Boxster Roof won't close - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Porschedriver888 · 10-09-2010, 07:09 PM

I am greatly in need of some help. My roof is stuck closed and the "open/close roof button" is not responding even though I am hearing the motor trying to work. Of course this is with key turned on and parking brake engaged. Another issue that I am sure is related is that lately the CONVERTIBLE TOP INDICATOR LIGHT was lit up and would not go off and this is even when the roof was closed. This particular indicator is now off as it should be as the roof is stuck open.

I read in another thread to check the B6 and D3 fuses. Any ideas what the next troubleshooting steps should be? Thanks in advance!

Lobo1186 · 10-09-2010, 10:23 PM

the mechanism may be broken. can you put the top up manually?

Porschedriver888 · 10-10-2010, 07:45 AM

Putting the top up manually per the emergency procedure in the manual will be my last but only choice if I cannot find a fix for this. Should I even be thinking that this is a bad fuse if I am hearing the motor trying to engage the top when pushing the button? If I do have to do the "emergency top replacement route" how secure will it be? Reason I ask is the manual says to "drive slowly to the dealership".
:ah:

Porschedriver888 · 10-10-2010, 08:46 AM

Update
It is definitely not the B6 or D3 fuses. Anyone know what the next troubleshooting step for this issue. I have to drive this car to work tomorrow so will probably have do the the "manual roof closing" procedure if I cannot find a fix. Help....

Overdrive · 10-10-2010, 02:22 PM

Well I may not be giving you the actual 'next' step in the procedure, but I can give you another thing to look into. The cable(s) for the up and down movements of the top may be broken. This actually happened to my car the day I went to pick it up (thankfully before I received it). It was just being brought back from being registered, they attempted to put the top up, and, as I'm told, the motor was running but the top wouldn't move. Turns out the cable controlling that movement got worn out. As I understand it, it's got sort of a square shape to it where it connects with the motor, and over time this will eventually round out, so the motor will run, but it won't provide any spin to the cable.

I'd say if you've checked your fuses and the motor is running, you may want to check that out next.

Hope this helps and that you're able to find the culprit soon.

stiggerq · 10-11-2010, 04:41 AM

I am not aware of the fuse issue but had a similar issue with ONE cable end breaking allowing only one side to be driven.
Something to consider would be to look at the gearbox with which the cables are inserted via anodised clips.

Remove the clip by carefully puling up. pull out the cable and look at the end. ( it will have a small amount of grease that will need to be removed). If the cable end is indeed broken then firstly you will have to look and remove any residual cable left inside the port on the motor gearbox. I had this problem and found that instead of buying a new cable there was sufficient square left on the cable to allow me to remove the silver collett and (carefully!!) using a pipe cutter, remove 10-15mm of the black cable sheath. Replace the silver collett and feed back into the motor drive unit.

It would seem strange however that BOTH of the cable ends had gone at the same time?

Just and idea.......

Overdrive · 10-11-2010, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stiggerq

I am not aware of the fuse issue but had a similar issue with ONE cable end breaking allowing only one side to be driven.
Something to consider would be to look at the gearbox with which the cables are inserted via anodised clips.

Remove the clip by carefully puling up. pull out the cable and look at the end. ( it will have a small amount of grease that will need to be removed). If the cable end is indeed broken then firstly you will have to look and remove any residual cable left inside the port on the motor gearbox. I had this problem and found that instead of buying a new cable there was sufficient square left on the cable to allow me to remove the silver collett and (carefully!!) using a pipe cutter, remove 10-15mm of the black cable sheath. Replace the silver collett and feed back into the motor drive unit.

It would seem strange however that BOTH of the cable ends had gone at the same time?

Just and idea.......

I'm with you on that, stiggerq. While I'm not sure if by "closed position" he means top up or top down...to me it'd mean top up...if it's stuck with the top up, he wouldn't know if the thing is having issues both ways as it won't lower for him to try raising it. And if it's stuck open and won't go up to close, then he has no way to check that it still lowers as it doesn't raise.

I'd be surpried if both went as well, but he might as well check them both out if he can. If one's going the other's probably not far behind, right?

So you were able to re-use the cable? Did you have to remove any of the actual metal?

Porschedriver888 · 10-12-2010, 04:17 PM

The problem is now resolved. As a few members had guessed the issue was that both cables were broke. I am guessing when I say that one had broken and then when pressing button to put top back up that other cable broke as well. Bad fuses and a bad double relay never made sense because I could hear the motor trying to work while pushing the top up button. Thanks for all contributions.

stiggerq · 10-13-2010, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overdrive

I'm with you on that, stiggerq. While I'm not sure if by "closed position" he means top up or top down...to me it'd mean top up...if it's stuck with the top up, he wouldn't know if the thing is having issues both ways as it won't lower for him to try raising it. And if it's stuck open and won't go up to close, then he has no way to check that it still lowers as it doesn't raise.

I'd be surpried if both went as well, but he might as well check them both out if he can. If one's going the other's probably not far behind, right?

So you were able to re-use the cable? Did you have to remove any of the actual metal?

Yes if you look at the metal square end it would appear to be an very tightly wound chord. i squared the end off using a slit disc (1mm) before re-use. I have had no issue with the drive until last week when i stripped all the dashboard out to change the colour from grey to black. Re installing all the center console and switch gear went without hitch but for some reason now the roof makes a whiring noise (motor) for 4 / 5 seconds but with no drive / motion !!! good grief here we go again !! .... looks like i'll be busy again this weekend.

Gunner986 · 08-18-2016, 04:13 PM

My roof is stuck open. Check the fuses, the double rely, and micro switch at latch and brake. Functioning. When I press the switch to close the roof I can hear a short motor sound from what seems to be center back. Sounds as if it is initially trying to open and then stops. Any idea what my next move should be?