Windows won't go up with top down

[boxster_nut]

Hello all...1997 Boxster, a garage granny at 27K....

Just discovered this today....with the top down, the side windows will go down, but will not go up when using the window switches. Quite inconvenient. Put the top up, windows work normally.

Put the top down, windows won't go up. Stick my finger in the recess where the roof latch connects, and press in quite far, now side windows will go up and down.

Looking at the schematic there are two switches inside that latch housing. I am assuming the switches need to be replaced????? True?

If so, any source of switches for a reasonable price?

Is this a tricky removal/replacement or is it fairly easy?

Thanks for your insight.

-John

[1schoir]

John:

The most likely suspect is one of the two microswitches that are located in the latch receptacle in the windshield frame. Note that the two microswitches are part of one assembly, but each one can fail separately, and in a different manner because of the two different types of switches.

There are two microswitches in the latch receptacle assembly. There is one on the left side of the assembly (has a large plunger that juts out when the latch is open). That one controls the 4" window drop that occurs immediately when you pull down the latch to open the top. There is another one on the right side of the assembly, and that is the one that activates the convertible top double relay.

To gain access to the microswitch you have to remove the latch plate at the center of the windshield frame. Pop out the two little black plastic "eyes" by carefully prying them off with a very small flat blade screwdriver or borrow one of those "orange sticks" that women use on their fingernails to pry them out. Remove the small torx bolt that you will find under each one of the two eyes. Remove them and then pull down the latch plate carefully until you can see and access the wires for the switch and for the light. Unplug the wires and the latch plate will come off. You will find two fragile retaining clips that attach the switch to the underside of the latch plate. These are easy to break, so use a pair of small needle nose pliers to pull them off, very gently. You can reuse these if you are careful by squeezing the cross sections that are located at the center of the clips until they are flattened.

The assembly is part number 986.613.795.02 for your '97 and costs less than $40. Try Sunset Porsche under the "Special Offers" tab at the top of each page here or Suncoast or pelicanparts.com.

Regards, Maurice.

[boxster_nut]

John:

The most likely suspect is one of the two microswitches that are located in the latch receptacle in the windshield frame. Note that the two microswitches are part of one assembly, but each one can fail separately, and in a different manner because of the two different types of switches.

There are two microswitches in the latch receptacle assembly. There is one on the left side of the assembly (has a large plunger that juts out when the latch is open). That one controls the 4" window drop that occurs immediately when you pull down the latch to open the top. There is another one on the right side of the assembly, and that is the one that activates the convertible top double relay.

To gain access to the microswitch you have to remove the latch plate at the center of the windshield frame. Pop out the two little black plastic "eyes" by carefully prying them off with a very small flat blade screwdriver or borrow one of those "orange sticks" that women use on their fingernails to pry them out. Remove the small torx bolt that you will find under each one of the two eyes. Remove them and then pull down the latch plate carefully until you can see and access the wires for the switch and for the light. Unplug the wires and the latch plate will come off. You will find two fragile retaining clips that attach the switch to the underside of the latch plate. These are easy to break, so use a pair of small needle nose pliers to pull them off, very gently. You can reuse these if you are careful by squeezing the cross sections that are located at the center of the clips until they are flattened.

The assembly is part number 986.613.795.02 for your '97 and costs less than $40. Try Sunset Porsche under the "Special Offers" tab at the top of each page here or Suncoast or pelicanparts.com.

Regards, Maurice.

thank you for the great detail. I'll disassemble the latch receptacle assembly and see what gives...Given that I have to push my finger well into the assembly, perhaps something is loose/got misaligned.

BR,

John