New 2011 2SS Vert Owner - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

50Plus · 11-23-2017, 11:21 AM

20K miles, garage kept, super clean, but have a few issues with the top.

1. See the pics, there's a huge gap on the rear left seal when the top is fully up. Right side is flush and tight. Found the rear left floorboard wet after the dealer washed the car. Inspected the water bag and found it wet with leaves and debris.

2. Looks like the weather strip is rotting and should be replaced.

3. Any bump, at any speed, causes really loud and annoying squeaking from the right and left rear of the top when the top is up. I can reproduce it when I gently pound in the same area on the exterior of the top.

Thanks!

Ponchonutty · 11-23-2017, 06:09 PM

Looks like the awesome bent 5th bow issue most of these are plagued with. There was a class action lawsuit on these verts. I had to get my $1500 top replaced months after I bought it. Wish I would have looked closer to things before I bought it. If I had, probably wouldn't have bought a convertible. You can get info on it here https://www.facebook.com/groups/226942550693692/

samman11 · 11-27-2017, 12:54 PM

It's the 5th bow issue. Don't worry though, all can be fixed. Please tell me you bought it from a dealer, where you have the 90 day lemon law warranty to fall back on. I had mine fixed at no cost from the dealer I bought it from. They need to upgrade the water management bag and replace the 5th bow. And don't let them look at you like they don't know what you're talking about. Tell them to look it up, as all dealers should be able to research the issue and fix. If you bought it privately, it is fixable at a dealer, but you will obviously be paying out of pocket.

50Plus · 11-27-2017, 02:04 PM

Thanks for the insight! Yes, I bought it from a dealer. It's back with them now to address the top along with a few other items.

samman11 · 11-28-2017, 11:12 AM

And don't let them tell you, like I was told at first, that I must be leaving the window open when I wash the car! So insulting! Or that the large gap between the car body and rear window is "normal." It is not. Old issue. They know full well what it is, or they should anyway. All they have to do is research it and they will be flooded with data. Look it up here as well. Good luck.

Jfoster · 12-16-2017, 02:52 PM

50plus, I'm not sure how far you are from Bossier City, La., but Red River Chev. repaired mine years ago with zero issues. At the time, they were the only dealer in nw La. that knew how to replace the 5th bow.

Also, don't let it get you down. Like the others said, it was a common issue with 11's and early 12's. The main issue came with untrained techs that didn't have training on how to repair them or dealers that didn't care. Mine was repaired in and out of the dealer in three to four days from memory and never had another issue with it till we traded it a couple of years later.

11-23-2017, 11:21 AM	#1
50Plus Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS Convertible Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Texas Posts: 2	New 2011 2SS Vert Owner 20K miles, garage kept, super clean, but have a few issues with the top. 1. See the pics, there's a huge gap on the rear left seal when the top is fully up. Right side is flush and tight. Found the rear left floorboard wet after the dealer washed the car. Inspected the water bag and found it wet with leaves and debris. 2. Looks like the weather strip is rotting and should be replaced. 3. Any bump, at any speed, causes really loud and annoying squeaking from the right and left rear of the top when the top is up. I can reproduce it when I gently pound in the same area on the exterior of the top. Thanks! Attached Images

11-23-2017, 06:09 PM	#2
Ponchonutty Drives: 2012 SS L99 Converible Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: New Washington, Ohio Posts: 606	Looks like the awesome bent 5th bow issue most of these are plagued with. There was a class action lawsuit on these verts. I had to get my $1500 top replaced months after I bought it. Wish I would have looked closer to things before I bought it. If I had, probably wouldn't have bought a convertible. You can get info on it here https://www.facebook.com/groups/226942550693692/ __________________ 2012 L99 Convertible SS Tooley Racing Stage 2 DOD delete, 3,200 stall converter, Shorty headers and custom stainless exhaust, CAI, and tune as mods

11-27-2017, 12:54 PM	#3
samman11 Drives: 2011 Camaro SS Convertible Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 671	It's the 5th bow issue. Don't worry though, all can be fixed. Please tell me you bought it from a dealer, where you have the 90 day lemon law warranty to fall back on. I had mine fixed at no cost from the dealer I bought it from. They need to upgrade the water management bag and replace the 5th bow. And don't let them look at you like they don't know what you're talking about. Tell them to look it up, as all dealers should be able to research the issue and fix. If you bought it privately, it is fixable at a dealer, but you will obviously be paying out of pocket.

11-27-2017, 02:04 PM	#4
50Plus Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS Convertible Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Texas Posts: 2	Thanks for the insight! Yes, I bought it from a dealer. It's back with them now to address the top along with a few other items.

11-28-2017, 11:12 AM	#5
samman11 Drives: 2011 Camaro SS Convertible Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 671	And don't let them tell you, like I was told at first, that I must be leaving the window open when I wash the car! So insulting! Or that the large gap between the car body and rear window is "normal." It is not. Old issue. They know full well what it is, or they should anyway. All they have to do is research it and they will be flooded with data. Look it up here as well. Good luck.

12-16-2017, 02:52 PM	#6
Jfoster Drives: 2016 GT vert. Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: La Posts: 198	50plus, I'm not sure how far you are from Bossier City, La., but Red River Chev. repaired mine years ago with zero issues. At the time, they were the only dealer in nw La. that knew how to replace the 5th bow. Also, don't let it get you down. Like the others said, it was a common issue with 11's and early 12's. The main issue came with untrained techs that didn't have training on how to repair them or dealers that didn't care. Mine was repaired in and out of the dealer in three to four days from memory and never had another issue with it till we traded it a couple of years later.