Targa Control Unit causing intermittant Rear Hatch Problem?

[996_4_fun]

Hello,

This is a GREAT site, well organized, with lots of helpful Porsche folks.I have a 2003 Targa with intermittent rear hatch problem. The hatch intermittently does not open with either the direct switch on door sill or remote switch on key. If I turn the alarm on/off a few times, the rear hatch sometimes does work once. Hatch does open 100% of time at least once if I disconnect the car battery. I do know the roof needs to be in close position which it is and the roof does work reliably. Also, at least based on the lights on the instrument cluster, the sensor in the Close Assist Assembly (...i.e the assembly that grabs onto the rear hatch to lock in flush) does think the hatch is in closed position when I try to open it.

I have a newer Durametric cable using the latest S/W. Wouldn’t you know it.....the Durametric S/W is unable to detect the Targa Module (i.e. the S/W does have options to probe the targa module but it simply is unable to detect it). I contacted Durametric and they indicate no other reports of Targa module connect issues so they think it's a module issue.

Is the rear hatch issue related to the roof module? The 996 Essential Companion book does include a schematic of the Targa Control Unit but it's in German. I originally assumed the issue was with the Close Assist Assembly, either the Assembly itself of the micro-switch in it, but now that Durametric isn't able to detect the module, I guess it's the module. Any other ideas? Is there a fuse for the module I should check or any servicing within the module? Any help/suggestion would be appreciated......it would be an expensive lesson if I buy a module only to find it's something else.

Thank you!

[Loren]

:welcome:

Try this:

Initialization of the closing aid1. Disconnect power supply for the closing aid. To do this, the central plug of the Targa roof (30-pin) must be disconnected.- Turn plug A direction in and remove up and off.- To disconnect the plug, open the locking in 8 direction.

2. Reconnect power supply. Rejoin and position central plug (30 pin).- Connect plugs, close locking 13.- Position plug, screw in in direction of arrow A.

3. Press the key "Unlocking rear lid" once. This re-initializes the closing aid. The control module "knows" the current switching position of the closing aid.

[996_4_fun]

Loren,

Thanks very much for the rapid and detailed response....it's more than I could have hoped for.

I'm generally comfortable (aka dangerous) with tools but I couldn't locate the 30pin connector going to the Close Assist mechanism for the rear hatch. I had the rear carpeted panel and the plastic panel that sits on top of the Close Assist mechanism off, but no matter how closely I loooked I couldn't find a 30 pin cable going to the mechanism unless it was wrapped up in some of the black tape. There are 2 large connectors (look to be 30 pins) going into the back of the Targa Control Module; those appear to be coming straight from the roof motors.

In either case, I had all the panels off and tried to make sure all of the connectors were secure. Some how the rear hatch is working now; tired it about 10X and it seems to be working! The only think I could think of is there might have been a loose cable somewhere or, since I needed to remove the screw-in rubber stoppers/bumpers for the rear hatch, maybe the stoppers are at a different height now so the hatch is either higher or lower then before when closed, somehow impacting one of the micro-switches in the mechanism. Just a wild a** guess.

Unfortunately, the Durametric still does not recognize/connect with the targa module so still not sure what's going on there. But if the hatch keeps working and roof opens/closes when needed, all is good for now. Hope it keeps on working.......

Thanks again Loren!!!

[996_4_fun]

Hello,

Just to finish off topic, the rear hatch became intermittant again :censored:

I took it into the local Porsche shop (Vision Motorsports in Laguna Hills, Calif) to diagnose; their PIWIS indicated fault # 8 which is a microswitch problem in the Close Assist Mechanism. Seem like Switch was stcking in the down/closed position even with Hatch open. He exercised it a few times and seems to be working now. If continues to stick, will require replacment of the microswitch, which is better then needing to replace the whole assembly or the Targa module. My Durametric running latest version (6.3.1.7) still doesn't recognize the targa module though so not sure whats up with that. I contacted Durametric and there are no known issues reading the targa module.

If anyone has a similar problem with Durametric reading Targa CU, please let me know. Thanks!