gandro

I am considering buying a new SC430. I was amazed that the engineers didn't put a one-touch open/close switch for the hard top. The dealer told me it was for safety and liability reasons.
This must be a pain in the butt if you are doing alot of errands and want to drive around with the top down and put it back up each time you park. How many of you dare keep your top down when you run in for a 10-20 minute errand in such a place like a walmart parking lot?
If I buy this car, I plan on developing a solution to this.
I am an electrical engineer and I it shouldnt take much effort to
develop a small circuit that will simulate a person holding down the top up/down button for 30 seconds when you press it quickly and release it. If you were to hold it for more than 1 second or so, it will assume you want to remain in manual mode. Even if the top finishes its up/down sequence in 30 seconds, it won't damage the motors, since in new cars there is self-healing overcurrent protection in the event someone held down the button when the top was fully top/down. The circuit I would develop will contain a small microprocessor and relay and should do the trick. If it works well, I may figure a way to tie it in with the keyless entry system (a seperate circuit). Both circuits would be easy to install behind the panel with the hard-top up/down switch.

RX300 Guy

Is that how the one touch driverside window switch works?

Davin Huang

I have thought about the one touch - top down solution, perhapes, a lil change of switch may work? i dunno. I even thought of linking the roll down window with remote to the open top button. But this may cause confusion to the computer or rather difficult to accomplish since the engine needs to be on when opening the top. If you were able to come with a solution, I wouldnd't mind having this option.

QK
02SC430 white

gandro

I just refined my solution.
As explained above the top will go up and down with the one-touch feature I mentioned, that I plan to develop.
Now from what I recall, the sc430 has a button on the remote that will open or close the windows with one touch.
So a second module will be installed in the door and when the windows start to go down or up WITHOUT the windows switches inside the car being pressed, it will assume you want the top up or down and send a wireless signal to the module installed in the dash behind the roof switch and lower or raise the top as well.
The downside is, you won't be be able to just put your windows down without lowering the roof, nor will you be able to raise the windows with the remote without raising the roof.
Let me know what you all think about this.

RX300 Guy

Hay just ignore me why don’t you??????
There you go what a brilliant Idea???? I wish I had mentioned something about the window switch??? Man you’re an electrical engineer I find this very hard to believe??? O-well I hope my Idea has helped you in your quest for a better “TOP” switch.

Thanks,

RX300 Guy

gandro

I have had the idea since I looked at the car a month ago.
I also have the skills, resources, background and equipment to make it possible. Calm down. I didn't steal your idea, if anything most of us had similar thoughts, the difference is, it looks like I am the only one who will actually bring it to reality, in addition to sharing it with others.