Convertible top closes 9/10 than stops

Intermittently, my top will only open about 9/10 of the way and then stop. This happens regardless of if I use the key in the door or the button in the dash. If I open and close the engine bay it works. I'm sure this is an electrical problem but I'd like to see if I can get it narrowed down. I got my Bentleys today but it didn't have a ton of info and I'm not good at reading wiring diagrams. I'd guess its a switch or a wire by the engine. When it stops the top has folded and the cover has lifted itself out of the way and the side flaps have rotated so pretty much all it needs to do is go down another 6 inches and have the metal cover return to its normal position. The flap in the back appears to be fine. Not sure if it matters but the left rear window regulator is bad right now. The top closes fine. The only issue I notice is it takes a few seconds for the windows to go up after the top is closed. Here is what it looks like

The first thing I'd check is the hydraulic fluid level, or a leak near the hydraulic cylinders. The location where the top stops moving doesn't correspond to a microswitch actuation position, as far as I can remember.

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All good ideas. Replaced the cylinders a couple weeks ago. The fluid level was good a couple of days ago but I might recheck since I have some time.

So the plot thickens. Now closing the engine compartment doesn’t fix the problem. AND it won’t close properly. It deploys the latch early and stops when closing. If you grab the top you can pull it into position and it will latch properly. Once closed it will not close the windows. It is going through some kind of check as you will hear several clicks pause and repeat for 3 cycles or so and then the light goes on the dash. ive ordered a durametric so hopefully it will have some insight when I pull the code. Until then any ideas? I recently changed the pistons. I double checked and the potentiometer is well seated on the guide pins. The fluid level is fine. M

For the closing problem, check that the hook isn't cracked which is a common problem.

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The hook is fine

So I lubed up all the movable parts and cleaned all the contacts without much effect, but then I clicked the micro switch for the clamshell a bunch of times and suddenly it works. Hopefully that fixes everything. I get my durametric on Friday from there I can check the stored codes. Hopefully it flags that switch M

Sounds like that microswitch might be flaky, that might be some thing to look at replacing. Knock on wood, my Cab top hasn't acted up yet.

Maybe spray down the clamshell microswitch with some electrical contact cleaner?

If you recalibrate the top with the Durametric, start with the top in down position.

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Thats good to know. Thanks. In other news the problem popped up agin I�m going to wait till Friday when I get my durametric to do anymore trouble shooting M

So I got me durametric today. The fault is Potentiometer fault convertible top compartment lid I also have a timeout error and a needs calibration error I tried wiggling the potentiometer for the top connected to the hydraulics. I then tried to put the top down to calibrate but it got stuck in the 9/10 down position. Currently I can neither open or close the top. Suggestions? Thanks M

So even though it's called the potentiometer it's actually the microswitch in the top cover mechanism (that's what I get for not checking the Bentley's first). Not sure how to get at it with the top mostly down. Does anyone have a part number for the switch? At this point it seems like a replacement is in order. Number 7 is the switch I may have to manually close the top since this is my daily. Thanks M

This? https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/por...20group%20%231

I’m hoping it’s this one. I’ll find out Friday when I get it https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_In...561-165-01-OEM M

Like the price of what you found better.

So that was the correct part. Swapped out in 5 minutes. Unfortunately, it did not fix the problem. A this point I'm at a bit of a loss. I cleared the error codes with the durametric but now the only code I get is a timeout error. I had to do the manual procedure to close the top when it got stuck a few days ago (which worked great). Could my issue be a calibration issue? Someone said the top has to be open to run the calibration and since I can't completely open the top I can't calibrate. Watching the top open and close with everything visible the process seems to work OK. The only thing that I can see that might be causing the issue is the side flaps stay in the vertical position. At what point do they in the process do they come out and go horizontal. Also the windows don't raise automatically (they lower fine). P

I think once the manual procedure has been done the top needs to be recalibrated.

