top latch - newbie stupid question
 

I have looked and searched here and in the manual yet do not see anything regarding what position the convertible top latch should be in when the top is lowered. Is it simply left in the open position or should it be moved forward as it is when the top is latched? thanks in advance for your patience and help.

coachb
97 Boxster

It stays in the open position. Unlatch it and pull it all th way back and leave it.

Thanks
 

Thanks, that is what I have been doing but then had second thoughts. Appreciate the help, this board is great.

coachb

coachb, where are you located in Denver? FYI, I like to close my latch when I open the roof, just a preference...just need to always remember to re-open. This is my third convertible and just a habit I guess. i just feel better without that hook hangin out there.

I have a 2000 MY, and I could swear that when I stopped the top part of the way down, closed the latch, then tried to finish putting the top down, it wouldn't go any further. I was as if there's a switch in the latch mechanism itself that stopped the top operation when the latch is closed, whether or not it engages the mating part at the top of the windshield.

I was a while ago that I tried this, so I could be mistaken (early onset of CRS disease). I'll have to give it a try when I get home tonight.

Hi,

You're correct, the Latch does have a Fail-Safe in it to prevent operating the Top if the Latch is closed...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

OK... this is getting silly! I just came up from checking this out, and I concluded that it was indeed my CRS acting up. The top would move towards either the open or closed position with the latch in the closed position. In other words, it didn't do what I expected and posted earlier. :o

Now I read that you are agreeing with me... and that it should fail-safe. I'm losing my mind... :confused:

Could it possibly be position related? In other words, it only goes into fail-safe when the top is nearly closed, and it danger of hitting the top of the windshield? I'll play again after dinner...

OK, after dinner, and after playing with it again...

In my 2000, there is no fail-safe for the top latch. If you partially open the top, then move the top latch to the closed position, you can open or close the top, even to the point of running the top latch into the windshield. There is no fail-safe for that.

The only mechanism present is in the top latch receptacle, which has a microswitch inside. If the top is up, and the latch is secured, this switch is activated, and the top will not attempt to go up or down. This is the same switch that is activated by the imfamous "red clip".

I summary, nothing seems to stop you from putting the top down with the switch in either position. The windstop does have a relief in it to clear the latch if it is left open, so it seems obvious that this is OK, and this is how I use mine.

Now back to your regular programming. Say, does anyone know if the light stays on in the refrigerator when the door is closed? :cheers:

So all this time i've been manually closing my latch when putting the top down and it was not necessary? It closes on it's own?

When I first got mine, I would open it part way, then close the latch. This got old after awhile and I tried opening the top without shutting the latch. It seemed weird with that hooking sitting out. But it's definately designed to work with it open (or closed for that matter). If you check out your windscreen you'll notice that it has a cut-out right in the center - why? Well, if you look in your mirror as the top opens with the latch hook open you will see that the hook passes right through that cutout! Cool engineering!

So - to reiterate - works either way. Close latch, don't close latch, do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about!