How to raise the Cab top while moving

[Loren]

Ok, do this at your own risk...

Here is what we did on a MY 99 Cab:

(courtesy of Bob H in Las Vegas (1st guinea pig) ;)

"Thanks Loren, It worked I now can raise and lower my top while moving, just click the e-brake to the 1st click and it works!

Now, as for how it was done:

1. Park your car and set the e brake. With the convertible top down start raising the convertible top. First thing that happens is the convertible top compartment lid lifts and moves all the way rearward, keep raising the top until the convertible top compartment lid just starts to move forward. Then interrupt the closing operation.

2. Remove key from ignition THE CONVERTIBLE TOP MUST NO LONGER BE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED IN THIS POSITION.

3. There are right and a left tension cables that goes from the rear of the convertiblt top on the right and left sides to the right and left sides of the deck under the rear of the convertible top. These 2 cables are 4 inches long and they keep the rear of the convertible top from flipping up. They snap off where they connect to the deck, just push to the side and they will pop off the ball.

4. Lift the rear of the convertible top (the window part) all the way up until it is vertical and have someone hold it there. Now the deck is exposed. You will see 4 black plastic rivets that you just pull out (you can use a small screw driver) and then you can pull the panel rearward to expose the convertible top control module. its the large silver box on the left side of the car mounted on the vertical wall just behind the pop up roll bar, with the 3 seperate connectors going into the bottom of it.

5. The connector all the way to the left with all the small wires going in it is the one that you want.

6. Do not disconect the connector from the control unit, just find the GREY/ PINK wire and cut it 1 inch before it goes into the connector and put a small piece of black tape on each end and then put a piece of black tape around all the wires.

7. Put the panel back up and push the 4 plastic rivets in and lower the rear of the convertible top that someone was holding and attach the 2 cables to the deck.

8. Now put the key in the ignition and raise the top all the way.

9. All done, now take out for a test drive. While moving at 10mph raise the e brake 1 click so the e brake light comes on and lower the top. When done release e brake all the way.

Please note, This is something I did to my car because I wanted to. I can not be responsible for anything that happens if you do this to your car and don't ever put your top up or down while going over 20 MPH."

Note: If you want to do this and have a different model year you should post a message (and someone will check for you) as some wire colors have changed over time.

[Tool Pants]

Glad you 996ers have figured it out. We have been doing this for years on Boxsters but we have a much simpler top relay/control unit in the relay tray next to the fuse box.

We pull the relay/control unit out, bend pin 18, and put it back in. This defeats the speed signal. Sometimes we solder a wire to pin 15, put the relay back in, and ground the wire. This defeats the need to pull up on the brake handle until the light comes on.

Someone needs to look at the wiring diagrams to see which wire is going from the hand brake switch to the top control unit connector. Perhaps if you ground or do something to this wire you can eliminate the need to pull the brake lever up one notch. Pic of modified top relay from Jason. Jeff

[ESK]

Loren,

I have an '03 Cab and I can put the top up while moving. The other day I was in traffic and for the hell of it I pressed the button (no parking brake) and to my surprise the top started lowering. I was going no more than 5 mph. I did it again today; however, when I started going a little too fast (maybe 10 mph), a warning message came up in the display that I was exceeding the limits of the cabriolet top - so I slowed down and it worked fine. Is the top supposed to do this?

Eric

[Loren]

I've yet to confirm this in the MY03 schematics (since they are not published yet) but a number of owners have mentioned that this works. I did find this obscure comment in the MY03 Owners Manual:

"The convertible top may only be actuated during driving on even surfaces and at wind speeds of less than 50 mph (80 km/h)."

[Dranon]

This is a new feature on the 03 and 04 models!! To be able to put the top up and down while drving up to 25 mph. I have the Sharkworks one touch which is great to NOT have to hold the switch to make the top go up and down!! :clapping: I plan on doing this mod that you described this weekend in addition!

[Scouser]

Loren, Thanks for the great tip. I intend to do this mod this weekend. But it would be nice to do it toolpants way so that

the handbrake is not required. Any chance of a wiring diagram that I could look over to see if this is possible?

Incidentally, I have noticed on my UK spec Cab that if you have your foot on the footbrake, you cannot operate the top

no matter what you do. Switch, keyfob. Nothing works. I found that out this past weekend when I pulled up to close the top

and it simply would not budge. Then my foot slipped off the brake and all of a sudden the cab switch started operating.

I then realised that my foot being on the pedal was the cause. I can reproduce this every time.

[Loren]

The parking brake wire (like the speed wire) go to the convertible top control unit (computer).

But I think Jeff (Tool Pants) makes a good point -- perhaps just bringing this wire to ground (only during operation) will fool the controller.

The correct color code for the handbrake wire (MY00 only) is Brown/Yellow

[Scouser]

Thanks Loren but I got confused again....It's this American/English thing again.......

The parking brake wire (like the speed wire) go to the convertible top control unit (computer

The parking brake. Is that the foot brake or the handbrake? You mention both in the same post. The parking brake is the handbrake in the UK.

This top control unit (computer), is this the ECU you are talking about or the control unit at the back of the top?

