Roof fault. ???

[BoxsterLL11]

The last few times I have operated the roof it stops halfway and I get a "roof fault" message on the dash.
I release the roof button and then operate it again and the roof continues to the full open or full shut position.
Just wondering whether this is a common fault and what the fix might be.
Am thinking there may be a tight joint in the frame and when it reaches the same point the motor trips.
Perhaps a little WD40 might do it.

 

[malarcy]

The last few times I have operated the roof it stops halfway and I get a "roof fault" message on the dash.

I release the roof button and then operate it again and the roof continues to the full open or full shut position.

Just wondering whether this is a common fault and what the fix might be.

Am thinking there may be a tight joint in the frame and when it reaches the same point the motor trips.

Perhaps a little WD40 might do it.

Guessing.....

I don't think the mechanism is clever enough to detect "tight" connections - it's "dumb" to the point of snapping the ball joints if the roof catch ( assuming 986/987) isn't fully opened.

The goto lubricant for roof joints seems to be a PTFE based spray - wd40 do one https://www.amazon.co.uk/WD40-Anti-Friction-Lubricant-250ml/dp/B00KPUBO5A/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3HRCUI38J2M21&keywords=ptfe%2Bwd40&qid=1647952617&sprefix=ptfe%2Bwd40%2Caps%2C43&sr=8-7&th=1

 

[BoxsterLL11]

Yeah, I didn't use bog-standard WD40, I used their PTFE dry lubricant.

Not getting the fault everytime now.

This morning I sprayed the frame pivot joints with PlusGas, my preferred spray lubricant.

Operated the roof up and down a few times today with no faults.

 

[BoxsterLL11]

Am resurrecting this thread for the second time as I had very few responses last time.

Am continuing to get the roof fault when opening and closing.

But now it stops earlier than last year, whereas last year I would just release the roof button and then operate it again and the roof would close, now its travelling a little further, stops before being fully retracted and the window glasses go up.

Obviously the control modules are getting a signal from somewhere that the roof is in its fully retracted position, which it isn't, and the door glasses go up.

Strangely, if I just flick the roof button in the close direction, the roof the fully retracts !!!

Have found this video on youtube and it seems to be a fairly common problem.

There are a few micro-switches, a reed switch, a hall sensor, a few motors plus 2 electronic control units, anyone of which or two, could be causing the problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQp0oCnV3rQ

 

[BoxsterLL11]

Have just plugged my iCarsoft OBD code reader into the car but its not picking anything up for the roof.

Also tried operating the roof a few times and am now getting a dash warning "sockets deactivated"

???

Also further investigation the problem seems to be with the hook.

As the roof opens after the hook is retracted so the roof can open, as the roof goes back the hook should then return to the "extended" (as roof closed position) so the hook itself does not hit anything as the roof reaches its fully open position.

Problem is my hook stays retracted so when the roof reaches a certain positiion on the way back and the ecu's do not receive a signal the the hook is back into its extended "roof closed" position, the ecu's stops the operation of the roof.

Where the hook gets its signal to extend when the roof is on its way back, am not totally sure.

Its likely to be from the ecu thats in the boot but it could be that the ecu in the boot is not getting a signal from elsewhere to tell the hook to extend.

A piece of further information for anybody if need be, within the hook/motor mechanism there are two micro-switches which tell the ecu's whether the hook is in the open or closed position. These two micro-switches are only held in place on the printed circuit board by the electrical tangs from the pcb into the switch casings electrical connections. These tangs can easily become bent and can be bent far enough out of position that the micro-switches do not make/break at all. The fix seems to be to put a small amount of super-glue between the gap of the underside of the switch casings and the pcb surface beneath.

Give me a classic car anyday with simple 12v electrical systems only !!!

 

[BoxsterLL11]

So have spent the day viewing youtube videos and doing some electrical checks on the roof.

First removed the hook assembly and the microswitches in there were fine.

