Ever hear a 'snap' from the windshield area?
 

My wife tells me of this noise as if she's gotten a stone pitched from the car in front - but there's none of the tell tail 'meteor dust' you often see afterwards?!

I'm wondering if it's the windshield shifting in the seal...or some nose coming from the dash. Ilogically, it's come about since it has gotten warmer. Amost any noise I've ever had went away when it got warm?!

..and I didn't see armor glass on the option code list.

Cheers all.

Jim

What year?

There are 13 TSBs concerning the convertible top making snap noises throughout the top and where it contacts the windshield. Which one it could be depends on the year since they have updated things over the different model years.

Ours makes cracking sounds when it's hot because the top is blazing hot in the sun and the A/C cools the cabin down so there's a big pressure difference. That pressure difference causes the seals to rub against each other. Without being lubricated, they make a cracking sound when you hit a bump. I'm going to be fixing that problem while it's in the garage waiting for a new ignition switch to come in.

Give me the year and I'll look up the right TSBs.

I have the same noise, a dry, loud crack like if a pebble had hit the windshield. I thought it was the leather dashboard expanding against the glass, or the top doing the same. If you have a solution for this, I'd be glad to hear it.
I have a 2000 Boxster S, just 9500 miles, so it's all kind of new inside.

Thanks!

Alex

Wierd, I have heard the same noise while driving a few times. I at first cringe because I think it is a rock but then have dismissed it when I didn't see anything hit it. My top was down when it happened I believe so I don't think it was the top.

Also, Wetstuff: I was looking at your site and was wondering if you made any heat shields for the boxster's windshield that was black in color. I am looking to keep my interior cool and already have 5% tint all around but the windshield needs to be guarded and I would like the look of an all black shield.

-thanks

Me too
 

Yeah I have the same crack sound in the windshield. It tends to be on the right side. Whether it is near the dash or near the top I can't tell.

Also it happens mostly when the cold A/C is blowing and it is hot outside. But not always! It has happened several times without the A/C cold... but then I suppose you could argue that the regular air coming out the top dash vents is still enough to cool the hot windshield.

I drive a 2002 Boxter with 30000 miles.

Thank you for looking up the TSBs!

Yeah, I just recently had the same experience. Hear the crack, look for the stone chip in the windshield; don't see anything. I seem to be doing a pretty good job of ignoring it though :D

Since there are so many and different models involved, I'll just post them all when I get home tonight.

I get the TSBs from AllData at www.alldatadiy.com. They have online repair manuals along with recall and technical service bulletins. It's what my friend's auto shop uses for all of the cars they service. For home users, they charge $24.95/year for the first car and $14.95/year for additional ones. I have the FSMs for the 928, and the pictures and illustrations are the same on the AllData website and in the FSMs so they're pretty close to the original manuals but nowhere near the $600 price of the Boxster FSMs. The instructions are better in the FSMs, though.

One thing though, if you look at getting a subscription for all of your cars and you have Hondas, they don't have anything available for them. Honda will not release their info for use by the consumer, just professional shops.

Sorry to post-and-run.

Del_sga: I'm an 01-S. ....but how was it you were going to tend to it - this seal relationship between the top and windshield frame?

Kid: Black would be good in Nome to help melt the snow ...but sorta kicking-a-Copperhead anywhere S. of Seattle. My material is foil 2-sides..both shiny.


........glad to hear I'm not 'hearing things'..alone.

Cheers.

Jim

I'm in Pittsburgh, our sun doesn't get very crazy... I just want to keep people from seeing inside of my car when it sits for a long time in a parking lot and keep the rays from hitting my interior. I've seen a few cars with them before, just wanted to know if you made them or were able to.

I think it has more to do with the difference in outside/inside pressure more than just temp. It has happened to ours when it is cooler outside but the car was parked outside so the cabin was very warm and the A/C kicked in and caused a pressure difference.

You may notice the top flaps a lot more if you turn on the re-circulate button. That happens with A/C and heat. Try it some time, especially on the freeway, and see what the difference its. We had a Jeep Wrangler and it made a huge difference in the amount of noise in the top. When it was set on normal mode, you could look in the driver's side mirror and see the windows bubbling out and the top was pretty quiet. Put it on re-circulate and the windows would suck in and the top flapped like crazy.

Here you go, all of the TSBs on the convertible top. The file is 570K so give it time if you're on dial-up. It's an Adobe Acrobat 5 file so if you don't have the Acrobat Reader you need to go to www.adobe.com and download it for free.

http://theschillings.com/boxster/convertibletop.pdf