12 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
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YOUR RESEARCHHelp With Clam Shell
Reported or suspected cause
microswitch not being activated
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
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Reported cause · Original poster
I used the forum to figure out it was the microswitch not being activated.
Leading evidence: 'microswitch not being activated' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'microswitch not being activated' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Disconnect electric plugs' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
So today I unbolted the convertible motor from the soft top and disconnected the electric plugs to study the motor more closely.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
(In the likely case that I disturbed something when I installed the new plastic cover onto the locking hook.) As I said yesterday I noticed a "spring" was just floating to the right of the hook as compared to the "comp" pics I looked at.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I used the forum to figure out it was the microswitch not being activated.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
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Suggestion · Original poster
I ordered the 10 dollar part and took apart the hooking mechanism to replace the broken part with the new one.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
(In the likely case that I disturbed something when I installed the new plastic cover onto the locking hook.) As I said yesterday I noticed a "spring" was just floating to the right of the hook as compared to the "comp" pics I looked at.
Test with just one of the two electrical connectors attached
No successful repair reported for this finding.
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Unsuccessful attempts
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Discussions that contain suggestions
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Suggestion · Original poster
(A curious thing was that I initially did this test with just one of the two electrical connectors attached to the locking mechanism...which worked on both pressing open and close for the soft top.)
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
12 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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Generation: 20261026T174436Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Howdy! I am presently facing two problems with the clam shell.
1. the convertible warning light stays on.
2. the clam shell has to manually be opened and closed
The background:
Recently the convertible had been intermittently working/not working. Then closing the top was not activating the rear windows. I used the forum to figure out it was the microswitch not being activated. I ordered the 10 dollar part and took apart the hooking mechanism to replace the broken part with the new one. (I modified the new part...I did not disassemble the hooking mechanism itself.) After putting it back together the rear windows rolled up but the clamshell was not functioning to properly close the top and that is when the convertible warning light came on all the time.
I am hopeful that I did something when I took apart the hooking mechanism in the convertible top (as opposed to the hydraulic motor failing for the clamshell.)
Thanks for reading...sorry if this has been addressed in a previous post.
Long shot, but - I just topped up my hydraulic fluid and afterwards I noticed that a tiny clip that keeps a rod in place was missing. This rod may be for the flaps or the clamshell. There is one on both sides. In my case I think it probably came off when I removed the interior cover. The part number is 999-166-054-01.
So today I unbolted the convertible motor from the soft top and disconnected the electric plugs to study the motor more closely. I noticed a "spring" was just floating...this to the right of the latch as you view it straight on from the latch side. After looking up some pics of the motor I reinstalled the spring to what I think I am seeing in the internet pics. I remounted the motor and tested.
The result of the test was that the "soft 'top" part of the action works. (the windows will roll down; the soft top fully opens/retracts into its home; the soft top will fully close from the fully open position and the latch seems to close fully / tightly.)
The actions not working are:
The clamshell is not opening nor closing using the dashboard button.
The windows are not rolling up after closing (but maybe, sequentially, the system is waiting for the clamshell to close.)
The convertible warning idiot light remains illuminated always.
Here is a question I have as I am educating myself: What does each of the two electrical plug connectors power? The large pair of wires seems to control the operation of the motor in the soft top...to release the latch. What does the four wire connector do?
Thank you for the suggestion. I will keep this in my mind as I work through the problem.
Something to share on background:
My problem started with the rear windows failing to roll up when closing the roof. (I believe the whole system was working at that time minus the hook activating the microswitch for the rear windows.) I unmounted the soft top locking mechanism to install the new plastic cover onto the hook that activates the microswitch for the rear windows.
From that point...the rear windows would go up but the convertible warning light stays on all the time and the clamshell will not open or close. (I have manually opened and closed the clamshell since then...multiple times...not realizing at the time that the system would need to be recalibrated.)
So now I am within the rabbit hole.
Yesterday I unmounted the soft top locking mechanism to inspect that "system" to see if I could troubleshoot by looking at pictures from comparable 996 soft top locking mechanism. (In the likely case that I disturbed something when I installed the new plastic cover onto the locking hook.) As I said yesterday I noticed a "spring" was just floating to the right of the hook as compared to the "comp" pics I looked at. (So I reset that spring yesterday to what it should be in the system.)
Another thing I did when the locking mechanism was unmounted was to "test" the mechanism by pressing the open and close soft top button. (A curious thing was that I initially did this test with just one of the two electrical connectors attached to the locking mechanism...which worked on both pressing open and close for the soft top.)
When I attached the second wire harness the locking mechanism would work much more intermittently (I am not even sure how to describe what it was doing.)
To try something different from that point I remounted the locking mechanism and tested. On this operation the soft top would open and close (and lock and unlock). The clamshell still does not function. The windows will roll down upon the open of the soft top sequence but...as I said yesterday the windows will not roll up when the locking sequence happens when I close the soft top.
To all...I realize as I am making this post that I have not done a great job of writing descriptively about my challenge. I am trying to improve my writing here. I appreciate you even taking the time to read.
In addition to the above narrative I have a couple of questions...one new and one repeated from yesterday:
1. (new) Are there microswitches in the soft top locking mechanisms? (If yes...where are they and what function do they initiate?)
2. (old) What do the two wiring harnesses in the soft top locking mechanism power / control? So what does the "top one" do...the four smaller wires. And what does the "lower one" do...the pair of larger wires.)
ADD ONE MORE DATA POINT: MY "AUTOMATIC AIR WING" (I can't think of its proper name right now) WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON UNTIL I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED THE ENTIRETY OF THE TIME I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. I HAVE NEVER GIVEN IT MUCH THOUGHT BUT MAYBE IT IS PLAYING A PART IN MY TROUBLES.
Thanks Yogi...I did find and watch the second video last night. I also subscribed. I will study both videos.
Where are you in Houston? I grew up in West University in the 70's and 80's.
Steve
