Earlierapex

Anyone know how to unhook the front latch on a fully electronic cabriolet top? Not the half electric version where you unlatch manually and fold electrically, but the version that unlatch electrically too. There are two holes that you obviously stick some sort of manual device into; just don't know what to stick in there...

It's working fine, I just want to know for when it stops. Thank you!

-dc

donnieknoxville

Assuming the locking motor stopped working and not the little set of gears attaching the locking motor to the swing arm that locks the front of the top down, then you are correct about the holes in the headliner. You will need a long standard screwdriver. When you put it into the hole, you should be feeling for the tip of the screwdriver to hit a funnel like cap on the end of the motor, which will center it on the motor axel. A slight turn of the screwdriver will align the notch in the motor axel and head of the screwdriver. Once the screwdriver in the right spot, you just need to twist and twist and twist. The Swing arm that locks the motor down will slowly rotate and unlock the top from the windscreen. If the little set of gears that actuates the swing arm have broken (on of my gears stripped), then no amount of twisting will help. The screwdriver turns the motor, which turns a small set of gears, that in-turn, make the swing arm move. If you get tiered of poking around with the screwdriver for the right spot, just remove black (s)leather trim pice on the front edge of the top, and you'll see how it all works. Remember, the motor goes around for what seems like 100,000 times just to move the swing arm 90 degrees. So be patient once you start cranking.

Earlierapex

Donnie,
Thank you very much. That is really helpful. I'm having multiple top problems now...

The rear motors are out of alignment (any idea how to get them back "in"?) and when I put the top up manually, neither of the front latching motors latches (although they've been working). I can hear them clicking and the little black switches are making contact, but they won't rotate and lock the top in...

-dc

donnieknoxville

If the locking motors on the front edge of the top are spinning but the swing arms aren't swinging, then your only option is to buy new locking motors which typically go for about $200-$250 each (used).

If the transmissions (the gears that make the top go up and down) are out of alignment, DO NOT OPERATE THE TOP!!! One side will go up and the other won't and the main vertial support brackets (along the rear vertical edge of your windows) will break with the sound of a shotgun. I speak from experience. If you need to get the top down, the arm that is attached directly to the transmission on either side can be disconnected from the arm the it attaches to (i.e., leave the arm on the transmission unit and using and allen wrench, uncrew the bolt holding it to the next piece). Do this on both sides. You will also want to disconnect the power to the rear drive motors behind the rear seats to prevent the arms still attached to the transmission from turning. If you do not disconnect the power, when you activate the electronic top rocker switch, the transmissions will still turn the arms and crush whatever gets in their way.

I would have the top professionally aligned.

Back to the locking motor transmissions. I have disassembled the locking motor transmission and it was easy to see why the motor was turning but the swing arm didn't move. One of the gears is long and thin (like a pencil with grooves cut diagonally along its length). At one end of this gear the grooves stop and is perfectly round and smooth. This is where it fits into a more traditional brass gear (flat circle with grooves on the edge and a hole in the center). The two gears need to move as one unit for the swing arm to function properly but the only thing holding them together are some very small spline gooves. It would be like if your wedding ring was the flat gear and your finger was the long thing gear and you had to rotate your wedding ring by putting your finger in the holde and twisting your hand. Very easy of there is no resistance. But add some resistance and it becomes very hard. It seems like it was designed this way to actaully be the "weak link" to prevent more costly damage. Problem is, they do not sell just the little gear piece. You have to buy a whole new motor and transmission unit.

Earlierapex

Donnie,
Thanks very much for the detailed and helpful response.

I've disconnected the motors in the back. The problem is that the motors in the front function, but won't turn on. If I screw one of them in about half way with a screwdriver, they both activate and latch the top. I can hear them clicking, but no activation. It looks like the little black microswitches are engaging the top of the windshield and should activate the motors, but no such luck. Maybe the switch in the back in the "up" position has to be closed too?

-dc