But I think Jeff (Tool Pants) makes a good point -- perhaps just bringing this wire to ground (only during operation) will fool the controller

Do you mean the wire that needs to be cut or another wire that Jeff is talking about on a relay. Totally confused here?

The correct color code for the handbrake wire (MY00 only) is Brown/Yellow

Thanks for that. I take it this is the wire that is GREY/PINK in your description but on my 2000 Cab its Brown/Yellow?

I guess, I am confused because your instructions and Jeffs although provide the same mod are different. But they are for two

different cars. But I wanted to know if there is a similar relay in the 996 that Jeffs mod could be done on. But if not, are you saying that

it may be possible to ground the GREY/PINK wire (or my Brown/Yellow one) to make it work without the handbrake? Also, which side

of the cut wire is perhaps groundable?

Here's to you again.. :cheers:

[Loren]

1. Even in America parking brake and handbrake are the same (it's just that some American cars parking brake is foot actuated). So handbrake (on the console) is what I am speaking of.

2. The Carrera does not use a relay for the top. It has a top controller box (see item 4 in the first post). So I think you would need to cut this wire and connect it to ground (controller side) to see if Jeff's trick will work. I still think this would need to be only when operating the top or the parking brake light would be on all the time (?)

3. The Grey/Pink wire is the speed sensing wire and the Brown/Yellow wire is the handbrake sensing wire.

This are two different operations here.

1. Disconnecting the Grey/Pink wire should allow you to open the top while moving IF the handbrake is pulled on to the first click.

2. We are theorizing that disconnecting and bring the handbrake wire to ground will have the same effect as pulling the parking brake to the first click.

[Scouser]

Got ya.

OK, weather permitting (and it could be 2010 before we see sun again) I will have a go at "your" mod this weekend.

I will also experiment (multimeter in hand :-) with dropping the brown/yellow to grnd.

I am thinking if it works (dropping brown/yellow to ground), it may be worth looking at putting a relay in place to drop it to grnd

temporarily. But it would need a sense wire. Oh well....

Anyway thanks again Loren.

[Scouser]

Hi Loren,

Did the mod, it took all of about 15 minues. Works a treat. The pack of wires is extremely difficult to sift through.

I was lucky that the grey/pink one was on the top. I could not find the brown/yellow wire. It must be in the middle of the bunch.

I decided not to go there.

One thing, when I unclipped the tension cables and lifted the back of the top, I found a piece of something.

The part number on it is 996.563.421.01. Any idea what it is from?

Anyway, thanks for the great tip and a really useful site.

[Loren]

It's part of the hardtop kit (2 per car). I think it hides the area around the pop-up rollbars when you have the hardtop in place.

Don may have more info (I don't have a cab).

[alter_schwede]

Could anyone tell if you could do the same thing on the Relay switch on the Boxster as for C2 MY00???

[Tool Pants]

It is very easy on a Boxster as the top design is simple compared to a 996.

Remove the relay and bend over pin 18 to defeat the speed signal. Ground pin 15 to eliminate the need to pull up on the brake lever.

This Boxster owner modified the top relay and put in an internal switch. Hard for me to understand as his native language is German. Jeff

http://www.boix.de/Technische_Info_eng.htm

[redcab]

Hi - I'm now motivated to perform the speed sensing wire snipping exercise on my 2001 cab. Can anyone confirm that the wire I'm looking for is still "grey / pink" for that model year? I'd hate to snip the wrong one!

-jerry

[Loren]

Hi - I'm now motivated to perform the speed sensing wire snipping exercise on my 2001 cab. Can anyone confirm that the wire I'm looking for is still "grey / pink" for that model year? I'd hate to snip the wrong one!

-jerry

Yes, Grey/Pink is correct for a MY01 Cab.

[Scouser]

Jerry, the wire is within the biggest bunch of wires you have ever seen in a loom. The grey/pink one was thankfully on the outside of the bunch in my case. dig deep it is there.

[C4C_Leon]

Loren, what about a '02? Same color?

[Loren]

Loren, what about a '02? Same color?

Yes, same Grey/Pink wire on a MY02.

[Rob in WA]

I just did it. Works like a charm :)

Here's a pic of the correct wire (MY01).

[C4C_Leon]

GOT IT!!

Anybody did the handbrake mod yet??

[my996]

I did the speed sensing wire snip. My top goes down when I want it too. Anyone done the handbrake wire Mod yet. If so, any instructions for the Mod would be greatly appreciated.

Tony

[tsweat]

Any update from you guys that did the speed sensing mod, that has now also done the e-brake bypass altogether?

The reason I ask is that for some reason my e-brake engages just fine, however the light (and whatever sensor it hits) does not engage and does not let my top go up and down unless I use the key in the door trick.

any help is appreciated...

Thanks,

Tim

(long time lurker here at renntech and poster at 6-speed...)

[Scouser]

Sounds like the microswitch in the handbreak has gone faulty.

[tsweat]

Yep, that was the culprit. I replaced it today and did the hack for the speed control. Now my top works again and I can move it up & down while the car is in motion. Pretty cool!

Thanks for your help!!

Edited September 25, 2004 by tsweat