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Convertible problems with opening and closing

4K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  Sean485 
#1 ·
I have a 1997 Eclipse Spyder I have been able to open the top with no problems. However, to close the top I have for a couple of years I’ve had to push down on the top to be certain both sides are straight. And even then I will have to push the switch two or three times for the top to come up.

Last night I had to push the switch three or four time for the top to go down. I can hear clicking in the back each time I press the Switch.

I am a firm believer that things on cars don’t heal themselves; Before I start throwing parts and money at this issue anyone else have this problem?
 

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#4 ·
As the owner of another '97 Spyder, "ah feel yer pain". The need to sometimes press the switch multiple times is likely due to dirty contacts inside the switch itself. You might be able to remove the switch and open it up. If so, a pencil eraser can be used to polish the contacts (they will appear blackened, the eraser will remove that and restore the surfaces to shiny copper). Or you can buy a used replacement- the going price seems to be about $25.

Since your top will move under its own power, the problem w/ your top is more likely one of two things that could be broken. Both refer to the top link assembly arm that stabilizes the top when it is being lifted out of the well.

See this ebay ad for a picture: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1996-1999-M...R-TOP-LINK-ASSEMBLY-MR264596-RH-/221413236601

The RH link is Mitsubishi #MR264596, LH is #MR264595.

1) this link is very prone to snapping in half (cast aluminum is weaker than . Reaching behind the quarter window, you'll feel a floppy aluminum bar with a clearly snapped-looking free end. The other end bolts to a pivot lower down. The first time my top failed to raise without me guiding it, I had a broken RH top link. Got a used one for $125 on ebay. Here's an ad w/ pictures (not mine):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1996-1999-M...R-TOP-LINK-ASSEMBLY-MR264596-RH-/221556433061

2) a couple of years later, the top failed again and I bought another link, only to find that the plastic pivot bushing that the bottom of this same RH arm rotates in had failed- I replaced it w/ a bronze bushing.

I still have that used arm (filled-in part of it w/ metal epoxy to strengthen it). If you need a RH part (passenger side), it's yours for $130 shipped (what I paid for it). The going rate on ebay lately is $160. The LH one is available on ebay for $85 or $130 (search Eclipse Spyder Convertible Extension or MR264595).

Oh, there's one other failure mode for these tops (not counting the shear pins on the top's gearhead motors- yours seem to be working)- the two elastic links that help to stabilize one of the top's hoops. Control Arm kits are available to fix the issue. (search for MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CONVERTIBLE TOP REPAIR KIT) - $75. The vendor is "uneedparts".

See post #13 in http://www.dsmtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2045295#post2045295

If you're looking for Spyder diagrams, check out dsmtuners.com.
 
#8 ·
You should check the keys to make sure that BOTH motors are helping bring the top up and down. If only one of them is active it will put the top in a bind and it won't open/close properly. As for the push button, hear click but nothing happening behind the back seat is a large black box. That box is the "brain" for the convertible top and on some cars the pins get a little corroded so take some emery cloth to them and it should help.
 
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