I'm new to this whole thing, so bare with me.

I just bought a 2000 c70 Convertible from the originally owner. She has never had this problem happen before but it's also been sitting for a few years. I am an idiot and didn't try and open the top when she was with me to see if it worked. And the nearest Volvo dealership is 2 hours away and our import mechanics are pretty expensive so I am hoping this is a DIY easy fix.

To open up the top, according to the manual, all you have to do is hold down one button. So I do that. And the back window part unlatches from the car and goes to fold up and than just stops. The front doesn't lift up, the convertible top trunk thing doesn't lift up. Nothing. I know you can get to the place where the fuses for it are to see if those are blown, I just haven't been able to get all the way under there. A friend doesn't think thats the problem and thinks that it's locked somewhere up front, but I don't know how to get it unlocked if that is the case.

Any help or advice?

 

No locks on the top.
I just bought my 2001 C70 too, still researching it but here's a few things I have found out.
1) Car has to be in Park
2) Emergency brake has to be on
Once you've done this, just hold the button down.
The top will go up/down completely by itself 100%
When putting the top up, keep holding the button until you hear the latches lock.
NOT just until you see the top make contact with the top of the windshield area, it took several seconds longer for it to actually latch after contact.
ALSO......when the top goes down, the windows do too.
AND....the automatic climate control for your heat & a/c switches to manual only when top is down.
F.Y.I.- These tops are infamous for the rear windows seperating from the top itself!
I have read many posts, forums, etc. and it sees no one has found a long lasting method of fixing this issue.
Also, if you should ever have to replace the top, make sure it's the german canvas. I've read this lasts much longer than materials. One shop told me @$1300 for a new top and "several thousand more" for the german canvas.
Misc. Info: timing belt/pulleys/water pump replacement VERY important. Sway bar links like to go bad, causing rattling noise in front.
Window regulators, MAF sensors, ECMs, like to go bad.
Measure size of brake rotors if replacing, two different sizes have been put on these cars!
You could have two 2001, or other year first gen.s with diff. size rotors on each.

 

Did a little more research.
Apparently, there are microswitches and potentiometers that the car's computer uses to sense the position of the top during raising/lowering. Maybe one of these has an issue.
I believe they have a way of using error codes to tell which of these sensors has gone bad or what.

 

ECMs are not common. Any diagnosis needs a Volvo Scan Tool, which is also needed to calibrate the top after any related parts are replaced.

 

I have been repairing my '99 C70 roof when it breaks because I took it to the dealer the first time, and they spent hours and hours and never found the problems. They had another person's car for top issues, and had already spent a $1000 in labor and had not found the problem. I researched this all 5 or more years ago. My car now has over 230,000 and I use the top several times a week.

1. There is a weak spot over the passenger rear window. There is a wiring harness that goes along the roof frame at that point, and there is also a stiffener rod in the roof headliner that comes in contact when folding, and can cut up the small wires.

2. There are stop switches all over so the car knows when to do what part of dropping the top. Once the rear window flips up, it has to engage the microswitch so it knows to lift the boot cover (rear parcel shelf) so the top can drop into the well.

3. I have had these wire break (over that rear window) and interupt the signal to the or from the switches. If I were you, I would start there. I have had tops stop partially open or closed because of these broken wires. When they break, there are no warnings or indicators, the top simply stops what it was doing, and waits for a signal from a switch that never comes.

4. There is a small cover over the center front of the top, near the rear view mirror. You can pop this off, and there is a port you can use to retract the windshield locks with a battery powered drill, but most likely the machine is simply waiting for those signals.

Good luck. I have more if you want it.

 

Thank you for all your guys' help! I will get the bf to help me try and locate what could be wrong and let you know if I can get it fixed.

I always have it in park and the e-brake on because my top won't even begin to move if they aren't both on. And even holding down the button, it won't go past a certain spot. The rear window sections folds up and the windows roll down a bit, and thats it. I am having no problem with the window staying attached, just with it moving. Once the rear window section folds in, it just stops. You can't even hear it try and do anything, if I remember correctly. The top compartment over the trunk doesn't come up, and no other sections of the top itself moves.

I will start with those wires hopefully in a weekend or two.

Thank you again, everyone!

 

I was thinking of the ECU.
On the subject of top issues, I'm starting to see evidence of the rear window seperation.
My brother thinks we could put a new one on ourselves.
Anyone's opinion on this??
If so, who would be a good supplier to get one from?
I've only had my C70 a month now and always welcome any insight into this car.
Have a great day.

 

When I bought my 99 C70 it had been sitting for a while and had the same problem. After watching a few videos of the top functioning correctly and examining my tops movement I noticed the rear glass was catching on a bar. When your top stops see if the glass is on this bar. If so tap the button as if putting top up just enough to get off the bar. Next with the rear window section still up gently press down on the glass (I was able to do this alone but 2 people would make watching top easier). You should feel the canvas fold in slightly. Press the button for top down again and the glass should slide slightly under the bar and the top should go down completely. I had to do this 1-2 more times at first, but I haven't had to since. My guess is that section of the top got stiff from sitting. I didn't have any bad switches and top did not need to be calibrated.

 

I just want to say thank you again for all of you help. It was finally warm enough on Saturday for me to dink around with it enough to try to figure out the problem.
The problem was that wires were getting caught and stopping it from finishing opening. I opened it again today and had to move around the wires again for it to open all the way. Im just happy I finally got it down.
So thank you everyone!