Top problems

FrayAdjacent911 · 03-25-2007, 10:57 AM

This is a crosspost from the 986 forum. I'm having issues with my top. Definitely seems to be electrical or switch related.

Quote:

Here's what happened:

Today when leaving a parts store, I decided to drop the top, since it was shaping up to be an OK day. I lowered the top about 1/3 of the way, and did the chop...

and then...

... the top wouldn't move. I made sure the parking brake was set, and the idiot light was ON. Check. Try the top switch both ways... no movement, no noises!

I shut off the engine, removed the key, then started up again, and the top went down.

Drove over to my parent's house, since I needed to borrow the garage for something. Went to put the top up, and it would not respond to the switch! Checked the parking brake was set, and the light was on. Shut off the engine, removed the key, then tried again, and nothing.

I checked the fuse panel, and the fuse for the top control was fine. Reseated it. Then I decided to try resetting it by disconnecting the battery.

After I reconnected the battery, the top came up just like it should!

I then did my things that I needed to do in the garage, and got ready to leave, so I started the engine, and lowered the top. It worked normally. Then I put it up, again normal behavior. Latched it shut, then I opened it, pausing for the 'chop', and it went down normally.

When I got home, it closed about halfway and stopped. Then stuttered a bit when I released the switch and tried it again. I tried putting it down, and it did go all the way back down. Then tried raising it, and it came all the way up like normal.

There were no weird sounds, or pops or anything breaking. It's just acting wierd. Every time, the parking brake was SET, and the light was ON.

(Related, maybe: A few weeks ago, I pulled into a parking lot to drop the top, stopped, lifted the parking brake... but no light! I set and released the brake a few times, and it finally started working, and then the top would respond)

Any suggestions on what I should check? Think it might be an intermittant p-brake switch?

That was a couple weeks ago. Still having similar behavior. Sometimes it just will not respond to the dash switch. The latch switch works fine, and the p-brake light comes on reliably.

I'm thinking I may replace the dash switch and p-brake switch anyway, since they are cheap. The 'relay' (I think it's actually the control unit) under the dash is kinda expensive, and is non-returnable... plus it's all solid state in there... I figure if it blew, it would be completely nonfunctional.

Someone mentioned there are switches somewhere in the 'b pillar' area of the top. Does anyone know how to get to them, or what they're called? I might see if I can replace them anyway.

Any input on this situation is appreciated! It's getting into the season where top down driving will be the best, so I'd like to get this booger workin!

TIA

AFJuvat · 03-25-2007, 02:13 PM

A faulty latch switch (that even appears to work correctly when dropping the windows) will do this.

Spent a week chasing a problem like this a while back.

FrayAdjacent911 · 03-25-2007, 05:42 PM

Really? Interesting... the latch thing responds every time I jam my finger up in there...

I'm thinking I might have to 'shotgun' this situation... replace that switch, and the dash switch, the parking brake switch...

Might even call a dismantler and see if I can get the top control/relay unit for cheaper than the $108 pricetag of a new (nonreturnable) one.

Sound like a good idea?

FrayAdjacent911 · 04-04-2007, 07:54 PM

I think I'll be ordering the top latch switch soon. While I'm at it, I think I'll go ahead and order a parking brake switch and ignition switch, just in case, since they're parts that commonly fail.

I DID notice something weird in the area of the top latch... The dome light has a little amber LED or something in it... On my long drive home from Phoenix, I noticed this light would sometimes come on, sometimes flicker but mostly just stay off. Maybe there's a bad ground somewhere up in there?

We'll see. I might order the parts when I get paid on Friday, then see what happens when I install them.