Roof and Nissan North America

Merlin · 11-20-2010, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlin

My Roadster roof is faulty. When it closes, the rear hatch support arm on the drivers side rubs the canvas top and has been rubbing a hole into the top. After two months a regional tech came and tore up the arm, tapped it all up and has now ordered a new canvas top. Support arm is dinged/scratched up and has been bent in an effort to prevent rubbing. This of course all occurred courtesy of Nissan North America. New canvas top is to arrive in two weeks and then they plan to replace it. God knows what damage they will do then! Car has 2630 miles. The top still rubs against the arm when the roof is retracted except it is rubbing in a new location thanks to the bent arm (update! I looked more closely at what the tech did and now the arm he bent to clear the canvas top is rubbing the frame of the car inside and wearing on a rubber gasket). These idiots are just making a bad problem worse and every indication from Nissan North America is if this doesn't work, it is my issue and I need to go to Better Business Bureau Auto to seek resolution/arbitration. Anyone have any experience with this process? I am getting indications from the Customer Affairs rep that the 2010 Roadster has a lot of roof issues. If you are thinking of getting a 2010 Roadster, recommend you STAY AWAY for a couple of years. Don’t waste the money or give yourself any headaches. It’s a piece of crap. This is just one of several problems. Nissan is friggen lame and is not being very responsive. Looking for advice from anyone.

Update!

A Nissan tech replaced the canvas on my roof this week and it appears that they did a very nice job. One of their regional techs did the work. It looks good. However, there may still be a small problem. There are small square plastic supports attached to the canvas at places where the canvas comes into contact with the frame when the top is closed. One of those squares on the driver's side does not seem to settle into place every time the roof is opened and closed and it looks like there is a big lump in the roof. I pushed on it and it snapped into place. This issue may work itself out. I have to watch for a while. But, for my trouble Nissan ordered and installed a rear spoiler at no cost. I had seen the spoiler on the forum and asked the tech what he thought about it when we were talking on the phone about the roof. He offered to order it and install it. It looks great! I have to admit Nissan is trying to make things right. And my dealership is also very cooperative and accommodating.

IDZRVIT · 11-20-2010, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlin

Update!

A Nissan tech replaced the canvas on my roof this week and it appears that they did a very nice job. One of their regional techs did the work. It looks good. However, there may still be a small problem. There are small square plastic supports attached to the canvas at places where the canvas comes into contact with the frame when the top is closed. One of those squares on the driver's side does not seem to settle into place every time the roof is opened and closed and it looks like there is a big lump in the roof. I pushed on it and it snapped into place. This issue may work itself out. I have to watch for a while. But, for my trouble Nissan ordered and installed a rear spoiler at no cost. I had seen the spoiler on the forum and asked the tech what he thought about it when we were talking on the phone about the roof. He offered to order it and install it. It looks great! I have to admit Nissan is trying to make things right. And my dealership is also very cooperative and accommodating.

It's good to hear that you are pleased with your dealer vice all the dealer bashing that's in the forum. Hope that small problem works out for you. Free spoiler, eh? That was awesome for the Nissan tech to do that.

vifferman · 12-05-2010, 04:33 PM

Merlin,

I too had the top buldge problem & no thanks to the dealer, I fixed it myself. Here's my original post...

Eureka! I think I've solved the mystery "top bulge" problem myself (no thanks to the dealer tech who was dumbfounded, and called Nissan before making any real attempt to diagnose the problem himself). He said, "well, there's no access to the interior of the top, so my initial call to Nissan suggests that we'll have to replace it." WRONG!...got to thinking last evening, and lowered the top just half way to reveal a full open view of the area in question. The culprit is a nylon pad/guard (as expected) that is velcroed to the top fabric to cushion it from a plastic rail clip assembly below. My guess is that the bulge occurred when the pad got caught on the back edge of the clip, and then eventually freed itself and returned to normal. There's another nylon guard that runs the middle length of the frame rail, and it may have been a catch point as well. Made a few adjustments, and so far so good. Can't begin to express my sense of relief, but now wonder if I should trust the dealer even to do the Free first oil change. The "top" issue didn't exactly inspire confidence.

