Help, my top doesn't come down

[matthewjamesdunn]

Hey all, I'm new to the Porsche world as I just bought a 1997 boxster a few months ago. Tried putting the top down the other day and nothing. I know this forum is exhausted but I can't figure out my problem. I start the car. I set the brake and the annunciator light comes on. I unlatch the handle. I hit the toggle switch on the dash and nothing happens, no noise, no clicking, nothing. The windows do not move. I stick my finger in the handle latch hole and depress that while hitting the toggle switch. Nothing. The fuse is good so at this point I'm not sure what the problem is. As I understand it the windows should come down a little bit when you press the toggle switch as they do when you open door. Is it that rectangular relay next to the fuse panel? How do I know? What else could it be? Any help much appreciated.

Matt

[Tool Pants]

Two things come to mind. (1) Microswitch for the latch. (2) top control unit/relay. But these are related to each other.

When you unlatch the top do the windows drop down a bit? If not then stick your finger in the hole again, up and down a bunch of times, while you hold the top switch down in the open position.

Then remove the top relay. The relay panel is just above the fuse box. Stick your head under the steering wheel. The top relay on your year is black and it is twice the size of the other relays, most of which are gray. Pull the relay out and give it a tap, then plug it back in.

Report back.

[FrayAdjacent986]

Seems like lots of people have similar problems with their tops. Mine intermittently does not want to respond to the button. The weather around here has been $*** for a while, so I have had no opportunity to put the top down...

I HAVE heard on p-car wrench say that the top latch switch can actually still cause problems even if the windows do respond to the latch being released. I'm going to replace mine and see if it helps.