afs98mrj

I'm in plymstock (plymouth) & in sept '10 (just before the warranty expired) i made a claim for a torn soft top (usual place over drivers right shoulder) for an '07 S. It was replaced but 6 months later tore again about 1/2cm behind the drivers front catcher. Obviously i asked them to replace the soft top as either they fitted it badly or fitted a soft top that wasn't fit for purpose. Honda have sent a letter saying "the tear in the roof is likely to have been caused by an external factor. He cannot see any evidence of poor fitment or inferior roof material" & will not replace the roof or pay for a new one to be fitted.

Can any of you with a tear in a similar position let me know (photos would be ideal) your story as i'm taking the local honda to court over this.

Thanks, Mark.

loftust

The only time I have heard about it splitting where you mention, is when the owner has not clipped the latches into place properly before lowering the hood.

afs98mrj

did a search for this type of tear & there's a few out there that've had this (indeed, there was some poor sod who'd only had his car 2 days before it happened....honda replaced the soft top). honda have issued a service bulletin so as such acknowledge there's a problem.

hazzaman

My Honda dealer replaced mine just before I bought the car from them - went in the same place as you mention and also just behind the windows on both sides.

From what I was told - behind the side windows is due to the frame rubbing and is a common problem (they modified the frame for me to stop it happening again), and behind the catches was 'user error' in not clipping the latches back in and the hook wears a hole in the vinyl.

afs98mrj

As i said, honda have acknowledged there's a problem by issuing the 2009 servicing bulletin (09-033). The tear is caused by a sharp edge on the rear of some catchers.

lower

Have your roof catches got the fault defined in the TSB?

Zudzilla

Check to see if the replaced the part which had metal burrs that caused the first tear. When my hood had torn i found that part off the folding mechanism which is cast had not been de-burred and so was doomed from day 1. This part was replaced for me and 1 year later i have no problems.

Davey_2

Don't wish to spoil your party or get involved in your arguement but Honda UK did not issue a bulletin in 2009 regarding tears in fabric roof, can you produce a copy of it?
If it is not HUK then it does not apply in this country.

bigtommy

mine did this, right sod but got it professionally repaired by a trimmer and you can hardly tell it was damaged - all for a tenner!

lower

http://www.msprotege.com/members/evi.../Top%20TSB.pdf

Appears to be a Honda North America TSB.