I've had the top up/down several times and I've noticed that the driver side latch hook doesn't exactly line up (after raising the top). I've had to tug on the top a bit (towards the driver door) to engage that latch first. If I engage the passenger side first, then I can latch the driver side latch without tugging on it.

Anyone know if this is normal?

I really dislike the idea of having the dealership "adjust" it. I've had some bad luck with dealer service in the past.

 

Some do it and some don't. It can be adjusted. If you don't trust the dealer go to a convertible refurbisher.

 

I had the same problem, but the dealer adjusted it and now it aligns perfectly!

David

 

Mine's exactly the same way. Drivers side hook is way out of alignment toward the inside. I have to push it over pretty hard to even get it into the receiver, and even then it's very hard to close the latch. Since the weather's still cold and wet here it hasn't been a priority and I've been busy with other things so I haven't really had a chance to look into it yet. I figured the latch alignment was probably easily adjustable somehow, and since I didn't want to screw around with the dealer either, it still needs to be attended to. I've got an annoying clicking coming from the assembly right above my ear that's been driving me crazy that I need to look at as well so maybe this weekend. Perhaps I'll get lucky and find that it's the pressure from the misalignment that's causing the clicking to begin with .

ron

 

All the 2004s I have test-driven have had the same problem. The saleswoman and I struggled with one of them for five minutes before successfully getting it to latch. Weird.

 

Mine's crooked too, but I thought it was just the way its supposed to be. Now that I know, i'll take it to the dealer when I get my first oil change.

 

Thanks a lot, folks!

I'll probably talk to the local service manager and see what's involved with an attempted adjustment before I commit to letting them do it. On two separate occasions, the $tealer made an exisiting problem worse (Toyota). Hopefully, Honda will be better. Although, from what I read on this site, I wonder....

 

According to the Helms manual the adjustment is not where you think It'd be. It's actually at the base of the top near the door handles, I can scan the page if someone can post it. PM me.

 

Well, there is a very small amount of adjustment that can be made in the angle of the latch itself. The rearward screw is countersunk so it is self centering as it is tightened down. But the front screw is not so the latch can be "rotated" a slight amount right or left. I checked mine out over the weekend and loosened both sides a bit and then latched the top, unlatched and then retightened. It was still too far off so I simply retracted the roof a couple inches and tweaked it over a little by pushing on it and holding for a few seconds. I wouldn't recommend pushing very hard on it because it is relatively fragile, but in my case it helped immensely. After a couple "tweaks" I can latch easily now. And, as I had hoped, now that the roof is not being "torqued" over and held under tension by the latches any more, the clicking noise from the pivots next to the drivers and passengers ears on either side is gone! Now I'm knocking on wood and keeping my fingers crossed that it stays gone, but so far so good...

ron