranges.