[MAryland968]

Does anyone know where the top up and top down relays on a cab are phisically located? Behind passenger or drivers foot well? I know that they aren't in the fuse / relay box.



Thanks,



Phil

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[SILVY968]

Phil,



Driver's footwell left of the steering column.

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[Kim]

Phil - did you ask because your top won't work? Today, after having left my car in the garage for 2 weeks with top lowered, it would NOT go up with the switch. I had to do it manually. What should I look for? And, also, does it hurt anything to manually raise and lower the roof and simply leave the bolts in the sides loose to allow this?

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[flash]

if you are referring to the 2 bolts you loosen, per the manual, to put it in manual mode, it isn't supposed to hurt anything, though now i can't seem to get it back in power mode - likely i am doing something wrong that i haven't read up on yet though

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[Kim]

So, Flash, are you saying that until I can figure out what is going wrong (do you know anything about the relays, the fuses are OK) I can simply leave the two bolts in the sides loose and use the top manually? It is actually really easy that way.

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[Anchorman]

Yes, you can operate the top manually that way. I've been in "manual" for three years - and, as I think you've discovered, it's easier than the power operation.

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[SILVY968]

Phil,



I got my car in October 2004. The top was in manual mode. I was told that the previous, original owner set it that way as it was faster.

I have to agree, the top can be unlocked while at a stop light and flipped back in about 10 seconds. For longer rides I install a pillow in the plastic window to protect against scratches and snap on the cover.

I have gone back and forth with getting the tops to run as built, but for now I find it way easier to leave it manual.

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[MAryland968]

Hello.



Kim - yes I am asking because the top won't go up - well actually it's been intermittent for the last year or so. I stopped by a friend's house on Thursday and couldn't get it to close. Usually when this happens, I can flick the switch a few times, then it starts to magically start working.



I checked the relay (G21) in the fuse box (man that thing is expensive) and it's fine. I bypassed the switch and that's fine, too. I can hear relays clicking down in the passenger footwell when I try to close the top.



So here is where I stand now. I checked under the driver's side footwell and couldn't find the relays at all. I found the chime relay, the socket for the DRL relay, a small (about 4 inch) piece of black plastic with a fuse in the 24 (I think) slot. And a box shiny metal box with a P/N of 944.617.132.00 mounted all the way in the back. I can see the bottom of the fuse box - I couldn't find any relays near there. I can see everything around the steering column - no relays. I can see the back side of the switches on the front dash. So I checked near the DME on the passenger's side. I found 3 relays that were clicking when I hit the 'top up' button. I found that these control the windows - to roll them down 2 inches when you're putting the top up.



I've ordered both the top up and down relays from Paragon - they're only about $6 each - but I still don't know where to install them when they come in. I suppose it would be easier if I knew what the relays actually looked like. If I knew the position, I could swap the up and down relays and confirm that that is the problem (although I've already gone through the schematic, and the only possibility is a bad up relay or a bad wire).



Am I just being simple and completely overlooking these relays? Are they painted in invisible paint? Is it possible they mounted them in with the top up/down motors in the back? Any other ideas?



Thanks,



Phil

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[Brian]

pull your switch out of it's slot in front of the shift knob.

take it out of the car, somewhere clean (in a bowl)

take the switch apart by prying with a small screwdriver.

pick up your jaw from the floor after seeing the corrosion.

spray it with battery cleaner, lightly sand it with a file, spray again with contact cleaner. reassemble switch.

contact spray the connector in the car.

put everything back together.



wah lah.



good as new.

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[MAryland968]

Brian,



Actually I did clean the switch. I also completely bypassed the switch and ran +12V directly to pin 3 on the switch connector. I have the windows rolling down when I do this, so I know it's getting the signal to the "delay circuit", it's just not closing the contacts on the "top up" relay.



Thanks for the thought, though. Any ideas at this point would be very welcome.



Phil

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[Brian]

sorry.

didn't realize you had already done that. should have asked first.



all my best getting it working.



manual mode for now, should help for the time being.

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[MAryland968]

Thanks for the thoughts. Yup - manual mode for now.



Phil

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[MAryland968]

Well, I found the answer to my problem. I went ahead and replaced both the up and down relays - they are located in the trunk under the carpet at the right side about 6" forward of the deck lid. This did not solve my problem. I found the microswitches in back on the passenger's side right next to the speaker. I removed the cover and replaced the normally closed "top up" switch. I found one with the same mounting holes and roller at Radio Shack for $2.50 - just soldered the wires to the new switch and put a dab of epoxy on it to hold it in place.

Now, everything works great!

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[rxter]

Car's been sitting in the garage for a couple of weeks with the top half way up as we do some work in the back. Battery went dead a couple of times.



Top would not go up or down after jumping the car. I disconnected the battery for 5 minutes and upon reconnection voila - there she goes. That must reboot a computer somewhere - damned odd logic in some of the functionality of this car.



Anyway, I thought I'd add this to the store of knowledge as to why you should go manual. I was within 5 seconds - if the reboot did not work the bolts were getting the wrench.

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