Broken convertible latches. Any options?
 

Last saturday I was lowering my convertible top and when it was full down I heard a cracking sound. I found that a vital plastic piece had snapped inside BOTH latches, so now they will not snap shut. Also when the drivers side broke it had clipped the soft top and took a nice chuck out about an inch long. So now I have 2 broken latches and a hole in my soft top.

I've gone to honda and there is no service bulletin out on this and I don't have a warranty anymore due to having 10,000 miles over, so they won't help me out. Can I do anything about this? or am I out hundreds of dollars due to honda design flaw?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

im gonna have to say you are going to have to fork up the cash to honda to put a new top... i dont think there is any way to fix it...

You may try to PM woodwork, as he is the expert.

I'd be curious as to further detail on exactly what it was that actually broke on you.

ron

In all my years on this board, this is about the 2nd or 3rd time that someone reported the latch itself breaking. So I would not jump to calling it a "design flaw" yet until there is more data. Can you post a picture of what broke? Or at least a more detailed description so we can all go and check our own latches to see if there is a weak spot or wear. You may have a better case if there are more of us with a similar problem just waiting to break.

I saw it and the piece of plastic that popped off was no bigger than 1/2 a centimeter

but the strange thing is that both sides snapped at the same time - it looked like the top got pinched in the latch which created a tear in his roof.

im curious if people who are breaking them are relatching them before putting down the top all the way.

Good question. I always relatch the mechanism before lowering the top. The last convertible I owned was critical that you put the top latches in the "latched" position after releasing the top for the windshield header. If you didn't, you "would" break the latch when the top retracted due to the design.

I really don't see how not doing this would hurt anything on the Honda but you never know.

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

It doesn't seem like the latches even come close to anything as the top is folding down to me (relatched or otherwise) :confused:.

ron

Here's some pictures:

The broken underneath of the latch:
http://www.geocities.com/magnetent/s2000top2.jpg
The piece that broke out of each latch:
http://www.geocities.com/magnetent/s2000top4.jpg
Where the piece should be:
http://www.geocities.com/magnetent/s2000top3.jpg
The hole in my top:
http://www.geocities.com/magnetent/s2000top1.jpg