993 Convertible Top Relay

[Davet18]

Does anyone have a good diagram of the convertible top relay and wiring diagram. The top on my friends 993 does not go up at all. I've read that some of the 993's and Boxters have a relay problem. Does anyone know where the relay for the top is located or have a good diagnostic procedure for 993 convertible top operation.

Dave T

[Loren]

Model year?

[Davet18]

Model year?

1997

[Loren]

I don't have a MY97 993 schematic but I do have the 993 TT.

I think it should be close enough. They switched to a single drive motor in 1996.

I sent you a PM.

[Davet18]

I don't have a MY97 993 schematic but I do have the 993 TT.

I think it should be close enough. They switched to a single drive motor in 1996.

I sent you a PM.

Thanks Loren for the electrical diagram.

Has anyone replaced a control unit for a convertible top for a 1997 993 or similar vehicle. I am wondering if it is a plug in type of unit or if it has to be programed using the Porsche computer diagnostic system.

Local dealer charged my friend ~$275 to diagnosed the problem and has quoted ~$700 for the control unit for the convertible top plus installation. It can be bought through Sunset Porsche for $380. If it is just a plug in type of unit it should be simple to change. Anyone have any experience with 993 convertible tops?

Dave T

[Peter Serbanica]

I don't have a MY97 993 schematic but I do have the 993 TT.

I think it should be close enough. They switched to a single drive motor in 1996.

I sent you a PM.

Thanks Loren for the electrical diagram.

Has anyone replaced a control unit for a convertible top for a 1997 993 or similar vehicle. I am wondering if it is a plug in type of unit or if it has to be programed using the Porsche computer diagnostic system.

Local dealer charged my friend ~$275 to diagnosed the problem and has quoted ~$700 for the control unit for the convertible top plus installation. It can be bought through Sunset Porsche for $380. If it is just a plug in type of unit it should be simple to change. Anyone have any experience with 993 convertible tops?

Dave T

It is a plug in unit under dash on driver side. pia to get to though. I install tops in N.J. and also repair top frames and trouble shoot complete power top.

[Davet18]

I don't have a MY97 993 schematic but I do have the 993 TT.

I think it should be close enough. They switched to a single drive motor in 1996.

I sent you a PM.

Thanks Loren for the electrical diagram.

Has anyone replaced a control unit for a convertible top for a 1997 993 or similar vehicle. I am wondering if it is a plug in type of unit or if it has to be programed using the Porsche computer diagnostic system.

Local dealer charged my friend ~$275 to diagnosed the problem and has quoted ~$700 for the control unit for the convertible top plus installation. It can be bought through Sunset Porsche for $380. If it is just a plug in type of unit it should be simple to change. Anyone have any experience with 993 convertible tops?

Dave T

It is a plug in unit under dash on driver side. pia to get to though. I install tops in N.J. and also repair top frames and trouble shoot complete power top.

Before buying it I want to make sure that I can get at it and replace it. Does any portion of the dash need to be removed? Right or left side of the drivers side. Could you give me a description of the size and shape. Also should the battery be disconnected prior to installation? Any other advice is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Dave T

[ci_redbaron]

I don't have a MY97 993 schematic but I do have the 993 TT.

I think it should be close enough. They switched to a single drive motor in 1996.

I sent you a PM.

Thanks Loren for the electrical diagram.

Has anyone replaced a control unit for a convertible top for a 1997 993 or similar vehicle. I am wondering if it is a plug in type of unit or if it has to be programed using the Porsche computer diagnostic system.

Local dealer charged my friend ~$275 to diagnosed the problem and has quoted ~$700 for the control unit for the convertible top plus installation. It can be bought through Sunset Porsche for $380. If it is just a plug in type of unit it should be simple to change. Anyone have any experience with 993 convertible tops?

Dave T

It is a plug in unit under dash on driver side. pia to get to though. I install tops in N.J. and also repair top frames and trouble shoot complete power top.

Before buying it I want to make sure that I can get at it and replace it. Does any portion of the dash need to be removed? Right or left side of the drivers side. Could you give me a description of the size and shape. Also should the battery be disconnected prior to installation? Any other advice is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Dave T

Dave I have a '97 carrera and have a problem with the convertable top. It doesn't work at all. Did replacing the controller fix your problem? Was it easy to replace? thanks -jon

[1001miker]

Hi all,

I had a similar problem with the top on my '97 993 cab. I found that diagnosing the problem (it was intermittent) was almost impossible because of the complexity and location of all the various sensors and controls.

I wound up throwing away most of the original wiring and the control box. I built my own control box out of a series of relays (purchased on eBay for less than $20) and installed my own wiring. It took a while to figure out all of the correct control sequences and relay polarities, but once done, it has worked flawlessly for approx 2 years now. I live in southern California and use the top up and down all the time. I believe it took 12 standard 30 amp relays to build, plus the wiring. The hardest part was routing the wiring in an inconspicuous manner, and mounting the relays under the passenger seat where space is very limited (in my case, because I also have a large after market amplifier mounted there).

I also had to design a time delay into one of the relays (relatively simple for anyone that would attempt a job like this).

I bypassed the safety on the handbrake lever (I can actually lower or raise the top while moving [SLOWLY!!!]) and the little dash light that tells you whether you have completely raised or lowered the top (not really necessary if you have set the top up and top down limit switches properly).

In actuality, the top mechanism is fairly simple. It contains only one (or sometimes two) raising and lowering motors, two limit switches in the rear (to set fully open and fully closed positions), two latch motors ( in the front rail of the top) with built in limit switches to prevent motor overrun, and two limit switches, again in the front rail of the top to tell the latch motors when they can operate. The time delay relay is necessary to bypass the internal limit switches of the latch motors to get them to start in the opposite direction after they have been used to either lock or unlock the front rail of the top.

If anyone is interested, I can provide a schematic of what I did.

I can assume no responsibility for any one else's mistakes in trying to use this. It works very well for me.

Sincerely

1001miker :drive: :eek: :cheers: :renntech: