Top Up, Light On, No Joy

[norcaltim]

I think I have this narrowed down but I'll feel better if I check with y'all before ordering my part... Car is a 2001 base.

 

Put the top up the other day, right as it closed the motor cut out and the light stayed on. Top was up far enough to latch it so that was good... I thought. Pushing the top button up/down activates the motor for about 1 second, enough that you can see the cover panel shift up or down but that's it. Anyhow, top is now stuck in the up position and I've been through what I think are all the diagnostic steps.

1. Fuses are good.
2. Relay doesn't seem to be the problem - power still goes to the motor.
3. Parking brake lights up/switch is fine.
4. Motor is fine, bench tested with 12V, put in the backup I had lying around for kicks.
5. Worked through the relay terminal testing sheet and got two faults - no voltage for convertible top locked or unlocked (6 & 9 on the sheet).

This seems to point to the latch microswitch above the windshield, so I cleaned it to see if maybe that would fix things but alas nothing changed. Next step is to replace it. Any dissenting views? I'm really hoping it's just the switch and not a misalignment or something. Fingers crossed.

[norcaltim]

Update: swapped the switch, got a little bit of action, then nothing. Hmm. Took out both transmissions, passenger-side transmission has a big crack in one of the gears. Huzzah, problem found. Will replace and report back.

 

Edit: now with pictures.

Edited January 10, 2017 by norcaltim

[norcaltim]

Rebuilt both transmissions today. The passenger gear actually turned out to be cracked in multiple places, and when I took at look at the driver side gear it had a bunch of small cracks propagating as well. Just a matter of time before that one went -- glad I decided to do both. Still waiting on a few things, will have an update next week some time.

 

Edit: More pictures.

Edited January 19, 2017 by norcaltim