Re: 2000 Boxster -- top issue |  |  |
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| 2000 Boxster -- top issue bb1 - Saturday, 6 April, 2013, at 10:49:24 pm |
Howdy folks - has anyone had the same issue and figured out what was wrong (and how much to fix)?
Today I tried to open the convertible top (same way I always have done) and when hitting the button on the dash there was NOTHING - no sound (from top motor, etc) and no movement of the top. Last time I used the top I didn't notice anything unusual.
I checked the fuses best I could tell might have something to do w/ it - B6, D3, they looked fine.
Thanks in advance.
Today I tried to open the convertible top (same way I always have done) and when hitting the button on the dash there was NOTHING - no sound (from top motor, etc) and no movement of the top. Last time I used the top I didn't notice anything unusual.
I checked the fuses best I could tell might have something to do w/ it - B6, D3, they looked fine.
Thanks in advance.
| the most likely culprit is.... grant - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 9:41:10 am |
..the safety/lockout switch on the hand brake release. Pull it up and put it down a few times nad cross your fingers.
It prevents you from raising the top without the hand brake secured. The micro-switch is fairly cheap, a bit of a PITA to get at, and resides inside the center console, where the lever pivots.
Grant
Grant
gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com
It prevents you from raising the top without the hand brake secured. The micro-switch is fairly cheap, a bit of a PITA to get at, and resides inside the center console, where the lever pivots.
Grant
Grant
gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com
Boxsterra - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 1:32:40 pm |
| Re: the most likely culprit is.... bb1 - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 1:47:33 pm |
hello again and thank you for the replies so far.
the windows DO drop a few inches (just as normal) when releasing the overhead latch mechanism. and i DO have (as usual the parking brake applied and the ignition on and clutch in, etc) before trying to press the top down button on the dash. however there is no sound, nothing at all happening when I do.
there is no chance of water damage here. the car is very much dry
and the windows work as normal, no issue there. there is no light on the dash coming on to indicate any problem either.
Grant - regarding "The micro-switch is fairly cheap, a bit of a PITA to get at, and resides inside the center console, where the lever pivots." comment. I tried to look into that. but don't really understand well enough how to get at it even to look. If I open the center console and look in...the only possible thing in there I can guess at is right in line w/ the parking brake is a different looking piece of plastic - some sort of fitting molded into the rest of the center console bin. but i am not sure if you are saying to take that out somehow and look underneath it or what.
Are folks thinking this is NOT a problem w/ the motor itself (which is mostly what I fear as that would seemingly be the most $$$ to fix)?
the windows DO drop a few inches (just as normal) when releasing the overhead latch mechanism. and i DO have (as usual the parking brake applied and the ignition on and clutch in, etc) before trying to press the top down button on the dash. however there is no sound, nothing at all happening when I do.
there is no chance of water damage here. the car is very much dry
and the windows work as normal, no issue there. there is no light on the dash coming on to indicate any problem either.Grant - regarding "The micro-switch is fairly cheap, a bit of a PITA to get at, and resides inside the center console, where the lever pivots." comment. I tried to look into that. but don't really understand well enough how to get at it even to look. If I open the center console and look in...the only possible thing in there I can guess at is right in line w/ the parking brake is a different looking piece of plastic - some sort of fitting molded into the rest of the center console bin. but i am not sure if you are saying to take that out somehow and look underneath it or what.
Are folks thinking this is NOT a problem w/ the motor itself (which is mostly what I fear as that would seemingly be the most $$$ to fix)?
| When you pull up the parking brake lever, with the key on, ..... grant - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 3:12:07 pm |
| I checked. Yes, it does. It says "PARK" - car must be running. *NM* grant - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 3:59:53 pm |
Boxsterra - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 4:46:31 pm |
If it doesn't come on, sometimes it's just stuck and jiggling the handbrake up and down will unstick it. Also, when work is done in there, if the plug for the switch isn't put on properly the switch can work intermittently. If the switch goes, it's trivial to replace once you have the center console out (which is a little tricky but not terrible to pull out). But I would only remove the center console if the brake light isn't going on.
| I 2nd everything herein *NM* grant - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 7:14:09 pm |
| Re: 2000 Boxster -- top issue getready - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 9:55:23 am |
Could be the switch itself or the locking switch on the top release lever, might also be the control box under the seat. Do the windows work the way they normally do? If not then its likely the control box under the seat.Check to see if there has been any water on the floor under the seat, that will cause electrical problems with the windows and the top. In most cases a code will come up on your dash cluster. A new box isn't cheap but if you install it your self you can save a bundle on labour. I had the same problem with my 05 S and it was the box. Hence discovered a water leak and fixed that too. Good luck.
| Let me summarize what's been said by everyone above ... Pedro (Odessa, FL) - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 6:22:41 pm |
... first, make sure that the PARK light on the dash is on.
