996 convertible top US spec question

Hi, i do Porsche diagnosis and repairs. I have a specific question on 996.2 convertible cars. A customer of mine has a 996.2 cab and the top doesn't open or close via keyfob. Rest of the keyfob functions work perfectly. I've never seen that before. The 996.2 cabs i've seen always had 3 button key fobs and the convetible top alayws could be opened and closed via key fob. So i took my Piwis and check the alarm system, which as we all know is also the bcu. There were some minor errors. They didn't come back after i deleted them. The top works perfect, if you operate it via the button in the center console. One thing i had never seen before is that the rear windows only can be operated if the convertible top is up. Else they are constantly down. Also the side windows go completely down, if you open the convertible top. Is that normal on US 996.2 cars? In the Piwis config the car is configured as 996 Cabrio US and variant coding 4. Is variant coding 4 correct for the car? Also can anybody please explain what (Variantenkodierung) variant coding 1-4 means exactly? Thanks in advance, Markus

Quotes source post: 18333683

Markus, I think US and Canada are the same, I'm in Canada. My keys only have two buttons, even though my owners manual shows a 3 button key for the cabriolet, and my keys do not open or close the roof/windows. It could have been changed at some point. According to the manual though, the rear windows go down with the roof and stay down, inoperable while the roof is down. All windows go down before the roof opens, and if you hold the button long enough, the side windows (not rear) will go back up. When closing the roof, again the windows will go down if they were up, and once the roof closes if you continue to hold the button the windows will go back up as well. Mark

The window operation you described is normal. I have a 996.1 so it doesn't have a key fob button for the top. Try opening the top with the key in the door. Counter-clockwise to open, clockwise to close.

Thanks guys! Mark: are you talking about a 996.1 or a 996.2 cabriolet? The car i'm talking about is a 2003 996.2 that was first registered in the US and has US specs. And later on was imported to Germany. I know that the pre facelift cars only have 2 button key fobs. Tried to actuate the top via Piwis, with didn't work well. Top only move for a short time (approx. 2 seconds) with every actuation. Normally the top will do a full circle if i actuate it with the Piwis function. So that seemed strange to me. Bill: I will test if the convertible top is operable with the key in the door lock – good point, thank you! Also will check the alarm control module version. Seems to be the right one for the model year with the separate antenna input. But haven't checked the serial number. Would be nice if someone can help with the meaning of the variant coding 1-4 for the convertible top. Thanks, Markus

Quotes source post: 18333987

Mine is a 996.2, 2003. Pag 142 of the manual describes the window operation (in relation to the roof). I just found another interesting bit: "If the convertible top is closed with the key in the door lock, the windows must be closed using the rocker switches in the center console." I don't know if that means the roof was closed using the key or with key simply in the door lock. According to the manual, the roof can be opened with the rocker switch or with the key. With the key, it must be unlocked with the remote control, then hold the "vehicle key in the unlocking position in the door lock until the convertible top has reached its final position or until the door windows are in the desired position." I just tried to be sure, but mine does not do this. It's supposed to work for closing it too, but I didn't open the roof to try it. I will try that the next time I go out. I don't know if I have original keys, or if that would make a difference. They are two button keys, and only one remote works. The manual shows two-button keys for the coupe, and 3-button keys for the targa and cabriolet, so I may not have original keys. Maybe someone else in Canada/US can confirm what they have. Maybe that's why mine doesn't operate the roof.

I have an '02 cab. I have 2 keys, each with 2 buttons. No button to operate the top. The buttons are on the head of the key. I do not have a key fob, which I understand to be a controller on a key chain.

I have an 03 with 2 button keys as well. The fobs no longer work at all though, so I cannot test. The top does operate if I insert the key in the door and hold it open or closed, to open or close the top. Rear windows cannot be put up with the top down

Thanks again guys! Unfortunalety my customer is now on vacation with the 996, so i can't test anything before he is back in 2 weeks. The keys that came with his car where 2 button keys that had the same upper cover symbols than a 2003 coupe over here in Germany - a key and a front hood. After studying the owners manual and the service manual, i'm pretty shure the described windows operation for the front and rear windows is correct for US cars. ROW facelift 996 convertibles do definitely have 3 button keys and the convertible top can be operated with the key. The key upper shell shows a key, a front hood and a convertible top. I'm sorry when i was not precise with the terms keyfob and key. What i've meant was a Porsche 996 key with 2 or 3 ***** to operate functions via a rf signal, not a rf control with an extra housing, where the key is extra - like some 993 for example have. To me the question is if i can reconfigure the alam controle module to operate like in ROW cars, so that the customer is able to open and close the convertible top via his keys. I've repaired the rf modules of his keys and converted them to 3 buttons, because i thought US cars would be the same and the keys might not be original to the car. One key definitely wasn't original to the car, because it was type P4 that was produced later on in 2004. So the rf modules work now, have 3 buttons, but they don't operate the convertible top, only doors and hood. So it's very interesting that some of you say that they have a 996.2 facelift convertible with 2 button keys. Might be a configuration setting of the M535 that prevents to operate the convertible top. But there might be some other unknown stumbling blocks. Seems i have to dig deeper. Any help is appreciated. Also with the mystery variant settings 1 to 4 for the convertible top.