The Latch Retainer Switch
Buried in the windshield frame, above the passenger's sun visor, is the Latch Retainer Switch. If you want to put the top down, this switch gets the process started.
So, as I said before, the top is up and you want to put it down. You first turn the "D" ring and press the top away from the windshield frame. When the top is latched to the frame of the windshield, those hooks you see in the photos below are grabbing the frame and the one on the passenger side is pressing on the "Latch Retainer Switch". One side of the switch is grounded, the other side of the switch has a wire on it that runs to C1 Pin 16 of the PTCM in the trunk. When you turn the handle, the hooks retract and the latch retainer switch relaxes and removes the ground from the wire running to the PTCM. The PTCM sees this, and sends messages to the Body Control Module that cause the BCM to lower the windows. While that is all there is to the operation of this switch, at this point, you can potentially confirm a lot of things about the performance of the electronics of the car affecting top operation.
If you turn the "D" handle and the windows go down, you know that:
1) The Latch Retainer Switch is good.
2) The BCM is getting CAN BUS messages from the PTCM.
3) The PTCM is healthy and probably not the cause of what ever problem you are having with the top.
Take note of these very important points:- You will notice the light in the top switch is now on. This is the PTCM's way of telling you that "the cycle has started". This means that the PTCM considers the sequence of moving the top to have started, and....
- If you move the car over 9 mph, the light will blink over and over and you will hear a beep. This is the PTCM trying to warn you that you are doing something it considers to be a BAD IDEA.
- These two points should be kept in mind, this is INFORMATION being provided to you that, someday, may be important! (Keep reading, I'll get you there.)
You now have all the information you need to determine if the Latch Retainer Switch is working.
The Latch Retainer Switch is in that cavity where the top's hook goes to clamp the top to the windshield frame.
Here is a closer look. I've drawn the metal leaf of the switch in it's approximate location. Try sticking a finger in there to feel it.
