97 Boxster soft top stop working

[97Boxsterian]

The soft top of my 97 Boxster stopped working today. The motors just stop working, and the top indicator led on the dask wasn't on. I checked the fuse and all electronic connectors and they look fine. It looks like both motors are dead. I am surprised that both motors died at the same time. I doubt if that is true. Does anyone have similiar situation before?

Thank in Advance.

Edited December 10, 2006 by 97Boxsterian

[Tool Pants]

There is only one motor. That electric motor has 2 ends to it, and drives a left side cable and a right side cable. In turn those cables are connected to a left and right mechanical transmission.

The first thing I would rule out is the hand brake switch and then top relay/control unit.

[Chris_in_NH]

The soft top of my 97 Boxster stopped working today. The motors just stop working, and the top indicator led on the dask wasn't on. I checked the fuse and all electronic connectors and they look fine. It looks like both motors are dead. I am surprised that both motors died at the same time. I doubt if that is true. Does anyone have similiar situation before?

Thank in Advance.

question - were you cycling the top and while the top was moving it just stopped?

you mention the top indicator light on the dash was not on. was it on while you were cycling the top, and when the top stopped moving, the light went out?

was the parking brake dash light ON when you were doing this?

depending on when and how this happened, it could be a few different things.

situation 1: you were cycling the top and it stopped in mid-cycle.

situation 2: you went to cycle the top and it just wouldn't move.

if it's #1, i would concur with ToolPants, check the relay.

if it's #2, check that the dash parking brake light is on, and that when you unlatch the top, the windows drop a few inches from their full-up position. this will rule out the handbrake microswitch and the top latch microswitch. if both microswitches are OK (you have a parking brake dash light when setting the parking brake, and your windows drop when unlatching the top) then check the relay.

as ToolPants noted, there is only one 'motor', but people confuse the terms 'motor' and 'transmission'. so technically he is right, there is only one 'motor' (located by the 3rd brake light) connected via cables to 2 transmissions (one on each side of car).

[97Boxsterian]

Thanks for clarifying motor and transmissions here. I found the motor above the center brake light and it seems dead. It doesn't spin when I press the "open top" button on the console. I check the switch and it isn't loose. One thing I found interesting is my "PARK" light is not on when I pulled up the handbrake. I tried to find the handbrake switch in the technical manual but I couldn't find it. Can anyone show me where the handbrake switch is? Where is the top relay/control unit? I have a hardtop and I haven't used the soft top for awhile. Does the motor die because I don't use it? I suspected the problem is not about the motor but something about the handbrake..... Any thought?

Thanks in advance.

[97Boxsterian]

The soft top of my 97 Boxster stopped working today. The motors just stop working, and the top indicator led on the dask wasn't on. I checked the fuse and all electronic connectors and they look fine. It looks like both motors are dead. I am surprised that both motors died at the same time. I doubt if that is true. Does anyone have similiar situation before?

Thank in Advance.

question - were you cycling the top and while the top was moving it just stopped?

you mention the top indicator light on the dash was not on. was it on while you were cycling the top, and when the top stopped moving, the light went out?

was the parking brake dash light ON when you were doing this?

depending on when and how this happened, it could be a few different things.

situation 1: you were cycling the top and it stopped in mid-cycle.

situation 2: you went to cycle the top and it just wouldn't move.

if it's #1, i would concur with ToolPants, check the relay.

if it's #2, check that the dash parking brake light is on, and that when you unlatch the top, the windows drop a few inches from their full-up position. this will rule out the handbrake microswitch and the top latch microswitch. if both microswitches are OK (you have a parking brake dash light when setting the parking brake, and your windows drop when unlatching the top) then check the relay.

as ToolPants noted, there is only one 'motor', but people confuse the terms 'motor' and 'transmission'. so technically he is right, there is only one 'motor' (located by the 3rd brake light) connected via cables to 2 transmissions (one on each side of car).

Answer: I think my case is more like situation 2. My top doesn't move and the handbrake dash light doesn't even on when I pull and lock the handbrake. Any clue?

Thanks in Advance.

