1999 C2 Cab top stopped working.

It's been working fine up to today, suddenly I could not raise the top, I tried key in drivers door. Also the push button on the dash board. The light on the cluster flashes saying the engine lid is open and I hear two clicks but no movement. I opened the engine lid via a mechanical lever near the seat adjusters on my left. and manually closed the lock. Tried it again and the top came up ok. I opened it up and that worked fine so The small electric switch on the latch is operating ok as it puts out the engine compartment light as I manually close the latch. I released the latch and sprayed WD 40 on the latch. I then closed the lid and was very suprised that it did not work again. The cluster light flashes that the engine lid is still open. It is not. I went through the same procedure but dammed if i can get it to work again.Why would it indicate that the engine lid is still opened when it is not? Have I damaged something with the WD 40 I wonder. I am a bit scared to remove the latch in case I can't get it back together correctly. Has any cab owner had this problem in the past. Any ideas please.

CAUTION the cover will hit the engine lid if you let it move too far. Activate the micro switch in the engine lid latch while someone else tries the top. The switch arm rests on the lower latch pawl. The arm can slide to the side, break, etc..

http://www.renntech.org/forums/tutor...-stuck-closed/

Quotes source post: 9778537

The site wont let me access this link. With regards to the photos, I have activated the light switch under the latch inside the engine compartment and see the light going on and off as expected. I see only one switch below the latch so I take it that this is the same switch which has to be made or broke to activate the roof. Still nothing happens as my wife pushes on the dash button and I make and break the light switch under the latch. A red light in the dash cluster shows 'open lid symbol' as soon as the button is pushed. It worked before I added WD40 to the latch area just the one time. The top closed and then opened no problem. Thats what baffles me. Right now I have a hair dryer concentrated on the oiled part in an effort to dry it out again should that be the problem. My next move will be to give the battery an overnight charging, although the head lights looks very bright and the car starts right up every time. Anything is worth a try before I start taking things apart. By the way the hand brake or emergency brake is fully on when I try the roof part. Any further help from anyone would be well appreciated. Thanks.

deleted to ensure no infringement done.

Hey thanks Kromdom for the copy paste. I have searched both sides under the plastic flaps using a strong flashlight but see nothing like I see on your pictures. I do hear a double click repeating itself as the cluster light flashes indicating engine lid still opened but still nothing moves. I have put the battery on an overnight charge hoping that will do the trick. Hoping that some sensor along the way may reset itself when I attach the battery again and pump in the radio code.

I think the latch in the picture is for the small batwings. I would first lubricate the vertical threaded shaft you can see behind the large batwings, any resistance and everything stops. Worked for me and I found out about it by searching the forum so I guess it worked for others also.

Is the handbrake light illuminated ?Out of curiousity -where is the cluster light that is flashing ?I have a1999 Cabrolet and do not have that feature .The only light I have is for the spoiler .You have another post going on checking the pump oil -good idea and maybe low but not the fundamental problem here .When the pump is low on oil the top moves slowly and probably won't self latch .In order to check the oil you need the top to partially close . If the handbrake light is on then the handbrake switch is probably good .There is a remote chance that the wire from the latch microswitch is shorting -possible frayed wire . This can be tricky to isolate and fix really requires a Durametric-Voltmeter and the shop manuals .

Quotes source post: 9781765

The cluster lights I refer too are all the red warning lights which illuminate as the ignition is turned on. I know that the handbrake should be on and the engine compartment lid should be closed. As I start the engine, all the lights go out except the handbrake. As I push the toggle switch for the convertible top a red light flashes. The symbol is that of a roof halfway up and it flashes as I hold the toggle switch. I hear a double clicking sound as though the roof is trying, but nothing happens. The symbol seems to say 'caution:- the roof is on the way up/down'....or it may be indicating that there is a fault with the roof. I honestly never noticed if this was flashing when the roof was working properly. Maybe thats why you dont see it on yours because there is not a fault with your roof. I do see the spoiler light come on then go off as I start the engine. I have made an appointment to take it to a guy who works on VWs on Monday. He reckons that he can pin point the fault with a duramatric machine. Thats if I havent sorted it out via help from this board before next monday. When it worked, it moved fast so I doubt it being hydraulics in this case. Why it should suddenly stop beats me.

