Boxster Top Won't Go Up All The Way!

[porscheboxster987]

Basically, the motor and clamshell are working fine. The top goes down fine; however, putting the top back up is when the issue comes into play. When the top is going up, it'll go about 95% of the way, but the canvas top will stop inching forward toward the latch while the clamshell is able to fully close. Therefore, I have to manually drag the top up the remaining 5% of the way in order for it to reach the latch. Any idea what the issue could be?

[Deserion]

The mechanism won't put the roof header against the windshield header, you will have to pull it down the rest of the way to latch. So in your case it sounds normal.

[obthomas]

Originally Posted by Deserion

The mechanism won't put the roof header against the windshield header, you will have to pull it down the rest of the way to latch. So in your case it sounds normal.

Your comment is interesting. My roof does go all the way to window header. I have had two boxsters and both worked this way. When closing all I have to do is reach up and latch. I think this is normal and 95% closed is not doing right.

[ExplorerLyon]

Sometimes mine stops 1" before full close. The fabric on the sides is not properly in the channel preventing full closure. Check that the fabric is not binding up in the side channels.

[porscheboxster987]

Originally Posted by ExplorerLyon

Sometimes mine stops 1" before full close. The fabric on the sides is not properly in the channel preventing full closure. Check that the fabric is not binding up in the side channels.

Went out to check the car a few minutes ago, and sure enough, the fabric on the sides were not properly in the channel; the rubber on the canvas’ sides seem to be overhanging the plastic window rim rather than fitting in. In other words, the edge of the canvas top isn’t tucking into the plastic frame correctly upon “closing.” Not sure if that makes sense. I will try to fix this and see if it solves the problem. Thank you.

[ExplorerLyon]

I found this write-up today that may help.
sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/convertibletopedgedoesnotfallintoguidech

[Geof3]

Pretty common issue. Focke’s solution might work. Didn’t on mine. My pass side does it sometimes. Like the “chop” feature of the plastic window, I simply raise mine about half way give or take and reach across the pass seat and tuck it under. Easy. No worries otherwise.

[porscheboxster987]

Well, it looks like now my Boxster's top operation is becoming increasingly worse. Now, the top only goes up 85% of the way, and I can no longer latch the canvas top to the switch in the cabin since the canvas top can't reach out far enough anymore. Additionally, when putting the top up, there is a creaking sound accompanying the operation. Right before this creaking and the top only going up 85% of the way issue started, I heard 3 sharp snaps of what sounded like perhaps the pushrods breaking during operation of putting the top up, but I checked the pushrods and both the passenger and driver side pushrods appear fine and operate like how they're suppose to. The clamshell also sporadically "jumped down" a couple percent during operation of putting the top up. In other words, the clamshell didn't have a smooth operation; it had a jumpy operation. HOWEVER, both the 'snapping' noise and the jumpy clamshell no longer accompany the top operation (those issues only occurred once) but the creaking noise remains, and the top still can't go out far enough to be latched. I'm not so sure if it is an issue of the canvas top being off track anymore.