eshultz

I just took the hard top off my 2000 Cabriolet after winter storage and the soft top will not close and I am looking for any advice on how to troubleshoot it further. When I push the button on the dash to close or open the top, nothing happens. The dash light does not turn on or blink and there are no sounds from the mechanism. When I put the key in the door and hold it to close, the windows will close but still no action from the top. I'm not aware of any other problem with the car other than the top won't close. Here are the troubleshooting steps taken thus far with no effect on the problem:

1) The D3 fuse that powers the top was checked and swapped with another 30A fuse.
2) I have swapped the dashboard switch with a different switch
3) I connected up a Durametric and no fault codes are shown on any system, including the top
4) I tried pushing the top latch switch while pushing the dash button
5) I made sure that the engine compartment is closed

The top was working properly before I put the hard top on last fall. I checked the fluid level right before putting the hard top on as part of routine maintenance and it was full. However since the hard top was put on, I had a problem with my radio so it was replaced. I have a double DIN radio in the spot where the single DIN factory radio and the HVAC unit normally sits which has been moved to the bottom slot. The old double DIN radio had been removed and replaced with a new unit over the winter. I only mention this since I guess there is a chance that the dash wiring may have been damaged somehow. In addition, my instrument cluster had been removed and replaced over the winter. I had some dead pixels and it was sent out for repair and then replaced. Finally, I have a smartTOP module installed.

I don't understand why the top won't move but I don't get any indication from the dash that I've even pushed the button and I get no fault codes! I would like to find a way to bypass the dash wiring in case it was damaged but I'm not sure if this is a good, next troubleshooting step since the key in the door doesn't move the top either. Thanks in advance!

DBJoe996

Doesn't the smart top module plug into where the relay for the top goes? Remove the smart top module and replace with the correct relay. The other thing is, does the hand brake need to be up? Maybe the hand brake switch is stuck or bad (I know the smart top module negates the hand brake, but maybe?).

eshultz

The smart top module does negate the need for the hand brake to be set but it seems possible that the smart top module failed somehow. However I don't know how to get to it with the top down. Is it possible to manually close the top, remove the smart top module and then manually open the top, putting it back where it was without screwing up the calibration? I'm hesitant to screw up the calibration since I haven't found a good source on how to recalibrate it myself even with the Durametric.

Dharn55

Is the engine cover closed? Years ago this happened to me and the engine cover was not fully closed, the top would not move and there were no error lights. Silly mistake on my part, once closed everything worked fine.

eshultz

As far as I can tell the engine compartment is closed. I can push on the micro switch within the latch and the engine compartment light goes out so it seems like the micro switch is also working.

DBJoe996

Why don't you at least try to open the engine compartment latch, open the lid and close it again? Seems simple enough.

eshultz

Here is my update on the problem. I decided to proceed with the troubleshooting steps in the Bentley Service Manual. Step #1 was to use the Allen wrench to open the clam shell all the way and then try the close button. The top still did not move. Next step was to use the Allen wrench to open both side flaps and then try the close button. The top still did not move. I then used the Durametric to run the soft top calibration procedure. When I tried this, I did hear some clicking from the soft top compartment but still no movement. The calibration never finished so I canceled it. Finally, I used the Allen wrench to release the pressure on the hydraulics so that I could close the soft top manually. I was then able to remove the SmartTop module. I also checked the hydraulic fluid and it is full. I manually put everything back into the fully closed position and still no movement from the top when pushing the dash button, putting the key in the door or running the Durametric calibration sequence. I did get the error code "5 - maximum time exceeded" at one point but when I erased it, it never came back.

So I know that it is not the SmartTop module or fluid level now. I don't think that it is the dash wiring since the key in the door or the Durametric can't move the top. I'm guessing that I have a bad microswitch somewhere but don't understand why I don't get an error code for that. Like I said before, the engine compartment switch seems to work since it will turn off the light when I manually close the latch mechanism without closing the lid. Does anyone know if any of the other microswitches will prevent the top from moving at all but not throw a code? I guess I can just start testing them all. . .

rockhouse66

And, just to repeat, you do have the handbrake on?

eshultz

Good point but yes, the handbrake is set and the dash light is on

eshultz

Just as a follow-up on this issue, I had verified that all microswitches were working. I also tried a new control module with no change in the problem. I finally caved in and brought it to the dealer and they found that a mouse had gotten into the car over the winter and chewed up much of the wiring for the top. The lesson here is: A) Make sure there are no mice in your garage over the winter if the car is going to sit. and B) If all other troubleshooting doesn't find any problems, check the wiring.

stjoh

I'm curious, what part of the harness was damaged?

ZuffenZeus

It's amazing how much trouble you can save by taking it to someone that knows how to correctly diagnose these types of problems. Good job. Glad you didn't go barbaric and tear everything apart in frustration.


C) Get a cat

eshultz

I did not see them myself but I can tell you that it wasn't anything that you could see from the top since I would have seen that myself. It was more than one and they were hidden under the top mechanism. One of them was beside the back seat on the driver's side.

eshultz

You do save trouble but the alternative is very, very expensive. I look at differently in that I was only one step away from finding the problem. I hope this example will save the next guy the thousands of dollars spent at the dealer to figure it out on their own.