Convertible top thud, won't close evenly.

While lowering my top, I heard a thud or a pop. All seemed okay and the top lowered as usual. I drove the car home and left the top down (car stays garaged) for a couple of days.

This morning, I drove the car to work. As I park and raise the top, I hear the same (maybe louder) dull pop or thud as the top is about halfway raised. As the top finished approaching the windshield header, the left (driver) side has about a one inch gap.

I pulled the top the rest-of-the-way closed and buckled the center latch.

Did I do any damage?

I'm not sure I have the skills or the tools to do the repairs myself that I read about when searching for this issue here on the boards... what is the likely issue?

Sounds like one of your plastic ball cups has popped off its steel ball or has broken apart.

The dull pop or thud you describe as happening midway through the cycle and the one side of the top not meeting the windshield also point to that diagnosis, except that the additional noise is probably being caused by the now-dangling front pushrod digging into the foam drain tray and then freeing itself.

Be very careful if you confirm this as you may then have a torn or ripped foam drain tray. If that's the case you must fix the rip or tear as you will then run the very real risk of getting water into the passenger cabin and frying your central alarm immobilizer.

As Laz says, do a search in the archives for more information or post again with what you discover.

Regards, Maurice.