About 8 months ago my soft top was slashed (only after the first week of purchasing my 2001) which was not a big deal because I was fully covered. So I came out withan 03 top...newer with the glass window and some cash beacuse I installed the top myself. About 3 months ago I was putting the top up and a teeny tiny phillips head screw and washer fell somewhere from the frame onto the passenger seat? I looked for hours and had no idea where it came from so I saved it and gave up. About a week ago I found another black washer same size as the other but no phillips head screw, and this time on the drivers side? So now I have two screws that are missing from both sides of my frame and lately there has been a loud rattling coming from both sides of the frame after every little bump I hit... Its driving me freakin crazy!! I have no idea where they came from and I'm worried about my frame coming apart. Has anyone ran into this problem with their later model S2k's or can anyone tell me where these screws came from. The noise is coming from the corner of the frame directly above the headrest.

 

Is it a screw [like a wood screw] or like a threaded bolt? What color is the head [silver, black]?

 

It's a tiny threaded black phillips head bolt about a 1/4" in length and the whole thing is gloss black along with the washer

 

The only "tiny" screws I can find that might fall in the seats are in the convertible top lock handles. There should be two in each. I those aren't them I'll look some more for you.

 

I will take a look there but the handles are in there nice and tight I don't feel any looseness there but I'm almost certain those bolts came from the top rear corners of where the frame folds down....diagonally from the headrests. At least thats where the rattling is coming from so I assume thats where the problem is? I'm new to this so I don't know how to post pics yet or else I would show you a better idea of where they came from.

 

There is another place you might look that I think is more in the location you're getting the noise. Those bolts would be bigger than the ones in the top lock handle. If the springs are tight when the top is up then those bolts are NOT missing or loose.