[Tool Pants]

Your clue is to replace the handbrake switch.

[97Boxsterian]

Your clue is to replace the handbrake switch.

Thank you Tool Pants. You are right. The handbrake switch was loose out. Yesterday, I connected it back and my top works.

Unfortunately, it works for 1 day. When I lowered the top today, I heard a "click" noise while the top is totally down and then I stop working and I couldn't close the top again. The Handbrake light wasn't on again. I check the handbrake switch and it is firmly connected. I doubt if the cable or the switch in the back loose out or broke. My top is completely down now and I can't access to the motor or transmission to check all the connection. Do you know a way to manually disassemble the top and get access to the motor?

Thank in advance again.

[Tool Pants]

Have you again ruled out the switch?

Start the car with the lever pulled up. The idiot/warning light should stay on with the engine running.

[97Boxsterian]

Have you again ruled out the switch?

Start the car with the lever pulled up. The idiot/warning light should stay on with the engine running.

I checked the handbrake switch again, it is connected, but the "BRAKE" light was not on when the handbrake is pulled up. I tried to unplug it and plug it back again, the "BRAKE" light was on for a short awhile and it was off again. I hold the cable and then the the "BRAKE" light works again. When the "BRAKE" light on, I close my soft top. Everything parts of the tops work fine while the "BRAKE" light on. I guess the cable of the handbrake switch was bad, it seems like it is a "touching" problem between the cable and the switch. Do you have the part number of that little cable? I want to replace that Handbrake cable with switch.

Thanks a lot!

[Tool Pants]

Replace the switch. Part number 996 613 112 01. Then report back.

[Komplex]

Replace the switch. Part number 996 613 112 01. Then report back.

I have the same issue, it slowly got worse and worse until the brake light stopped coming on all together.. Being the lazy guy that I am I found a way around it..

Turn off the car, then put the key into the power on position (right before you start it again).. in this mode ALL the lights come on in the dash including the brake light.. The computer thinks all is well and lets you raise or lower the top.. (brake must be up)

Ill get around to replacing it sooner or later, but as I said im lazy ;)

[FrayAdjacent986]

I concur on the switch.

If your parking brake light in the dash does NOT come on, your top will NOT work. PERIOD.

The switch is cheap and easy to replace.

[bwillis]

Your clue is to replace the handbrake switch.

Toolpants,

Hate to be a dummy on this one, but how do you get to the point which your photo shows?

Thanks

[thedotnut]

you are not the only "Dummy" :-)

can someone write detailed instructions on how to get to the microswitch and replace it?

i hate that stupid switch....

The dot nut

[Tool Pants]

Remove the center console using the B&M instructions as if you were doing a short shift install.

http://www.bmracing.com/media/products/pdf/67.pdf

[FrayAdjacent986]

I wish my top issue were that easy....

.. however... we had some great weather this past weekend, and I put the top down a few times... and it worked normally every time.

Tool Pants... do you think a wet security module under the driver's seat could affect anything? I need to find the circuit diagram to check it... but the only things I can think of are temperature (something wasn't making good contact when cold) or moisture (the area under my driver's seat was pretty wet due to rain... resolved by cleaning the drain in the top compartment).

I probably will still remove the top latch switch assembly and check it, since the other member here found a broken solder joint. I HOPE it's something that simple!

[bwillis]

Replace the switch. Part number 996 613 112 01. Then report back.

I have the same issue, it slowly got worse and worse until the brake light stopped coming on all together.. Being the lazy guy that I am I found a way around it..

Turn off the car, then put the key into the power on position (right before you start it again).. in this mode ALL the lights come on in the dash including the brake light.. The computer thinks all is well and lets you raise or lower the top.. (brake must be up)

Ill get around to replacing it sooner or later, but as I said im lazy ;)

I have the same situation, but when I try the workaround all the lights do indeed come on, but I still can't put the top down?

I know I need to replace the handbrake switch, but am wondering why the workaround doesn't 'work' for me? :-)

[bwillis]

Ok, got a new switch, followed the short shift instructions to remove the console, replaced switch - IT WORKS!!

Thanks everyone.