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  1. #1
    Saab Fan
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    03 Jun 2017
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    Saab(s)
    2004 9-3 Vector 1,8 convertible

    squeeking and clicking sounds from the soft top

    1) When I open or close the soft top of my 2004 Saab 9-3 Vector 1.8, it makes a squeeking sound on the top of the front window, as if it needs lubrication.
    Anyone tips how and where to grease or lubricate this?
    2) When driving over holes in the road, even small ones, the closed top makes a irritating clicking sound. This sound too seems to come from the top of the front window.
    May be the top does not close tight enough, although it is perfectly wind and water tight. Should the lock be adjusted, and how?
    Anyone recognises these problems?

  2. #2
    Saab Owner Digger's Avatar
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    28 Oct 2016
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    Minneapolis Minnesota
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    Saab(s)
    2006 9-3 2.0t SportCombi
    If the irritating clicking sound you hear is the closed position switch, you need to do something soon and it's one of those dammed if you do dammed if you don't things. If you have a light colored top and upholstery, go with the dammed if you don't and take it to a top shop to have it done. There is no good easy way and the dammed if you do, where spritzing a little WD40 into the squeak can so easily go from just enough to get the job done to an ugly oil stain.

    Saab didn't invent the convertible top and all these power pull downs work pretty much the same. Almost anyone can fix the normal squeak, but I can't hear the click you hear or where your squeak is coming from. If your squeaking sound is drive screw into mount, a little hard grease from the finger tip (lithium will do if it's all you have) into the hole will make the squeak go away and probably fix the click, wipe off any excess when you're done. Better to touch this several times than put in more than you need the first time and make a mess.

    If you need to work in the header, best to have it done.

    If your squeak is inside the header take it in and have it done,

  3. #3
    Saab Fan
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    Saab(s)
    2004 9-3 Vector 1,8 convertible
    Thanks a lot for this advice.
    I hear the squeak at the last moment the closed top is being pulled tight, and this sound certainly comes from the beam above the windshield.
    It is more difficult to define where the clicking sound exactly comes from, because that is heard when you are driving, but I am almost sure it comes from about the same place.
    English - as you may have noticed - is not my first language, so I do not completely understand what the word "header" means. Is that the beam above the windshield? Or is it part of the top itself? Sorry to be so stupid.
    I'll take care not to pollute the top or the upholstery (black top and grey leather). I will communicate the result to this forum, but it will take a couple of weeks, because the car is in the south of France and we are in Holland for the next few weeks before we fly back... One of the problems of driving a Saab in France is that there are no specilalist garages for this brand.

  4. #4
    Saab Owner Digger's Avatar
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    28 Oct 2016
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    Saab(s)
    2006 9-3 2.0t SportCombi
    My apologies for the confusion. I badly butcher half a dozen languages so I understand the translation thing and I need to pay more attention to where postings originate.

    In my English convertible top speak the header is the super strong first bow of the soft top structure where fabric wraps over the leading edge and the latches and weather strip all get referred to as one big part.

    The normal squeak that reverberates through the beam or frame above the windshield is fixed with a touch of grease at fastening holes on one or both ends of the beam above windshield where the latch rotates into position. Takes some force to pull a top tight and with an auto top pull down, dry metal on dry metal can cause a heck of a squeak and leave you a hair bit short of being complete cycle tight.

    The Saab top pull down is hydraulic, when the top is locked switch/sensor toggles, the pump stops making pressure and full tight or 99% full tight, the expected pressure is there and the run is done. The other squeak that you might be hearing comes from one or more of the hinge points of the soft top mechanism all fastened to the super strong first bow and it might even be coming from the hydraulic cylinder. The headliner is wrapped over a wire that is held in place by several hooks and you can get the spray extender of an aerosol oiler under the header fabric right up to the hinge points and spritz them. If that's what the squeak is great and wonderful, spray to much and you spot your headliner.

    If oil makes the sound go away and it's a loose or broken part not just a dry hinge point, when the sound comes back your top could be half way up and dripping oil in your lap. Sure that's a worst case, but some things should be looked at before they are oiled and that means pulling the headliner back. Tops are tops and any upholstery shop that can fix a Mercedes power soft top can fix and adjust the Saab. Not absolutely positive, but they might even use the same parts.

    Start with a touch of grease in the holes where metal rubs metal first. If your noise doesn't go away and you're comfortable upholstery work pull the headliner back to look see and then make the noise go away.

  5. #5
    Saab Fan
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    2004 9-3 Vector 1,8 convertible
    Once again thank you very much. This is very clear.
    I'll let you know if it worked or not.
    Fingers crossed.
    Hanky

  6. #6
    Saab Fan
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    2004 9-3 Vector 1,8 convertible
    In the meantime it has become clear what caused the sound of the closing convertible top. I forgot to inform you all what happened. This summer suddenly oil started to leak from the right corner above the windscreen. I tried to open the top, but only moved a little bit and leaked even more. So I closed it again and brought the car to my Saab specialist. It appeared that one of the hydraulic tubes was torn. He repaired it and now everything is functioning perfectly, and without annoying noises. By the way, my husband has bought a 1980 Saab 96 V4 that needs restauration, so probably he will use this account too in the future to ask for help if there arte things he does not understand.

 

 

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