Then put the roof into manual and with a multi-meter checked the operation of the roof motor micro-switches.

There is one on the rh motor, two on the lh motor.

RH micro-switch seems to be operating correctly.

Which can't be said for the two LH ones.

One is slow to make and break, and vice versa.

The other fails to break and go open circuit at the windscreen.

So it looks like a roof off job.

Strange that it is both the LH side ones that are faulty as it was the LH roof drain tube that blocked and trashed the ecu beneath the passenger seat when the PO had the car and the OPC fixed it, late 2016/early 2017.

 

[BoxsterLL11]

Another update from further investigation.

There is only one microswitch per roof motor.

The RH one has one button for one signal

The LH has two buttons for two output signals

Part number for LH switch was 981 561 94301 and has been superceeded by 981 561 94302

To change the switch it is a roof off job but don't be daunted by such a job as it appears to be a very straight forward job, nothing complicated.

Here is a video of how its done if anyone is interested. The guy rates the job difficulty as 2/10 and takes 30 minutes. And once the roof is off is gives you great access to remove the top engine cover for anything you might want to do to the top of the engine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iinh4mSys98&list=PL_E8COE-O-LOvnPL1ccJ_MoXFcr4OERzd&index=21

I have ordered a new switch from Porsche with club discount, cheaper than Design 911.

Not cheap for such a small part but thats Porsche for you.

Have been on boxa.net and this fault seems to be quite common and is usually the motor micro-switches at fault.

Perhaps having had a superceeded part the original part had an inherent design problem.

And a video of when the roof is out showing wiring and microswitches

https://www.youtube.com/w...Fcr4OERzd&index=70

 

[BoxsterLL11]

£83 microswitch picked up from OPC yesterday.

Ridiculous for what it is.

OPC employee most opinionated about me saying that from another forum quite a few owners have had roof function faults due to failure of these microswitches.

Quote "in 20 years I have never seen one of these microswitches fail"

Said in a manner as if to poo-poo that it ever happens at all.

Its an electro-mechanical part, failure is always a possibility.

An owner on the other forum said it cost him over £800 for his local OPC to take the roof off and replace the microswitches on both side of the roof frame.

 

[BoxsterLL11]

Quick update.

Took the roof of over last weekend and replaced the left-hand microswitch.

Tested the ouput with the roof back in the car and in manual and getting correct signal relative to roof position.

Connected everything up on Monday and the roof now works.

It may not be a "common" problem but there are a few owners on boxa.net that have had this issue.

Main symptom is when the roof leaves the windscreen when opening, the hook should retract back into its housing within 6" of leaving the windscreen top rail.

Mine didn't, it stayed extended and when the roof reaches the point where the hook goes over the roll bar windbreak, the roof stops as a fail safe.

Also discovered how to operate the roof manually, think every Boxster owner should know this.

To operate the hook manually, the cover has to be prised off and the special tool is in the front boot tool kit.

To disconnect the roof motors into manual mode, the carpet trim behind the seats need to be removed, then using a 13mm spanner, ratchet ring makes things easy, there is a bolt behind the B post on each side on each motor assembly which needs winding in to disengage the motor from the worm/cog drive and the roof can then be lowered and raised by hand. As the motor worm drives disengages it is supposed to make a "pop" noise as it does, mine didn't.

Am about to go and buy a 13mm ratchet ring to keep in the car for emergency use.

 

[laura]

Thank you for this Keith. I have the exact same problem with my roof. I'll pass this information on to my indie who is going to hopefully rectify it next visit.

Laura

 

[BoxsterLL11]

No problem Laura.
Its a much easier fix than first envisaged as the complete roof can be removed within 30-45 minutes, especially with 2 pairs of hands which are definately needed to lift it out of position.
Then its easy access to the micro-switches, double one on the nearside and a single on the offside.
It was the double one that failed on mine.
Hope you get it sorted.

Can't remember if I've already posted this link but this was the guide I used to remove the roof.