Convertible Top Malfunction & Not Secure- Hardtop 2011 Chrysler 200 -

1944 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by RWG75, 16 d ago

SunnyTheCar

Discussion Starter · 8 mo ago

🙏🏼 In advance

2011 Chrysler 200 Limited Hard Top is acting up - 55k miles

January 2022 - trunk was heavy, bought new trunk lifts & it was then easy to open BUT really hard to close, took 2 hands and effort, but I could live with it

February 2022 : first time to see “convertible top malfunction” top stopped in a vertical position. Pushed the button again & it worked. I rarely use the car due to travel but would say it has happened 2-3 other times

Yesterday: same thing “convertible top malfunction” stuck 1/2 way but then worked- 1 exception…this time when I put the top UP it did not secure and the windows roll up did not complete - I did NOT get any warning, but was listening & paying attention so I knew the situation so drove slow to see the Cowboy Game. Next time I started the car there was no warning until I drove 1-2 miles that is when I got the confirmation of what I knew already : “Top Not Secure” warning.

today: the key fab would not work (seems random but though I would mention it) the car once again had NO warning about the top as I slowly worked my way to a mechanic.

1) do you think this had anything to do with the trunk lifts that have been SOOO stiff? My mechanic is the one that installed them in January & I have visited him twice to “grease them” so might be an easy fix

2) any other guidance I can give the mechanic - I am to go back in 30 mins

thank you so much - I love my Sunny Car 😊

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200_S_AWD

· #2 · 8 mo ago

Welcome to the forum. Lift cylinders come in different strengths for different lid/gate weights. Use of an OEM gas strut may be an important consideration as the the lift motor has to work against the struts. Use Mopar 5008938AC or equivalent. Make sure that they aren't the lifts for the sedan.

If you had a 'not secure' message, the top latches above the windshield (header) may not have latched on one side? The car needs to see both latch switches close in order to be sure that the top is secure.

The 'top malfunction' may mean that a fault code is stored in the PTCM (power top control module). It may or may not be related to the gas struts? A capable scan tool can read the PTCM code(s).

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ggoose

· #3 · 8 mo ago (Edited)

The decklid struts are not involved in the convertible top operation. The convertible top operation releases 2 latches on the lower decklid pivot arms and the entire forward edge of the decklid is raised by the 2 hydraulic cylinders attached to the lower decklid pivot arms. The entire decklid, struts and all, pivots up on a 'hinge' attached to the decklid latch used when opening the decklid.

The 'top not secured' points to the header latches not being sensed as fully latched as 200_s_awd noted. This could be a weak header latch motor. I would first suggest pulling down the header trim panel and lubing the header latch pivot points and the slide on the header latch plate. This may be enough to free up the header latch mechanism to get the latch to fully engage and trigger the latch sensor to signal the top is latched. I would suggest a white lithium grease spray. Using the red tube you can pinpoint the grease. It goes on as a liquid to get into the joint and then forms a nice grease film.

The top malfunction may be related to the header latch as the top operation is a bit of a dance between top motions, sensor switches, and expected time between when a motion is started to when a switch is triggered to signal end of motion.

The is also the possibility of a broken wire(s) in the decklid harness at the base of the right hinge where there is a sharp bend at the point the harness transitions from a bundle to the plastic tray.

If you are interested in diagnosing this, I would suggest checking out 'sebringclub.net', specializing in the care and feeding of Sebring and 200 convertible tops. A couple of contributors have put together a rather comprehensive guide for troubling-shooting and repairing these Gen 3 tops. The guide makes extensive use of the appcar-diagFCA software app to access the ptcm, pull diagnostic codes, view the sensor states and manually command the top operations. The guide has a step-by-step for opening and closing the top so that at each stage the switch statuses can be viewed to determine if the requested operation completed successfully.

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lvfb

· #4 · 26 d ago

Not sure if the issue i was having will help but couldnt hurt to tell you what i did.

I had just bought my 200 and got the "not secure" warning and the top hanging open. I found that the stupid spring dildo piece that hangs off of the plastic rectangle in the trunk that you place diagonally to press the safety switch was too worn out to firmly press it. so i took a large bolt and wedged it in there and now i have no issue with that warning. The down side is if i forget to put the plastics the correct way so the top can go all the way down it will crush and break them so ill just need to remember not to be dumb

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RWG75

· #5 · 16 d ago

Blame the mechanic for knocking the broken wires loose while swapping the struts. The factory got stingy with slack when strapping it to the hinge and this is what ya get. Fairly easy fix aside from the antenna lead.

Wheel Tire Automotive tire Hood Automotive lighting

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