Softop button has no effect
 

Hello all,

More electrical issues, after I thought I had everything solved....:(

I most recently used the soft top around 2 months ago when I had to open the engine compartment for the mechanic to smog the car. I haven't touched it since.

Today I wanted to put the top down and nothing happened. Here are the symptoms and possibly some elimination of possible issues (I searched heavily before posting this).

-Car is a 1999 with the triangle marked relay
-To be perfectly clear, the car was running and the parking brake was applied
-The parking light in the instrument cluster was illuminated
-When I unlock the top at the windshield header, the windows roll down a few inches like normal
-When I press the top button, absolutely nothing happens

-No sound

-No signs that an electrical load is placed on the system (no lights dim or anything)

-Fuse D3 & B6 are intact. I cleaned them and reinserted them anyway
-I removed the relay, inspected it, cleaned the contacts, and knocked it around a bit, then reinserted

I've heard on the '99 cars there is microswtich under the clamshell and one in the b-pillar. But I don't see how these could go wrong when the top hasn't moved.

I've had the car going on 3 years and the top has never given me any issues.

The ONLY relevant things that I can think of that has changed since I last opened the top are:
-I installed a new ignition switch
-I installed a new radio head unit
-We had a big rain storm and the car was parked outside. I couldn't feel any significant water egress inside the car, but it was a bit 'moist' or humid inside, like water had seeped through the top. It doesn't appear that any of the top electronics would be vulnerable to water, am I correct? Also there don't appear to be any other electrical issues.
-EDIT: Also, and I doubt this is relevant, but the driver side heated seat button 'fell' out of its mount recently. I gather it's near the handbrake switch, so I thought i'd include it.

Could be the rely just failed. I think on rennline site there is a diagram on a way to pull the realy and use jumpers to lower the top, you might give that a try it would at least confirm or eliminate the relay. Just a suggestion.

Is the parking brake light on? If not it could be that switch is bad which would cause your top not to operate.

Renntech site

just a shot in the dark....have you verified that the top latch handle is all the way unlatched and that the latch switch is working properly. I think you might be able to actuate it by inserting something into the hole or use the red clip

I keep a hardtop on my 986S most of the time. After about a month of staying down and not moving the soft top button does nothing. Gain access to the soft top motor under the clamshell (there is a guide for manually gaining access) and have someone lightly tap it with a hammer while you push and hold the button to move the top. This has worked perfectly for me for two years now.


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Take the relay out and check for corrosion on the connector blades. I had to replace mine to get the motor to work. Replaced the hand brake switch, too. My clamshell recently jammed in a closed position, I had to lift the clamshell by hand and prop it up with 2x6 blocks--then unbolt the clamshell from the linkage arms. With the clamshell removed, you can get to the transmissions and the motor.