No Window Drop At Roof Open/close??

[insatiable]

I seem to be asking for a lot of help lately -- sorry about that !!
When I press the roof release and pull back the lever the windows have decided not to drop. This also occurs on the "raise " cycle.
I notice in the Manual 61 01 01 that there is a trouble shoot on the relay carrier but before I try this I was wondering if there is a simpler solution or if a "Fault Tester" would identify the problem.
Thanks,
\Glenn

[schoir]

Glenn:

More often that not, the problem lies with one of the two microswitches that are located in the roof latch receptacle at the center of the top of the windshield frame.

Try to stick your finger in there and poke it up and down (with the roof partially opened) to see if you get the windows to drop.

If that has no effect at all, try it again after heating up that area with a heat gun.

The problem often happens as a result of one of the solder joints cracking inside the switch, and heating it up sometimes makes is re-connect (until it cools down again).

Try the above and report back with any results.

Regards, Maurice.

[insatiable]

Thanks Maurice, I'll try that . Do you know if the micro switches are a plunger or lever type?
Cheers,
Glenn

[schoir]

The microswitch is a plunger type, but the part that develops a hairline fracture is one of two long metal strips, where they are soldered in. Sometimes heating it up with a soldering iron is sufficient to remake a good connection.

Here is a photo with the arrow pointing to the hairline crack location:

(I'm not sure if the photo will show up, I tried following the instructions for attachments).

Regards, Maurice.

[insatiable]

Hey these switches are tiny little mothers!
They checked out OK, physically/electrially. I did touch the joints with the iron just in case.
However it only occurred to me whilst doing this work that the windows do in fact return to the normal up position when the roof is latched closed. Does this mean that the problem is more likely with the relay? Unfortunately there are no Boxters within 100's of kms. therefore swapping over a relay is not an easy option!
Cheers,
Glenn

[schoir]

Glenn:

Does your "top open" idiot light in the dash display (all the way to the right) go out when the top is completely open with the clamshell locked down tight on top of it and also go out when the top is closed and latched?

If it stays on, that will cause your windows to drop by about 4 inches when the top is down.

If that is not your problem, and if you don't have access to a spare convertible top double relay (control module), then you might try to pull out your relay and rap it on a hard surface a couple of times (similar to how people used to tap packs of cigarettes in the old days) and also pull the relay on and off three or four times (sometimes helps to clean off light corrosion on the contacts) and see if that yields any results.

Keep us posted with any new/different symptoms.

Regards, Maurice.

[insatiable]

Thanks Maurice. Whilst in Sydney last week I went to the "stealership" to get the airbag warning light cancelled and also asked to have the window drop problem checked. They think it is the micro switch so I will check it again but think I will buy a replacement anyway and have done with it.
By the way the indicator light and all other functions operate normally.
Cheers,
Glenn