It's not enough to have the brake engaged, the light has to be on otherwise the motor will not energize.
If you pull the handbrake and the light doesn't light, yank on it hard and slam it down hard a few times. This will generally dislodge the micro switch if it's suck.
If it sill doesn't light up, remove the small panel just behind the driver's side seatbelt buckle receptacle on the center console. Once open you can see the base of the handbrake when it is engaged and you'll also see the two wires and the connector that go into it. Wiggle them or unplug and replug it back. That should do it.
If the light is on when the handbrake is engaged but you still get no motor movement stick your finder in the hole where the latch secures the top. There's a micro switch there that can also get stuck. Move it repeatedly and try the top's switch.
99% of the time that will cure it.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro
Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)
Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"
"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti
"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna
It's not enough to have the brake engaged, the light has to be on otherwise the motor will not energize.
If you pull the handbrake and the light doesn't light, yank on it hard and slam it down hard a few times. This will generally dislodge the micro switch if it's suck.
If it sill doesn't light up, remove the small panel just behind the driver's side seatbelt buckle receptacle on the center console. Once open you can see the base of the handbrake when it is engaged and you'll also see the two wires and the connector that go into it. Wiggle them or unplug and replug it back. That should do it.
If the light is on when the handbrake is engaged but you still get no motor movement stick your finder in the hole where the latch secures the top. There's a micro switch there that can also get stuck. Move it repeatedly and try the top's switch.
99% of the time that will cure it.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro
Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)
Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"
"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti
"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna
| Re: Let me summarize what's been said by everyone above ... bb1 - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 8:08:00 pm |
Hi Pedro - the PARK light is indeed NOT coming on when I pull up the parking brake. Tried the pulling it up hard and slamming down hard several times suggestion but that didn't change anything.
Can you clarify bit on this point "remove the small panel just behind the driver's side seatbelt buckle receptacle on the center console" --- are you talking about something inside/under the center console lid (i.e. something you can only get to/see if the lid is opened)? or are you actually talking about something behind the driver's side seatbelt buckle receptacle? Behind the receptacle I don't see anything so assume it is something inside/under the center console lid.
Thanks
Can you clarify bit on this point "remove the small panel just behind the driver's side seatbelt buckle receptacle on the center console" --- are you talking about something inside/under the center console lid (i.e. something you can only get to/see if the lid is opened)? or are you actually talking about something behind the driver's side seatbelt buckle receptacle? Behind the receptacle I don't see anything so assume it is something inside/under the center console lid.
Thanks
| As i recall, yes. You first... grant - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 8:17:18 pm |
.. open the clovered binnacle
...remove the rubber liner
.. look for some little screws
...take them out
...i forget but you need to get that out to access the center console screws and/or try to get at the switch without doing so.
As noted - first jiggle away at the lever. Up, down, wiggle when DOWN (light off).
Grant
Grant
gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com
...remove the rubber liner
.. look for some little screws
...take them out
...i forget but you need to get that out to access the center console screws and/or try to get at the switch without doing so.
As noted - first jiggle away at the lever. Up, down, wiggle when DOWN (light off).
Grant
Grant
gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com
| There's an access ... Pedro (Odessa, FL) - Sunday, 7 April, 2013, at 9:46:05 pm |
... panel which snaps into the side of the center console behind the seatbelt buckle.
This is so you don't have to remove the whole console, just that piece.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro
Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)
Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"
"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti
"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna
This is so you don't have to remove the whole console, just that piece.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro
Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)
Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"
"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti
"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna
| really? DOH! *NM* grant - Monday, 8 April, 2013, at 7:19:31 pm |
| +1 on Re: really? DOH! Al in Melbourne Beach - Tuesday, 9 April, 2013, at 1:11:19 am |
Yeah, I found it (after I removed the console) last year at BRBS. Came in from the fun run and couldn't get the top up. Had to strip the wires and twist them together to get the top up. Left them that way for a week or so until I got home and got a replacement switch. It's all better now.....
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