Does your top have rub marks from being down?

[m72070]

This is crazy, I've had a butt load of problems and this is one I don't have. My top looks like new still. However, top isn't down very often, only drive car on weekends if weather permits or on its way back to service department for repairs. I plan on driving it top down tomorrow after I wax it and try to get all the swirl marks and scratches taken back out!

[brengeek]

[QUOTE=Lightrider;3542436]Contact Jeff Morris on here to open a case. NO reason you need to live with visible rub marks. They'll only get worse...



Thanks, Lightrider - I will do just that!

[rainey85]

I noticed early this evening the inside liner on the rear passenger side is very loose and the wind noise is much worse on that side also. I also noticed this evening that when I put the top up and put up the rear passenger window up it makes a weird noise now. I swear, it's one thing after another.

[rainey85]

Originally Posted by Lightrider

Contact Jeff Morris on here to open a case. NO reason you need to live with visible rub marks. They'll only get worse...



You have to trim the brackets as SUX has posted, that is the only fix in existence at this time. Replacing the top, moving a screw hole or whatever does not fix the problem.

As of this morning, my top is FIXED! I picked it up from dealer Thursday afternoon, did the rub test at home yesterday and of course, it failed. Trimmed both passenger (which was way worse) and drivers side brackets this morning, did the chalk test, pushed the top around while stowed to simulate driving, lifted it back up and NO chalk marks.

Including time to grab tools and files, it is an easy ~ 1 hour fix and I'm not a super mechanic. The hardest part by far was threading the little screws re-attaching the headliner.

Thanks to SUX2BU for diagnosing and then showing with super easy to see pictures how to make this right. It may sound stupid, but I'm in a ridiculously good mood today knowing this top should look great for years to come.

Now I need to really clean the inerior of the car after shop guys worked in it for a couple days then Solo cat-back....

I told my husband about the fix that SUX2B has on here and he's gonna take a look at it tomorrow. If I can get them to fix the inside liner this coming week then I think we are gonna try trimming the brackets. It would be so nice to go one day without finding something new wrong with my car.

[Drago77]

Originally Posted by rainey85

I told my husband about the fix that SUX2B has on here and he's gonna take a look at it tomorrow. If I can get them to fix the inside liner this coming week then I think we are gonna try trimming the brackets. It would be so nice to go one day without finding something new wrong with my car.

I've almost given up and just begun accepting it...

[Lightrider]

Originally Posted by rainey85

It would be so nice to go one day without finding something new wrong with my car.

I hear ya. I 'get' there's occasional glithes with new cars, but in all honesty, they've been making convertible tops for a long time. Designing it so it doesn't rub when stowed and then worse yet; AFTER discovering the problem and not developing a fix for it in the TSB is ludicrous.

Originally Posted by Drago77

I've almost given up and just begun accepting it...

The crap you've dealt with is insane.

[eblanchette]

Is Mr. Morris from customer service able to help out people located in Canada?

I brought my car in for the rub marks, and they put some kind of tape and shortened the bracket's screws, which obviously did not solve the problem, and worse, did not do anything about the existing rub marks.

I now need a new top unless there is some miracle way to make the rub marks disappear.(And I will be doing the fix so it does not rub anymore)

Thanks for putting up this thread, it is really helpful.

[95birdible]

Anyone know if this has been addressed for the 2012's? I should be getting mine in the next week or two and have been watching these top issues progress. My 95 Firebird Convertible's top still look new the day I sold it this May. No rubs, tears, threads, nothing showing. Still black as night. Hopefully this was addressed and fix for the new model year.

[Nutbutt]

Originally Posted by 95birdible

Anyone know if this has been addressed for the 2012's? I should be getting mine in the next week or two and have been watching these top issues progress. My 95 Firebird Convertible's top still look new the day I sold it this May. No rubs, tears, threads, nothing showing. Still black as night. Hopefully this was addressed and fix for the new model year.

It seem only the early builds have had the problem. I have been told by my dealer that the 2012 bracket was going to be different but didn't know when this bracket will be available for the 2011s.
I am waiting as long as possible to get my replacement top installed as I am hoping that the TSB gets updated with either a new or modified bracket. Otherwise this si going to continue to happen !

[95birdible]

Why wouldn't the just replace the top with the 12? Would make sense to me if it was in fact fixed later in the 11 model year and for 12. Maybe Jeff can chime in if he knows.

[OrangeVert]

So work has me teaching in Louisiana this week. Landed at Baton Rouge, LA airport this afternoon, and what do I see in the Avis rental garage? Three 2SS and 2SS/RS verts (no, I didn't get to rent one). All L-99's, if you want a standard looks like you have to buy one.

Of course I looked for the rub marks, and they didn't have any. One's top was really loose fitting, the second was better, and the third was almost as tight as mine - in good condition. Here's some photos of the worst one, a silver 2SS/RS vert, really loose fitting material and there was a rubber gasket at the bottom exposed (about 1") along the trim line:







For those interested - thought you might want to see, fwiw.

[billyboyf]

Hey Guys, Been lurking this thread since I got my 2LT vert. last week. It was made in May and HAS THE RUB MARKS! I did a modified fix from SUX's . I took the headliner loose,folded it back and then took straight sheetmetel shears and cut each bracket.The brackets are plastic and they cut very cleanly. Itook a small file and smoothed the cut slightly. Then I trimmed the excess material(with same shears) off the headliners and screwed the headliner back to the bracket. I have not done the lotion test and don't know what the chalk test is but will be testing soon. I will let you know but this process was very quick and simple. Hope it works.

[OrangeVert]

billyboyf, sound slike you may have fixed it. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

The chalk test means applying chalk to the panel with the bracket to see if the top rubs when down. Lotion works fine too, using chalk just keeps your top from getting gooey. :-)

[Tstorm180]

Back in the shop this morning. the driver's side mark is back and the top has come loose behind both rear windows. There is also a cable showing along the top edge of the rear driver side window. When the top is fully retracted, it doesn't appear to sit as low in the well and I'm concerned that the tonneau cover won't fit right. They are not sure what the problem it but have already invested a week's time on it.

Somebody from GM better teach these guys how to fix this problem!