Convertible top won't close - intermittent

[desert_porsche]

I've searched the forums, but I have a very specific question that I couldn't find the answer to.

I went to close the convertible top in my '01 Boxster S, and nothing happened when I pushed the toggle switch. My parking brake idiot light works and shows that my parking brake switch is working correctly. I checked the two fuses (B6 and D3), and they appeared fine. I tried cleaning the fuse contacts, no dice. I tried replacing both fuses anyway, no dice. I then tried removing the control module in the relay panel, cleaning the contacts, banging it on the desk real good, and re-inserting it into the relay panel. No dice. I removed the dash panel containing the convertible top toggle switch, removed the center console piece containing the window toggle switches, and tried plugging the convertible top harness into a window toggle switch, in order to eliminate the toggle switch as the source of the problem. No dice. I checked the convertible top warning light in the instrument cluster. It is off, as it should be. When I toggle the convertible top switch, I got nothing. No relay clicks, no windows rolling down, no motor noise, nothing.

Finally I tried jamming my finger into the A-pillar center microswitch and banging on it with a screwdriver. After a couple of tries, the convertible top finally closed. No unusual noises, no grinding, etc

My question is: will a malfunctioning A-pillar microswitch cause a top that is down to not close? I can easily understand that a malfunctioning microswitch would cause a top that is closed to not go down. But I'm trying to figure out if the reverse is true. Trying to figure out if I have really found the source of the problem or if there is some other intermittent problem I haven't found yet.

Any other troubleshooting advice would be appreciated.

[Meir]

Originally Posted by desert_porsche

I've searched the forums, but I have a very specific question that I couldn't find the answer to.

I went to close the convertible top in my '01 Boxster S, and nothing happened when I pushed the toggle switch. My parking brake idiot light works and shows that my parking brake switch is working correctly. I checked the two fuses (B6 and D3), and they appeared fine. I tried cleaning the fuse contacts, no dice. I tried replacing both fuses anyway, no dice. I then tried removing the control module in the relay panel, cleaning the contacts, banging it on the desk real good, and re-inserting it into the relay panel. No dice. I removed the dash panel containing the convertible top toggle switch, removed the center console piece containing the window toggle switches, and tried plugging the convertible top harness into a window toggle switch, in order to eliminate the toggle switch as the source of the problem. No dice. I checked the convertible top warning light in the instrument cluster. It is off, as it should be. When I toggle the convertible top switch, I got nothing. No relay clicks, no windows rolling down, no motor noise, nothing.

Finally I tried jamming my finger into the A-pillar center microswitch and banging on it with a screwdriver. After a couple of tries, the convertible top finally closed. No unusual noises, no grinding, etc

My question is: will a malfunctioning A-pillar microswitch cause a top that is down to not close? I can easily understand that a malfunctioning microswitch would cause a top that is closed to not go down. But I'm trying to figure out if the reverse is true. Trying to figure out if I have really found the source of the problem or if there is some other intermittent problem I haven't found yet.

Any other troubleshooting advice would be appreciated.

the answer to your last question is yes.
in fact, 90% of the posts i read online with regard to top issues, and up being that little switch.
make sure you order the correct part. switch was changed in 00 i believe.