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Porsche Specialist Surrey, Porsche Specialist London, Porsche Specialist East Sussex, Porsche Specialist West Sussex, Porsche Specialist South

Boxster 987 Roof will open but not close - any ideas please?

M

mattpcarroll

New member
Joined
19 May 2016
Messages
7
Hi All. I'm looking for a bit of help please.



My 987 Boxster's roof has been operating perfectly until last week. I opened the roof with out issue but when I came to close it, the dash displayed it was closing the roof but nothing happened. Eventually I had to detach the actuators from the roof and close it manually.On the morning of the issue, for the first time since I've owned the car, the alarm beeped once when I locked it - I can't help but feel this is related. Every time I now lock, I get the beep. I've checked that the bonnet and boot and glovebox are closed.



After much searching, I located the relay support tray and managed to drop the relay box as I suspected the relay to be at fault. I've swapped the close and open relays over but still no joy. Using a test lamp, I checked that I'd got power to the relays, which I do. With the test lamp to ground, if attach to one of the pins in each relay, I can get the roof to open and close.



So there's no issue with the roof mechanism itself, the motor is fine, the limit position sensors seem to work as the windows will auto close / open as required but I cannot operate the roof to close using the switch. This might suggest the switch to be at issue, but I do get a roof closing message on the dash when I press it. So I'm thoroughly confused......



Any ideas please???????



Many thanks



Matt
 
The microswitch in the roof latch used to cause problems on boxsters. Check to see if it's stuck closed and therefore thinks the roof is already closed?
 
Hi Steve

Thanks for the reply. I've tested the top micro switch with a multi meter and it appeared fine unfortunately. When I latch the roof, the windows also pop up as they should indicating that it's working okay also........

I've also accessed the roof switch in the centre console and if I use a flying lead in the plug between the common and the open terminal - all is fine. But again if I use the flying lead to connect common to close it doesn't work. I'm just not sure which sensors feed in that could prevent operation........

Perhaps I need to trace the close wire form the switch forwards.

What I did notice is a module next to the switch off the same loom - but I don't have a clue what's for.

Many thanks

Matt
 
The roof gearbox on the n/s/r has a micro switch in it , this sticks and will stop the roof from closeing .. sometimes .. shall we say .. gently hitting the roof arm n/s/r will get it to operate.

I have in the past had to bypass part of the relay to get it to shut or use a power probe on the motor ( from inside between roll bars , not easy )

Permanent fix is normally a new gearbox for the roof n/s/r im afraid.

Not an uncommon fault .. mechanics usually dont fully open the roof on services for this very reason, if fully opened its a nasty job to then close it with this fault.


Item no. 1 here ...

http://www.deroure.com/diagrams.asp?TBL=4057&MAK=3&MDL=31&SMA=0&SMO=0&ST=&SC=0


Module in the center consol close to roof switch is the interior monitoring sensor for the alarm , so dont put coins in the ashtray or center consol as you will get the alarm going off .. totally unrelated i know .. but i was here anyway :)
 
Hi Demort

Many thanks for your reply. So, by me running the close contact in the relay (in support tray 1) to ground, I'm effectively bypassing the g/box micro switch then?

Could this switch position effect the alarm I wonder, as both issues arrived the same day.

I've got the car booked in at a Porsche specialist next Friday, so put an update on here as to what was ultimately needed.....

Thanks again for your help

Matt
 
I'm at work so just a quick other possibility, get your garage to recode the rear control unit make sure it is coded to boxster , if this is blank it might also cause the roof fault.
 
Many thanks for the further suggestion - sounds like a possibility given I can't find any sensor issues so far.

Thanks again! Matt
 
I expect you are bypassing it but without knowing what wires you are bypassing and looking at a diagram its hard to say.

I guess you know about rear drains and water getting under the passenger seat and damageing the rear cu , but with the faults you have listed it doesnt sound like this , always worth checking the carpet n/s /r just to be safe though.

The alarm beeps if it sees some thing open that should be closed when alarm activated , its not going to be the roof gearbox switch though , it uses the roof latch contacts at the front to know if the roof is open or closed.

Front latch switch is a double switch , one for window drop and the other to know if the latch has been released so the roof will open.

For the alarm fault your garage will be able to see on a tester what the problem is and also they can tell you what was open dureing the last 10 lock cycles and also the last 10 events that triggered the alarm.

If they test that first it may point to the roof fault as well , although it could be unreleated.

Thats about all i can think of with out looking at the car :)

Good luck.
 
Great info! The car is garaged and very rarely sees the rain so I don't think it's water ingress - there's no dampness anywhere.

I've drawn a blank trying to find a wiring diagram. Finding one for a Cayman is no problem but unfortunately Caymans lack the feature I'm interested in!

Given what you've said and what I know from the tests I've done, it must be something stupid/minor that is causing the alarm and roof issue. Using diagnostic equipment as you suggest is sounding more appealing than me continuing to dismantle the interior :eek:

Thanks again for your advice
 
Solution found!

Just in case anybody else experiences similar issues.....

I finally took the car to a Porsche Specialist who diagnosed the issue to the control module under the passenger seat. There was evidence of historic moisture on the PCB and it was now starting to play up. The unit was swapped out with a unit from a 997 and all worked properly. Just waiting for the new part to be fitted.
 
Re: Solution found!

mattpcarroll said:
Just in case anybody else experiences similar issues.....

I finally took the car to a Porsche Specialist who diagnosed the issue to the control module under the passenger seat. There was evidence of historic moisture on the PCB and it was now starting to play up. The unit was swapped out with a unit from a 997 and all worked properly. Just waiting for the new part to be fitted.
Click to expand...

Thats the rear end cu .. the near side drain blocks which causes water ingress and floods that unit .. check the rear drains are clear to make sure it doesn't happen again .. a common cause of breakdowns for the Boxster in afraid.

If you have Park sensors then the cu for that is next to the rear cu FYI , that can also get water ingress.
 
That's correct. I'd dismissed it as a cause as there was no evidence of water / moisture in the car. It looks like it was damage that occurred way back when. Oh well, £200+VAT plus fitting isn't too bad. Thanks for the advice.
 
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