So as far as I can tell from watching videos of the process it looks like the top freezes at the point where the side flap would deploy back into the horizontal position. I opened the top into the most open position it would go and than manually deployed the flaps but when I pushed the open button it just dropped the flaps again. I checked the rear deck lid switch and that is working fine. It will not let you initiate the process if its open/the switch is blocked. On a whim I ran the calibraition. It would open the top to the 9/10 position and then the calibration would freeze. So at this point What works 1. The top hydraulics and pump 2. The clamshell motor 3 The clam shell switch on the motor (the part I replaced earlier in the thread) I believe this is for the clamshell latch 4. The side flap motors will go put the flaps into the vertical position 5. The hook deploys and catches the latch and will close fine 6. When the top opens the hook returns back into the housing and the fork looking switch deploys apriopriately 7. The system functions the same using key, dash button or durametric 8. All the windows drop when opening the top What doesn't work 1. The top does not completely open. If you let out the hydraulic pressure you can get the top to drop completely BUT the clamshell will not close 2. The windows do not roll back up when the top is closed 3. Lots of clicking like its doing a switch test 4. I can manually put the side flaps into horizontal but the motor doesn't. I suspect this is because the motor is not being activated due to the root cause because when manually placed in the horizontal position the top immediately puts them back to vertical when power is applied to the system i.e I click the top switch to open 5. Perhaps related but perhaps independent the regulator on the rear drivers side window is out.- Maybe a switch is inappropriately open or closed due to the regulator/window malfunctioning Fault codes 1. code 4- Potentiometer fault convertible top compartment lid. Replaced the switch and this fault code went away 2. Code 5- Timeout I'm running out of ideas. Anything I should look at; test? M

I believe there actually is a potentiometer on the motor that runs the compartment lid. The microswitch shows when the LATCH for the lid is engaged, but the actual movement of the lit is monitored by the potentiometer. It's part #8 in that diagram. I'd consider replacing that, or seeing if it's so far out of calibration that the calibration-sequence can't complete. This potentiometer gets out of sync with the rest of the system when you perform the "manual" operation of the top and compartment lid.

frisbee91 is correct. If you see in the diagram provided, there are TWO potentiometers. You probably checked the one aligned with the driver side cylinder. It tells the system where the top position is. The other potentiometer is attached to the flap motor and tells the system where the flap is. It sounds like this pot is out of sync, or needs to be replaced. I am not certain if you can buy it separately, or whether you have to buy the whole flap motor assembly (ouch). It would be just like Porsche to do that. On a further note, my top was not working and I took it to an Indy who claimed that it was because my rear driver side window was not working. I can't find a connection to that, but if you do let me know. GLWR

Sorry, should have explained that it's the blue device attached to the flap motor.

Part # 996 561 933 01 I would try calibrating before spending the $600 to buy a new one.

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Thanks to you and Frisbee91. I had not realized there were two potentiometers. Right now we are catching the edges of Sally so its raining too hard for me to be playing with the top but I will let you know. Hopefully I just need to clean it up. Sorry to hear about your window. The part for that is crazy expensive. I'm thinking about the rebuild but Is my daily driver. I'm probably going to have to just bite the bullet. I will say the top problems coincide with the window problems but I've only had the car for 6weeks so their is a lot of overlap. M

So I can see the blue potentiometer but for the life of me I can't figure out how to adjust it. I can turn the screw in the center but that doesn't seem to do anything. Thanks M

This posting may help you: https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...tible-top.html I don't have a copy of the service manual that it refers to. Perhaps someone on the forum will send us a copy of section 61. Regarding the rear window, yes a new regulator is very expensive because it comes complete with a new motor. I just fixed mine with the $60 kit on Ebay..............even that is costly for a couple of bits of plastic and some stainless wire, but it works. It is not an overly difficult job but it is truly a pain in the ***. The dealer will want at least $1,500. I have done it before and recently it took me 3 hours, with a beer break. There should be several videos on Youtube. There are 2 or 3 tricks that you should know when you are doing it that make life a lot easier. Let me know if you choose to do it.

I had a similar problem with my turbo. Cannot recalibrate the top with the Durametric. Need to bring to dealer and get it done with PIWIS. Or find an indy who has a PIWIS.