Thanks for the clairification .No point in speculating-could be flaps-lid is not unlatching etc........The indy should be able to figure it out .Hope he has worked on these before since there is a learning curve .

Quotes source post: 9782903

You might want to check this. The spoiler light is supposed to be on until the vehicle has somewhere around 2-3 mph forward motion.

Hi Hurdigurdiman, Sorry to resurrect this thread but... Did you solve this issue as i have the exact same problem, the roof came up and then stopped at the top and then the light on the dash started blinking with two clicks coming from the back. my guess is that either the micro switch in the hand break is to fault or the boot lid one. I�m booked in with Porsche to fix but was interested to know what your findings were Thanks Jack

This is a very old thread and I have since got the cab top working correctly. It was all down to the alarm modual underneath the drivers seat which had slipped back into car transport mode or sportscar delivary mode. I got the info from an English man on the board and had Porsch run their two porche testers on the modual telling them to check in the 'Special Menu' and rectify the problem. They did and found and corrected the problem. Total charge less than $80.. After that was done the inside lights, door lights, gas cap locking door, all worked perfectly and are still OK. Now the module had nothing to do with the cab roof. That was rectified by a fully charged battery at all times. Also the plastic part covering the front middle cab hook had a broken plastic covering. I replaced that and put a spot of super glue to keep it exactly in place plus 'o' ring camera grease on the hook and on the 2 outside parts that connect into the front wind screen. The 2 clicks I was hearing was in fact the coming from the module. Now since the module fix I still hear the clicks but now the 2 front side amber lights flash to tell me that the alarm is locking the car up correctly. The lights did not flash before the fix. BTW always lock your car even in the garage as it takes much less out of the battery than it does to keep all micro switches open when the car is unlocked. THATS A FACT as daft as it seems. Then you have a full battery to use on the cab soft top because it takes a hell of a lot to move that top through it's FULL cycle up to finishing the cycle by lowering or closing the side windows. Throughout my 18 months of trying to solve the lights, gas cap locking door and intermittent cab working and not working I found a washer had fallen off the arm on one side of the cab top. I found this when I had the top in it's 'Service position' looking for anything to help. I got a new spring washer and put the arm back in place and with that, a new battery (I was due anyway) 'the 'O' ring grease and new plastic hook cover, I have had no problems with the top since. I use it up and down daily during the summer months. The winter months I have a hard top on the car. BTW touch wood, there is nothing at all wrong with my car now. Everything that is supposed to work on a 99 C2 cab is definitely working thanks to my persistence and lots of help from people on this and other Porsche boards. Hope you solve your problems. Don't give up. I can explain the 'service position' and how to get the top there if you don't know how.

Thank you for your reply, I'm hoping it's something as simple as that, i'll ensure to update with the solutution once i have given porsche all of my salary! Jack

For what it's worth, I raise and lower the top AFTER turning on the engine. This provides a much stronger electrical current when raising or lowering the top and (I believe) greatly reduces the number of electrical current issues folks see with regards the top.

I usually close the top from inside the cab when the engine is still running and open it before I get inside by holding the key in the drivers door lock, turning and holding the key to the left. I always make sure the opening goes through the full sequence (that's until the side door windows start to come up) before releasing the key into the straight up position again. I then get in the seat and start the car. And as always with this car, checking all the dials to see everything is working as it should be. I never did that with any other vehicle I ever owned. This 996 has made me into a paranoid maniac haha. I have my eyes as much on the dash dials as I do on the road and rear view mirrors. I am a nervous wreck. "There coming to take me away haha ho ho hehe." dyawl remember that song about the funny farm? lol

So just to update you as I like to give a thread (or hijacked thread) some closure left the car for day and the roof started working again. so this tells me that it was battery related, not enough juice in the tank to operate the roof even with the engine running. I am thinking of selling the car so I haven't been using it as much as I have been. I�ll put a pin it for now and see how it goes. I�m off to blast some roads and change the battery thanks for all of your useful and informative comments as usual Jack