993 cabriolet roof help

[A993LAD]

I agree that handbrake switch definitely looks ok.

The control unit is on the left-hand side of the car so I'm not sure why you looking passed the steering column unless you have have a left hand drive car?

I also agree it is worth checking the switch. It is relatively easy to pull the switch block out of the console but be careful because the wires are very short so there is not much room to play with.

Also I found it much easier to see and remove the control unit if I first remove the glove box which is relatively easy to do. Again this only makes sense if you have a UK right hand drive car with the control unit on the passenger side.

 

[A993LAD]

Read this thread from Rennlist for good instructions on fixing the control box solder issues..........

https://rennlist.com/forums/993-forum/137428-convertible-top-problem-solved.html

It also contains good photos of the control box location and removal for a RHD car (in this case Australian). It is very easy to see/remove if you first remove the glove box. The metal bar across both images usually holds the glovebox.

I think Porsche must have realised it would be sensitive to vibration as the unit hang by it's plastic lugs from 2 metal threaded studs that stick out of the bulkhead and there are only 2 plastic nuts holding it in place (circled red)

 

[Nij4]

I agree that handbrake switch definitely looks ok.

The control unit is on the left-hand side of the car so I'm not sure why you looking passed the steering column unless you have have a left hand drive car?

I also agree it is worth checking the switch. It is relatively easy to pull the switch block out of the console but be careful because the wires are very short so there is not much room to play with.

Also I found it much easier to see and remove the control unit if I first remove the glove box which is relatively easy to do. Again this only makes sense if you have a UK right hand drive car with the control unit on the passenger side.

This is great!.... I have a UK car (live in Kent) for some reason and reading messages I made a mistake and thought it was on the drivers side.

 

[A993LAD]

No problem. If you read through the rennlist thread there are a few pics showing what the cold/broken solder joints look like.

Mine had a few that looked a bit similar so I re-soldered them, but as mentioned above it didn't fix my non-working roof as the problem was elsewhere.

At the end of the day it can only be the control box, or the things that tell the control box to engage the front roof motors and release the roof.

And I think the only things that do that are:

1 - the roof switch ("open the roof")
2 - the handbrake switch ("it's fine, go ahead the brake is applied")
3 - the front roof microswitches ("I'm closed so open me up")

Good luck. shout if you need more. PM me if you want to get on the phone for a chat.

 

[Nij4]

Read this thread from Rennlist for good instructions on fixing the control box solder issues..........

https://rennlist.com/forums/993-forum/137428-convertible-top-problem-solved.html

It also contains good photos of the control box location and removal for a RHD car (in this case Australian). It is very easy to see/remove if you first remove the glove box. The metal bar across both images usually holds the glovebox.

I think Porsche must have realised it would be sensitive to vibration as the unit hang by it's plastic lugs from 2 metal threaded studs that stick out of the bulkhead and there are only 2 plastic nuts holding it in place (circled red)

@A993LAD. I took out the glove box, then made sure all the connections were in..... and the roof is now working again!....Does this mean the the control unit needs replacing/soldering? I will leave the glove box out for a while and monitor the situation.

I can't think you and all the others on this forum enough in helping me break down this problem.

Jas

 

[A993LAD]

My guess is it will be one of the solder joints in the control module rather than any of the 4 connector plugs being "loose".

The plugs are really substantial and make a really strong connection. In fact I seem to recall they are quite difficult to unplug when removing the unit because the plugs are such a tight fit.

It could be one of the wires going into the control unit because I think they are soldered into the connector plugs and I've had wires break at similar solder points before (once on the spoiler switch and once in the big main loom connector in the bulkhead).

But more likely to be in the control unit itself. If the roof is now operational I'd be tempted to run with it for a while and see what happens. If it fails you can jiggle the controller a bit and see if it then works.

On the plus side you have a working roof. Slightly worrying though that you don't know for sure why it stopped.

When my handbrake switch failed the roof was open so I couldn't close it electrically. Luckily I'd been playing with the roof often enough that I knew how to shut it manually.

Are you familiar with the manual process if you need to do that?

 

[Nij4]

My guess is it will be one of the solder joints in the control module rather than any of the 4 connector plugs being "loose".

The plugs are really substantial and make a really strong connection. In fact I seem to recall they are quite difficult to unplug when removing the unit because the plugs are such a tight fit.

It could be one of the wires going into the control unit because I think they are soldered into the connector plugs and I've had wires break at similar solder points before (once on the spoiler switch and once in the big main loom connector in the bulkhead).

But more likely to be in the control unit itself. If the roof is now operational I'd be tempted to run with it for a while and see what happens. If it fails you can jiggle the controller a bit and see if it then works.

On the plus side you have a working roof. Slightly worrying though that you don't know for sure why it stopped.

When my handbrake switch failed the roof was open so I couldn't close it electrically. Luckily I'd been playing with the roof often enough that I knew how to shut it manually.

Are you familiar with the manual process if you need to do that?

I'm going to go through the manual and learn the manual operation method!

I will also now remove the control unit to check the solders...I can't drive around and think one day it may stop while it's open.

I will let you know how I get on, and again really appreciated your help!

 

[decgraham]

Hi,

If you go to this link you can down load the manual I have for the soft top. It's pretty detailed.

https://1drv.ms/b/s!AmUG1uh4PF5uk1pLtV_9SUHRJ4uW?e=QrSgty

ATB

 

[A993LAD]

Hi,

If you go to this link you can down load the manual I have for the soft top. It's pretty detailed.

https://1drv.ms/b/s!AmUG1uh4PF5uk1pLtV_9SUHRJ4uW?e=QrSgty

ATB

This is brilliant thanks. I've downloaded and saved it. Wish I had it when I was doing previous jobs on the roof rather than working it out for myself.

 

[decgraham]

Hi,

If you go to this link you can down load the manual I have for the soft top. It's pretty detailed.

https://1drv.ms/b/s!AmUG1uh4PF5uk1pLtV_9SUHRJ4uW?e=QrSgty

ATB

This is brilliant thanks. I've downloaded and saved it. Wish I had it when I was doing previous jobs on the roof rather than working it out for myself.

Yes sorry about that I did post it up on here some years back but forgot that I had it up in the cloud as it was too big to attach here. Better late than never as they say :thumb:

ATB