When it comes to keeping your Mini Cooper in top-notch shape, proper maintenance is required. There are numerous problems that can arise with any vehicle, but cars as reliable as a Mini should be serviced immediately when these problems arise. Any issue that you notice come up with your Mini should be treated as a reason to take the vehicle into the shop to ensure no further damage occurs.
On that note, a Mini Cooper’s convertible top uses intricate machinery to function and any single part not working can lead to the entire top not functioning properly. If you suspect that there may be a problem with your Mini Cooper’s convertible top, don’t hesitate to take your vehicle into the shop.
How The Convertible Top Works
To understand why it is so important to take your Mini Cooper into the shop when you notice convertible problems, it’s worth understanding how a convertible system actually works. By doing this, you may be able to recognize the parts or area of your convertible that seems to be acting up.
There are two types of convertibles: hard top and soft top. There is not Mini Cooper variant of a hard top convertible, but regardless they work roughly the same way. Depending on the year and model of your Mini, the convertible could be electric or manual. If it is the latter, the mechanism that pushes the top into the back compartment is entirely powered by you pulling on a handle. Should it be the former, a click of a button will send the entire roof into the back of the car.
Regardless, they work in similar ways. There is a large mechanism that the convertible top is attached to which compresses when you pull on a handle or click a button. This retraction mechanism is often complex and has a large number of parts that allow the entire frame to fold and unfold. In electric models, the button also opens the back storage compartment which is another potential place that convertible issues may occur.
Signs Your Convertible May Have a Problem
There are a number of important, typically obvious, signs that your convertible is having an issue. Any of these signs should be enough of a reason to take your Mini into the shop as soon as possible.
Slow Convertible Movement
One of the biggest signs, but perhaps least obvious, of an underlying problem with your convertible is if the top moves extremely slowly at the push of a button. Convertibles naturally move at a relatively quick speed, but if you notice that your top is seemingly crawling slower than usual, you may have a problem with the retraction mechanism in the back of the car.
Convertible Top Not Moving
Obviously, your convertible top not moving is the biggest sign that something has gone wrong with the entire system. This could be due to something such as the limit switches failing and a lack of electric signals being sent to the retraction mechanism. If this occurs, your convertible top will be receiving no electricity and may not move at all.
Storage Compartment Not Opening
This problem is specifically for people who have electrical convertible tops. If your storage compartment for the convertible top is not opening when you click the button, it may be indicative of a deeper electrical problem that needs to be fixed. As with the top not moving at all, the limit switches that power the retraction mechanism may be fried and in need of replacement.
Regardless of the exact convertible model you have, problems with your convertible are annoying but usually not catastrophic to the car. For the most part, taking it into the mechanic will result in a quick fix that will get you back on the road in no time at all.
Encore Motorcars For Your Mini Cooper Needs
Here at Encore Motorcars, we understand just how important it is for you to have a vehicle that is functioning completely normal. 
We also know just how much trust you have garnered for your Mini Cooper and we wish to restore that trust with our quality service. We have experience servicing German, Exotic, and Asian import cars for clients across Bradenton, Ellenton, Nokomis, Osprey, Parrish, Venice, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Siesta Key, University Park, and Sarasota, FL.
This extensive experience means we have the skills and knowledge needed to fix your Mini’s convertible issues. Whatever the specific issue may be, our experienced technicians in the service department will be able to identify the problem and fix it before it becomes a bigger issue. Come on down and visit us today or give us a call to set up an appointment and see why we are one of the most trusted names in the business. We look forward to earning your trust and patronage.
* Mini Cooper Convertible Car image credit goes to: wallix.