My '01 convertible top will go down but will not easily go up. I have been told 3 different things: from the dealership, I was, not surprisingly, told that I would need to replace the convertible top motor, but I think the motor must be ok since it functions well enough for the top to be lowered. Someone else said I needed to add fluid as it had leaked out of the cylinder so my two basic questions are, and I apologize for their basic-ness: what fluid do I use and how do I add it.  

I just got a 2001 mustang convertible and the top will not go down. The guy I bought it from said it went down fine last summer and they hadn't tried to put it down again untill a few months ago and when they tried it a few months ago it wouldn't go down. What could it be? would it be a fuse or is my moter bad? or do i just need to add oil to the moter? what should I check first?  

I have a 2000 convertible never had that problem but a freind did with his 2002 top motor is a 2-cycle motor one part takes it down other takes it up. the up part may be going out if that's the case you will have replace the motor.  

I just replaced the motor for my 2003 GT -- the old motor made no sound at all. The top will go down in a hurry, but will raise only about a third of the way up and I have to physically raise it the rest of the way by hand. My friend at a local Ford parts place said the hydraulic lines probably needed to be bled -- that air probably got into the lines when I installed the new motor. He is going to furnish me with a copy of the instructions on how to bleed the lines and I will update you with the process when I'm through with my car.  The motor was relatively easy to remove and replace (after a little bit of trial and error), but it is a little greasy / messy. Make sure you have towels under the motor when you disconnect and reconnect the hydraulic lines.
Stay tuned ......  

Check with your local Ford dealer and the parts dept should be able to give you the kind of fluid to use. My friend who is the parts mgr at a local Ford dealership told me to use Mercon in my conv. top motor. I have a 2003 GT but yours might use something different. I would check with the Ford parts place just to be sure.

Where to put the fluid: if your motor is like mine, the motor is two-toned -- one end is silver and the other a brass-like color. There is a black rubber "plug" in the end of the silver part, which is the hydraulic reservoir. Pry that up a little to be able to place (I used) needlenose pliers under the lip of the plug and pry it up until it comes out. (the plug looks really oversized and you'll wonder how you're going to be able to get that back in. I put a small slotted screwdriver into the hole in the plug and was able to work the plug back into the hole.) Fill the reservoir up to about a half inch below the top. Then replace the plug back into the hole.

NOTE: After I installed the new motor, the top will go down down really fast, but will only raise about a third of the way. I have to manually lift the top the rest of the way. The Ford parts place told me that I probably needed to bleed the lines, that air was in the lines. My friend is going to copy the bleeding instructions for me tomorrow (Friday) and I will follow up this email to you when I finish with my car Friday.

I hope I have been of some help to you.
Good Luck  

I was formerly cbs2003--cancelled previous user name in error .....
I bled my hydraulic lines this morning; the first time I tried to raise and lower the top, it went down quickly as before.  But it was a little slow coming back up.  I bled the lines a SECOND time and now the top goes down and up like a charm!

Here's what the bleeding instructions said:
1. retract the cylinder rods (I belive that means like if the conv top is down)
2. remove the plug on the end of the hydraulic pump. fill the pump with Mercon transmission fluid to the bottom of the fill hole(I stood the pump on the end and filled the fluid to near the top).
3. (on this step, I just raised and lowered my top three times, manually assisting the top completely back up if necessary) connect a 12-volt power source to the motor connector until the the cylinders are fully extended (I belive that means with the top up). then reverse to fully retract the cylinders. repeat this procedure THREE times, ending with the cylinders fully retracted.
4. remove the plug to check the fluid level. fill the pump once more to the bottom of the fill hole.
5. replace the plug.

Remember, you might want to bleed the lines a second time if the top is sluggish at first, as mine was.

If you do not need to replace the motor / pump assembly, you might try to add fluid to the hydraulic pump side of the assembly and bleeding the lines. If that doesn't work for you, and purchasing and installing a new motor doen't work, you may have hydraulic cylinder problems. I cannot help you there as my problem was solved by replacing the motor / pump assembly.  The cylinders will be more difficult as they are located behind the inside quarter panels in the back seat area and in some cases, the stereo speakers must be removed.

I hope this info has helped any of you with conv top problems.

Good Luck ......