Removable roof

[Andy S]

Hi guys,

Boxster owner posting on behalf of a friend who hasn't sorted out membership yet...

He's just purchased a gorgeous 944 lux, in need of a little TLC but is having trouble getting the removable roof off. Sadly the switch has been pushed through the console but still works to raise the roof up and down. The manual seems to say 'hold the switch down until the roof releases' but this doesn't seem to be Happening. Is he being a muppet and missing something simple? Or does it sound like something is faulty?

Its lovely to see a 944 in the flesh again as i always had a soft spot for my neighbours dads when i was a kid, so Any help gratefully received!

Andy.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Hi Andy,

The sunroof will raise up and down with the ignition on, but for obvious reasons you can't remove it on the move. To ensure this doesn't happen, the ignition has to be at position 1, then the two arms which secure the roof will retract with the switch pushed. Then unlatch the two catches at the front of the roof and carefully lift it out, it's surprisingly heavy.

There is a microswitch in the centre at the front which tells the car the sunroof has been replaced, and the arms should then latch back into the roof when you push the switch again.

They are prone to going wrong, there's a good fault-finding section on Clark's website here: http://www.clarks-garage.com/

 

[Andy S]

Thankyou!
That's pretty much what we've already tried but it's getting the arms to disengage at all that's the problem. I'll check out your link and see if does the job.

Andy

 

[robdimond]

Andy,

I'm willing to bet that the gears that drive the sunroof lifting arms are stripped. Exactly the same happened to mine. Easy fix using the clarks garage instructions

Rob

 

[pauljmcnulty]

I'm willing to bet that the gears that drive the sunroof lifting arms are stripped

Not if it's lifting up and down; I read it as it works fine normally when opening and closing but the arms don't retract to remove the roof? The ignition switch wears, so it can be hard to find the right spot where it retracts the arms.

 

[andy watson]

ORIGINAL: Andy S

The manual seems to say 'hold the switch down until the roof releases' but this doesn't seem to

Andy - Is the switch being held down in the "sunroof closed" poistion? which is the correct operation, you then just unlock the front latches and lift the roof up at the rear.

 

[robdimond]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty
Not if it's lifting up and down; I read it as it works fine normally when opening and closing but the arms don't retract to remove the roof? The ignition switch wears, so it can be hard to find the right spot where it retracts the arms.

Good point Paul, I missed that the lift was working, although if the gears are partially stripped you can get strange behaviour. Mine failed so that there were enough teeth on the gears to retract the arms but not to tilt the sunroof!

Anyway... Main point is that the clarks guide is excellent for the sunroof troubleshooting!

 

[Andy S]

Thanks guys,

We were trying to remove from the open position, not closed, and it's also quite conceivable I had the ignition key in the wrong position too!

Will try again and see if we have any joy!

Many thanks again!
Andy.

 

[944Fripp]

I think that even with the ignition in position 1 (I think it's marked as MAR on the ignition) you have to HALF PRESS the sunroof button down. Fully pressing it down does nothing.

I didn't even know you could completely remove the sun roof when I first got mine and in my frustration of not understanding how to do it cheated by consulting the manual!

 

[Andy S]

All sorted guys, many thanks for your help!

Andy.

 

[944Fripp]

What was the problem in the end?

 

[supersport]

Ours seems to be a bit hit and miss and even following the instructions it can take one or two attempts to get the arms to retract. Is jolly nice when it is off though.

 

[jonk]

I don't dare take mine out... For some reason I think my mechanism is always in the retract position, as the arms always go fully back into the roof when the button is held. Some button wiggling to get the arms to lock the roof is then needed. It tilts ok, though I think not fully, only around 70% of fully tilted position.
However it is reliable and doesn't leak so I'm inclined to leave it alone...!
Does this sound like a micro switch issue though?

 

[Diver944]

ORIGINAL: jonk

Does this sound like a micro switch issue though?

Definately.

There is a full guide on the Clarks Garage website to adjusting the microswitches in the passenger side of the boot, but it is fiddly and tests your patience. When they are properly aligned the lifting arms will stop in the right position. Mine have gone out of alignment 3 times in the past 14 years. Fisrt time I adjusted myself, the next two I got RPM and then Promax to do it for me as my patience threshold seems to be getting shorter the older I get

 

[Andy S]

The problem was me! The car works fine when you know what you're doing... And yeah, it is nice with it off although the back seat needs a bloody good Hoover now that it's covered in blossom from the trees outside the house!

Thanks again guys

Andy.