Windows Won't Close With Soft Top Up

[thecreaser]

Hi Guys,

My 1999 Boxster has had it's hardtop on all winter, and now that Spring has sprung and the sun is shining I naturally took it off.... and found a problem:

When the soft top is closed and the clamp fastened, the windows stay open a few inches and refuse to close. They will go fully down, but not fully up.

When the soft top is fully retracted (or the hard top is in place) the windows function correctly.

When the hard top is on and I undo the clamp, the windows drop a few inches correctly... so the microswitch above the rear view mirror seems to be working. I proved this by pressing it with my finger then trying to retract the soft top- the soft top stays put as it should.

So what is the cause of the problem? Is there more than one microswitch in the system (probably yes, there must be something that tells the soft top when it's reached the fully retracted position)? And / or is there some logic board controlling everything that's blown?

If I can't figure this out then I'll have to live with the hard top on all summer (and summers only last a few days in the UK so the situation is desperate!)

[1schoir]

Hi Guys,

My 1999 Boxster has had it's hardtop on all winter, and now that Spring has sprung and the sun is shining I naturally took it off.... and found a problem:

When the soft top is closed and the clamp fastened, the windows stay open a few inches and refuse to close. They will go fully down, but not fully up.

When the soft top is fully retracted (or the hard top is in place) the windows function correctly.

When the hard top is on and I undo the clamp, the windows drop a few inches correctly... so the microswitch above the rear view mirror seems to be working. I proved this by pressing it with my finger then trying to retract the soft top- the soft top stays put as it should.

So what is the cause of the problem? Is there more than one microswitch in the system (probably yes, there must be something that tells the soft top when it's reached the fully retracted position)? And / or is there some logic board controlling everything that's blown?

If I can't figure this out then I'll have to live with the hard top on all summer (and summers only last a few days in the UK so the situation is desperate!)

Creaser:

Knowing how good-weather deprived you are over there, you must take advantage of top down weather for those few days, so here goes:

From the symptoms that you describe, the most likely cause is one of the two microswitches that are located in the latch receptacle in the windshield frame.

There are two microswitches in the latch receptacle assembly. There is one on the left side of the assembly (has a large plunger that juts out when the latch is open). That one controls the 4" window drop that occurs immediately when you pull down the latch to open the top. There is another one on the right side of the assembly, and that is the one that activates the convertible top double relay.

My guess in your case is that it is the former( a bent, plunger-type switch), and that in all likelihood the plastic part of that switch has become deformed, either from heat or from use. When the plastic in the mechanism has bent, the microswitch will usually still work when it is pushed in farther.

You can test this theory by putting something in between the latch and the switch (like a small rectangular piece of cardboard) and see if the problem goes away. If you want to test it immediately before you devise a small piece of cardboard, close the top and, before you pull the latch shut, press into the spot where the tip of the hook of the latch normally goes (either with your finger or with the eraser part of a pencil) and see if the windows remain all the way closed. If that works (and I think it will), then you can decide if you want to stick a little piece of cardboard (or similar material) on the end of the hook or if you want to take the latch receptacle apart and try to bend the bent plastic part back into shape, or replace the microswitch.

If it doesn't work, you will have to replace that switch. Let me know if you need the part number and I'll look it up for you.

To gain access to the microswitch you have to remove the latch plate at the center of the windshield frame. Pop out the two little black plastic "eyes" by carefully prying them off with a very small flat blade screwdriver or borrow one of those "orange sticks" that women use on their fingernails to pry them out. Remove the small torx bolt that you will find under each one of the two eyes. Remove them and then pull down the latch plate carefully until you can see and access the wires for the switch and for the light. Unplug the wires and the latch plate will come off. You will find two fragile retaining clips that attach the other switch to the underside of the latch plate and the bent plunger-type switch.

Regards, Maurice.

[thecreaser]

Maurice,

enormous thanks to you for taking the time to write such a comprehensive reply, it's much appreciated. I shall attack the issue today and post the results.

Simon

[1schoir]

Maurice,

enormous thanks to you for taking the time to write such a comprehensive reply, it's much appreciated. I shall attack the issue today and post the results.

Simon

Simon:

Anytime! Let us know how you make out so that it can add to the collective knowledge on this board.

We can't have anybody being deprived of top-down driving around here! :jump:

Regards, Maurice.

Edited April 26, 2010 by 1schoir

[KFH2818]

Maurice , Thanks so much for this advise.

Just took my 1999 Boxster out of storage and put down the top. Guess what, the windows would not go all the way back up. I live in Newfoundland Canada so I get fewer opportunities to have the top down and worse problems if the windows don't go all the way back up and I panicked when this happened.

However I did a search, found your feedback, tried the cardboard solution and now I don't have to drive around with snow coming in thru the open windows.

I sprayed some cleaner and lubricant up into the latch space so maybe it will free up the switch plunger.

Thanksl again..

[1schoir]

Maurice , Thanks so much for this advise.

Just took my 1999 Boxster out of storage and put down the top. Guess what, the windows would not go all the way back up. I live in Newfoundland Canada so I get fewer opportunities to have the top down and worse problems if the windows don't go all the way back up and I panicked when this happened.

However I did a search, found your feedback, tried the cardboard solution and now I don't have to drive around with snow coming in thru the open windows.

I sprayed some cleaner and lubricant up into the latch space so maybe it will free up the switch plunger.

Thanksl again..

KFH:

Glad you were able to resolve your top problem! :thumbup:

Thank heaven for little pieces of cardboard! Hopefully the Porsche dealer won't try to corner the market on those little pieces of cardboard!!!

If the cleaner and lubricant don't do the trick in the long run, it's not too difficult to open up the latch assembly and bend the plastic in that little plunger microswitch back into shape. Easiest way is to heat it up a little first with a heat gun (or hair dryer) and then bend it slowly. A new microswitch is also not that expensive in this case.

How do you deal with all that snow???

Regards, Maurice.

[sliderr]

When the soft top is closed and the clamp fastened, the windows stay open a few inches and refuse to close. They will go fully down, but not fully up.

Guys does this also work on a 1997 boxster, my dealer says that when I open my roof the window drop but don't go to the previous position when its fully open or closed, they always stay open a little and I have to close them myself manually? is this correct on a boxster 2.5 from 1997?

Edited July 5, 2010 by sliderr

[1schoir]

When the soft top is closed and the clamp fastened, the windows stay open a few inches and refuse to close. They will go fully down, but not fully up.

Guys does this also work on a 1997 boxster, my dealer says that when I open my roof the window drop but don't go to the previous position when its fully open or closed, they always stay open a little and I have to close them myself manually? is this correct on a boxster 2.5 from 1997?

On a '97 it's normal.

Regards, Maurice.

[Luis melecio]

3 years looking for this problem 

thank you very much. 

Part number is 986 613 795 02

on ebay for like 20 bucks