Z meese · 12-25-2010, 10:12 PM

Well, Merry Christmas to all! Would be much merrier if I had my Z! Have been through hell with this top issue. Nissan has had their engineer out quite a few times, replaced quite a few parts (even the convertible top computer brain), still didn't work! I have had a lawyer send a letter to Nissan NA to let them know that we are looking into a lemon law suit. Wouldn't you know, I got a call from service shop on Wednesday! The problem: (LOL) the top was not installed correctly the first time! So much for having a nissan expert engineer to figure it out. took him 4 visits,
replacing parts, and going to somerville, NJ to a convertible top seminar (and taking pictures) to figure it out! So, my car still sits at the shop because I'm not picking it up until Nissan comes up with a meaningful offer for me for not being able to drive my car for a month (this time. was 2 weeks before!). Nissan was supposed to call me back on Thursday before Christmas, of course they didn't, so I didn't even have the car to drive on Christmas....Oh, I can't wait until Monday rolls around and I can call them back!!!

Z meese · 01-11-2011, 08:19 PM

Got my car back. the upholstery shop had installed it wrong from the get go. Took a month to figure it out, but it's done! I'm happy.

12-25-2010, 10:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
Z meese Base Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Delaware Posts: 11 Drives: BC 2010 370ZRT Rep Power: 15	Well, Merry Christmas to all! Would be much merrier if I had my Z! Have been through hell with this top issue. Nissan has had their engineer out quite a few times, replaced quite a few parts (even the convertible top computer brain), still didn't work! I have had a lawyer send a letter to Nissan NA to let them know that we are looking into a lemon law suit. Wouldn't you know, I got a call from service shop on Wednesday! The problem: (LOL) the top was not installed correctly the first time! So much for having a nissan expert engineer to figure it out. took him 4 visits, replacing parts, and going to somerville, NJ to a convertible top seminar (and taking pictures) to figure it out! So, my car still sits at the shop because I'm not picking it up until Nissan comes up with a meaningful offer for me for not being able to drive my car for a month (this time. was 2 weeks before!). Nissan was supposed to call me back on Thursday before Christmas, of course they didn't, so I didn't even have the car to drive on Christmas....Oh, I can't wait until Monday rolls around and I can call them back!!! __________________

01-11-2011, 08:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
Z meese Base Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Delaware Posts: 11 Drives: BC 2010 370ZRT Rep Power: 15	Got my car back. the upholstery shop had installed it wrong from the get go. Took a month to figure it out, but it's done! I'm happy. __________________

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12-05-2010, 04:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
vifferman Base Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 62 Drives: '04 TSX, '10 370ZR Rep Power: 16	Merlin, I too had the top buldge problem & no thanks to the dealer, I fixed it myself. Here's my original post... Eureka! I think I've solved the mystery "top bulge" problem myself (no thanks to the dealer tech who was dumbfounded, and called Nissan before making any real attempt to diagnose the problem himself). He said, "well, there's no access to the interior of the top, so my initial call to Nissan suggests that we'll have to replace it." WRONG!...got to thinking last evening, and lowered the top just half way to reveal a full open view of the area in question. The culprit is a nylon pad/guard (as expected) that is velcroed to the top fabric to cushion it from a plastic rail clip assembly below. My guess is that the bulge occurred when the pad got caught on the back edge of the clip, and then eventually freed itself and returned to normal. There's another nylon guard that runs the middle length of the frame rail, and it may have been a catch point as well. Made a few adjustments, and so far so good. Can't begin to express my sense of relief, but now wonder if I should trust the dealer even to do the Free first oil change. The "top" issue didn't exactly inspire confidence.