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Sure, that's easy. Here it is with the grooves aligned.
As you can see, it's about 90% of the way toward the fully closed position (marked with my homemade "C").
If I install this in the car, I can move it either direction (opening or closing) using the cabin switch. If I move it fully open, no problem. If I move it fully closed it causes the error as usual.
Groove in central hub is aligned with groove in metal cover.
When you are in fully closed can you take the cover off to see if the microswitch is still riding on the high side of the cam. Cannot see with cover on.
If it is keep the top latched, disconnect motor cable, use a drill to get the cam gear to move in open direction to low side of cam plate where the microswitch is no longer closed on the high side of the cam.
You may want to get a second person to look at the instrument cluster as you are moving the transmission with drill to see if message disappears at a certain spot in which case you should stop with the drill.
Reconnect cable to motor, open latch,
open top fully with center console switch and then put top in fully closed position.
Thanks. Always happy to hear new ideas. Sadly, this one didn't change anything.
I started with the top in the "overextended" position, meaning use the cabin switch to close the top until it stops, latch the latch, and let it turn a little bit extra. This displays the "Failure..." message, as always.
Although I can't see inside the transmission, I can see the groove on the central hub, so I know where the cam is. This tells me the microswitch has moved beyond the high part of the cam, like the photo in post #44.
Leave the key in the car and the electronics running.
Connect my Foxwell OBD-II diagnostic tool and set it to display the status of the top-up microswitch.
Disconnect the flexi-cable at the electric motor end (not the transmission end) and use a drill to turn the transmission in reverse, back toward the open position.
As the transmission slowly turns, the groove passes my homemade "C" mark (for closed); at that moment Foxwell scanner says the switch changes state.
No change in the dashboard display. Still shows the same "Failure convertible top ctrl." from the beginning.
Turn the transmission a bit more toward the open position. Still no change in switch status or dashboard error message. Stop transmission somewhere between opened and closed.
Reconnect flexi-cable to electric motor.
Open overhead latch.
Press cabin switch to open top. Nothing happens. Switch is unresponsive, as usual after the error message appears.
This is where it should be in fully latched closed position (photo below). Just make sure that neither of the microswitches are pushed inward.
The problem you have is that this is your pre latch position (photo below) and when you latch the top the motor moves to the high side of the cam plate which triggers the micro switch in and you get the error message.
First move the cam to the position shown in photo not latched.
Second. Disconnect motor cable.
Third. Latch Top ( should not move cam plate since there is no cable moving it from the motor)
Fourth. Reconnect motor cable
Test close and open position.
If it works make sure that the passenger transmission is lined up with this cam plate position.
This is interesting, and not the reaction I expected.
I followed your instructions and moved the transmission to the "good" closed position where the microswitch is just touching the rising edge of the cam. This is where the transmission stops automatically.
With the key still in and the electronics still running, I disconnected the flexi-cable, then closed the overhead latch.
The electric motor turned for 1-2 seconds (but was not connected to anything) and then the dashboard displays "Failure convertible top ctrl."
That was a surprise.
It means the failure happens even without turning the transmission. The position of the microswitch does not affect the failure. It's coming from some other source.
I tried a slight variation of the experiment above, but instead of disconnecting the flexi-cable I disconnected power to the electric motor.
It produced the same behavior and error message as above. So, it makes no difference whether I disconnect the physical connection between the motor and the transmission or the electrical connection. Either way, the car thinks something has gone wrong.
Convertible top electric motor, showing position of power connector.
The Rear Control Module (RCM) under the left seat is wrong, even though it's been replaced twice. Maybe it's programmed for a different model year with different convertible top logic? Maybe a 2009 model 987.2?
Maybe the RCM is okay but an unknown failure in a different module is affecting it somehow? Maybe something relating to door locks, or front trunk, or alarm, or something is affecting it?
Loose ground wire somewhere? Bad connector? Bent pin?
Are the two 12V relays that control the electric motor somehow involved?
I no longer think it's a mechanical issue because disconnecting the transmission doesn't affect the failure. Sloppy gears or loose screws are ruled out.
Had same problem error and cam position was problem.
I assume that when you latch to fully closed position you are using mechanical latch and not just your finger to move the micro switch above mirror
Here is my last thought.
Does error message come on as soon as you latch or does the motor turn a bit before you latch? In post 49 you said that your scanner showed a change in status for the microswitch when it passed the C mark. Can you repeat to see when it changes and mark that spot on your housing and send me a picture.
The below photos show microswitch position in fully closed position and markings on outside housing fully closed position and the opposite side is fully open.
housing and send me a picture.
I have attached a photo of closed position on housing and as well on cam plate for you to compare.
I assume that when you latch to fully closed position you are using mechanical latch and not just your finger to move the micro switch above mirror.
I've done both. Sometimes I stick my finger in and sometimes I close the actual mechanical latch. It doesn't seem to make a difference either way.
Originally Posted by loutadd
Does error message come on as soon as you latch or does the motor turn a bit before you latch?
When I close the latch (or use my finger) the motor turns for 1-2 seconds, then there's a pause of maybe 3 seconds, then the "Failure convertible top ctrl." message appears with a 'bing!' noise.
Here are two photos with the top in the closed position but without latching the overhead latch. I've turned them upside down to more closely match the Pelican Parts photos.
My "C" mark has mostly worn off, but you can see the Sharpie arrow at that position. It's in exactly this spot that the internal switch changes and the motor auto-stops.
The hand-drawn semicircle and the two arrows mark the travel between closed and open. In other words, the transmission turns about 180 degrees when the top opens/closes.
Top in closed position, lid on. Top in closed position, lid off. Switch is touching rising edge of cam.
Last edited by RoadHazard; 06-24-2024 at 07:09 PM.
You say photos you provided are in unlatch position?
Can you confirm that this is the case?
when you latch does the cam plate move clockwise or counterclockwise ?
That's correct. The photos are with the top CLOSED but NOT latched.
If I close the latch, the electric motor runs for 1-2 seconds and turns the cam counterclockwise. This forces the black plastic finger up onto the high part of the cam. You can see what this looks like in post #42. That photo was taken AFTER closing the latch.
Last edited by RoadHazard; 06-24-2024 at 09:41 PM.
On the assumption that your photo was in pre latch and assuming that the cam plate is moving counterclockwise
when closing your pre patch position should be as shown in blue in the following photo.
How do we do that?
open Top to fully open, then go to closed position auto stop pre latch position.
Do not fully latch
open top to blue position in photo and then latch fully.
I noticed that the picture you had sent were in pre latch whereas the ones I sent were in latched position .
However the line marks were almost the same when comparing your photo and mine.
You may have to play with the blue position a little bit at a time either counterclockwise or clockwise. I have a feeling that if you are not close enough to the fully closed position you may get a top not in limit message.
i have attached some info from manual that may help when connecting all the push rods
06-23-2024, 03:39 PM
