Softop problem, need your help
#1
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My softop has a problem. When I close it, the softop works fine, but in the end, when the hook from the softop attaches the windshield, it doesn´t close the rear windows and the hook goes up and down, instead of finalizing the close process. I tried to close it with the button key, and on the door too, but it behaves the same way, it goes till the end, and than it doesn´t close the rear windows and the hook goes up and down.
I was able to close the rear windows by clicking the button inside the windshield where the hook attaches.
Has anyone had this problem? What should I do before going to the dealer and loose my time and money with them.
Car is from 1999.
J.Seven
I was able to close the rear windows by clicking the button inside the windshield where the hook attaches.
Has anyone had this problem? What should I do before going to the dealer and loose my time and money with them.
Car is from 1999.
J.Seven
#2
Three Wheelin'
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Before you start panicking, try this:
As the hook "tries" to grab the windshield (when it goes up and down), hold your thumb underneath the hook to push it into place so that it can finalize the closing process (as you put it). If that works then it is likely that the plastic hook that surrounds the actual metal hook has come loose. See pictures.
To fix this, carefully pull the plastic hook out and off the hood, then use some strong contact glue to put it back. This should fix it.
Here's a pic showing the plastic hook coming away from its metal counterpart.
![](http://www.ljgs.org/.ceemee/pcar/cabt5.jpg)
And here's the offending culprit. You can see where it gets busted. The dealer would have you buy a whole new unit (hundres of $$$) to fix this but I fixed mine a year ago and it's been fine since. Just glue it back in place. But use a very strong contact glue and use it sparingly. I.e., don't get it all over the place so that it fouls up the mechanism. Let me know how you get on.
As the hook "tries" to grab the windshield (when it goes up and down), hold your thumb underneath the hook to push it into place so that it can finalize the closing process (as you put it). If that works then it is likely that the plastic hook that surrounds the actual metal hook has come loose. See pictures.
To fix this, carefully pull the plastic hook out and off the hood, then use some strong contact glue to put it back. This should fix it.
Here's a pic showing the plastic hook coming away from its metal counterpart.
![](http://www.ljgs.org/.ceemee/pcar/cabt5.jpg)
And here's the offending culprit. You can see where it gets busted. The dealer would have you buy a whole new unit (hundres of $$$) to fix this but I fixed mine a year ago and it's been fine since. Just glue it back in place. But use a very strong contact glue and use it sparingly. I.e., don't get it all over the place so that it fouls up the mechanism. Let me know how you get on.
![](http://www.ljgs.org/.ceemee/pcar/cabt4.jpg)
#4
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Ok, back from the car. Seems that you´re right, but even holding my thumb underneath the hook to push it into place so that it can finalize the closing process, it wont work, I have to press the button inside the windshield so that the front and rear windows can close, and this also make the hook to stop going up and down. But I have another problem, my hook seems to be broken, here´s some pics
So I believe the problem is that the hook can not press enought the button inside the windshield so that it can finalize the closing process, because when I press this same button with a help of a pin, it works fine and the red light of the softop in the cluster goes off. So I believe the solution is to by a new hook ( I don´t know if they sell it alone
) or to create a height on the hook so that it can touch the button inside.
Scouser what do you thonk I should do, any ideas ?????
J.Seven
![](http://a4.cpimg.com/image/7A/CA/35107194-1288-028001E0-.jpg)
![](http://a3.cpimg.com/image/65/C9/35107173-c9c0-028001E0-.jpg)
![](http://a3.cpimg.com/image/79/CA/35107193-9c69-028001E0-.jpg)
So I believe the problem is that the hook can not press enought the button inside the windshield so that it can finalize the closing process, because when I press this same button with a help of a pin, it works fine and the red light of the softop in the cluster goes off. So I believe the solution is to by a new hook ( I don´t know if they sell it alone
![Frown](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif)
![Frown](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif)
Scouser what do you thonk I should do, any ideas ?????
J.Seven
#5
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Maybe the best way is to create a height on the windshield button itself, with some kind of glue that after drying would become solid. This way the hook would touch the glue making the button goes up a little.
Sorry for the horrible explanation , but English is not my mother linguage.
Here´s some more pics
![](http://a5.cpimg.com/image/93/D3/35107475-1f88-028001E0-.jpg)
A word of caution, I have the open top while car moving hack, and this happened just after I was closing the top with the car moving, so the hook, may have been damage on this process, this is just a guess. Be careful opening or closing the top with the car moving, the surface will have to be very good, without any potholes, although I made this in a complete smooth tarmac
J.Seven
Sorry for the horrible explanation , but English is not my mother linguage.
Here´s some more pics
![](http://a4.cpimg.com/image/92/D3/35107474-4daa-028001E0-.jpg)
![](http://a5.cpimg.com/image/93/D3/35107475-1f88-028001E0-.jpg)
A word of caution, I have the open top while car moving hack, and this happened just after I was closing the top with the car moving, so the hook, may have been damage on this process, this is just a guess. Be careful opening or closing the top with the car moving, the surface will have to be very good, without any potholes, although I made this in a complete smooth tarmac
![Confused](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif)
J.Seven
#6
Three Wheelin'
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Hmm... Yes the close on move mod may be the cause. But I haven't had any problems with it so far.
Anyway, yes the plastic hook surround is damaged. The bit that's chopped off the top has lost you height in the hook. I am not sure what you could do to fix this as it does get put under some pressure when it closes. So
anything you glue there will likely break under pressure. You could try wrapping something around the hook maybe like tape or something. I dunno. I have not seen the plastic hook so badly damaged before.
I suggest you order a new one. Part number: 996.561.787.00.01C.
Oh well best of luck to you with it. Let us know how you go.
Cheers,
Anyway, yes the plastic hook surround is damaged. The bit that's chopped off the top has lost you height in the hook. I am not sure what you could do to fix this as it does get put under some pressure when it closes. So
anything you glue there will likely break under pressure. You could try wrapping something around the hook maybe like tape or something. I dunno. I have not seen the plastic hook so badly damaged before.
I suggest you order a new one. Part number: 996.561.787.00.01C.
Oh well best of luck to you with it. Let us know how you go.
Cheers,
#7
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Berny , problem solved, and without your help by now I would have been ripped of by Porsche dealer, thanks, for your precious help.
Just put a bit of plastic on the button inside the windshield, and top works fine now YESSSSSS.
You were right, if I tried to glue something to the hook, in no time it would fall, the top must need some aligment because the hook touches the plastic before closing, that´s probably the cause for the damage hook
So I decided to glue a bit of plastic to the windshield button, there´s no big pressure there and top is working perfectly
Without your help, this wouldn´t be possible, once again THANK YOU VERY much
Just put a bit of plastic on the button inside the windshield, and top works fine now YESSSSSS.
You were right, if I tried to glue something to the hook, in no time it would fall, the top must need some aligment because the hook touches the plastic before closing, that´s probably the cause for the damage hook
![](http://a7.cpimg.com/image/2B/7D/35112747-1d6c-028001E0-.jpg)
So I decided to glue a bit of plastic to the windshield button, there´s no big pressure there and top is working perfectly
![](http://a8.cpimg.com/image/2C/7D/35112748-6bbf-028001E0-.jpg)
Without your help, this wouldn´t be possible, once again THANK YOU VERY much
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