So, I recently picked up an 90 Vantage Roadster, exactly the color combo I wanted, White over Bitter Chocolate. I'm now finding "glitches" that the previous owner neglected to mention.

He did mention one thing, that the car has a lot of errors showing, warning lights such as Tire Pressure, Check Engine, Passenger Seat Airbag, and possibly one more. He said they are related to the CRM or Convertible Roof Module, a known issue in the 2005-2009 and some newer models as well. I have researched this before and found you can order the part from Scuderia for around $700, which I did. I figure I would save folks problems who happen to have a Vantage V8 Roadster and spent 2 hours like I did trying to find it's location... Most Youtube video, RedPants and others stated it was either drivers rear well or located in the center console. After digging and digging and pulling the car apart, we found it.

It's located in the passenger rear wheel area, near the trunk under a black panel.

 

is it frost white? that's my favourite color combo. I got tired of waiting for that combo a couple of years and went with my second choice... meteorite silver

post some pics

astons are rather easy to diagnose and fix. get a workshop manual. if you need one pm me email and I send a pdf to you

 

 

Okay, so I thought I solved the issue by replacing the CRM, but I'm guessing the flash is the next thing... Some folks have said it does not need a flash

 

I have a follow up question, I NEED help answering if anyone has experience.

With the bad CRM, the dash throws errors, goes dark, bad signals, etc. So when I got the car, the guy said it had a bad CRM, because the top wasnt working and the dash had some faults, but the screens never went out, shut off, etc. Just check engine light, Tire Pressure and Passenger airbag light are on. I never had the dash shut off like described. I "assumed" he had disconnected the CRM until it was replaced.

I replaced the CRM and the exact same thing is happening. No dash "issues" just the same codes and engine lights on. Top still doesnt work. But the dash is not any different.

I'm starting to think it's NOT a bad CRM because after replacing it, without it being flashed I know the top wont work yet, but the car is exactly the same... Does this make sense?

To me, i'm starting to think there might be a CRM fuse that he pulled or something.

 

It probably was a bad CRM and you have additional problems. Tire light is on a stand alone circuit so it's not related. Have you done battery hard reset procedure? Then have you done a window setting procedure, it the windows are not set no top functions.

 

I just replaced the battery last week and then had to do the window reset as they did not function properly. Worked like a charm.
The CRM module was replaced a few days later.

I'm just trying to self diagnose:
1. if my dash never had problems, always worked fine but the top doesnt move, what else could it be?
2. I replaced the Battery and CRM, top still does not function. No noise, no motor, nothing like the switch is dead.
3. If I get this car flashed and it still doesnt work, what else can I check ahead of time before I get to that part at the dealer and it cost a million to fix?

Fuses? Any other electronics?

 

wait so is the problem solved? Sorry your title is confusing me

 

Apparently not, but at the time of the post I thought it was... I posted the thread to show that the access point was in the passenger rear area, since I had seen so many people ask where the CRM was.

My issue has now escalated, should I have opened or started a new thread?

 

Okay, more info - So apparently I was missing a fuse (removed purposely). I replaced the missing fuse with a 20A and all of a sudden - the TOP WORKS! You can see the missing fuse in the photo below, top right area.

 

UPDATE - The top does not work again, they stated an issue with the tonneau not releasing. Still trying to diagnose, but we know it's not the CRM or the fuses.

 

Suggestion: Convertible top wont go up/wont go down after dead battery. I had a dead battery from not placing car on tender. Car started and drove.... just fart enough i needed a flatbed wrecker. Once I got it home and replaced the battery, the damned top would not go up completely. Would show a fault "cant complete roof operation" on the cluster of the dash and stop half way up. Took me a while but i realized the window modules in the doors had to be recalibrated. Window modules lose their "calibration" of where top and bottom of glass is when battery is pulled. Re calibrate each door window module and see if it fixes inoperable roof. I believe the CRM (convertible roof module) requires a signal from the window door module to tell it "yeap, windows are down its okay to operate the top." Without a calibration in the window module, it wont broadcast the necessary signal to the CRM to operate.

To recalibrate window modules, simply raise the window and hold switch at top for 5 seconds. Holding switch there after glass has gone all the way up will reprogram the module to learn where top is. Now do the same in the down position. Run glass all the way down with switch and hold it there for 5 seconds after glass is at bottom to reprogram module where bottom of glass travel is. Do both doors this way. Each has a module. Once the door modules are reprogrammed, they will likely broadcast correct message to the convertible roof module and it will operate properly again.