I replaced the bow tentioners and the control links on the top frame of my roadster last week. There was allot of manipulation of the top and frame while taking out rivets and putting new ones in. In any case I noted that the micro switch in the frame over the passenger portion of the frame looked different. When going up the spring that hits the frame to signal the computer as to what going on, was hanging down about an inch and a ¼ . I never noted it coming down so far before and thought it only came down about a 1/3 of an inch before. Now the top will not go down on its own but will go up without a problem.
Does anyone know what this switch does, could this be the problem, does switch lever hang down around a 1 ¼ inches when the top is opening or closing?
Thanks

 

Attached is the switch that I think is the culprit. Could someone compare it to the one on your frame? The little metal piece was bent so I tried to straighten it out and I’m not sure if it’s shaped correctly. The other question is how far down do you need to compress the switch before it actually switches.

 

Where exactly is this switch? I'll take a look.

 

7F84E0A0-B1A2-47B2-A0C8-AF9C01FF1C31.jpg
Here is how mine looks with the top just unlatched. Watching and listening closely as I moved the top to the latched position I could hear a sight click of the micro switch just as the top was almost down to the latch position in front. It basically releases the switch when the top is in the unlatched position so the car knows the top can be lowered.

 

Hook a bulb and a battery to it and check it.

 

This is what it is:

The switch you are referring to is the "roof open switch". The short version of how things work is this - the roof open switch and the cargo compartment divider switch are wired in series. When you have the divider in the trunk in the proper position, and the roof open switch is allowed to close (and it is closed as soon as you release the latch and push the top up away from the windshield frame), the two switches, together, apply a ground to pin C1-7 of the Power Top Control Module. This ground signal is part of the safety checks the system must meet before it will activate the pump.

If the switch is bad, the pump wont run - and going up or down has nothing to do with it UNLESS, somehow, the roof open switch is somehow being pressed when it should not be. It should only have pressure on it's link arm when the top is fully closed (all the way up, and latched to the windshield frame.)

It SOUNDS to me like you might have a cylinder limit switch somewhere that is sending a confusing signal to the PTCM when the top is up. The ONLY way it is the top open switch is if, somehow, there is pressure holding the actuator arm when the top is open. BUT if that is the case, how can the top travel UP and not DOWN? If it is the switch, look at the switch and see what is different about it going down versus going up. Make SURE the switch is allowed to "relax" when you unlatch the top and press the button to lower it.

If you want to measure the voltage, just know that you should see NO voltage (on, maybe .2 volts or less) on either side of the switch when the top is free of the windsheild frame. If you see 5 or more volts, there is the trouble - with no ground, the PTCM will not run the pump.

Again, the system is not as complicated as it first appears and a problem with the top open switch is easy to diagnose once you understand how the system works as a whole.

 

As I re-read your first post, I think it is obvious - the switch got damaged during the repair work.
Likely, the spring / actuator is not acting the same as before, such that the switch is closed once the top is lowered all the way - so it goes up fine.

Order a new one - lotsa luck FINDING one, of course. I remember that someone did order one some time ago but I don't know where they got it.
This is, I do believe, a part unique to the Crossfire.

 

I think I know the problem!
After reviewing all the suggestions it boiled down to that switch on the frame of the passenger side of the top. Since that switch signals to the controller that the latch is undone, the bow has popped up and its all clear to put the top down this had to be the issue. I found if I push the bow up far enough that switch does open and the top goes down.
Now keep in mind the problem started when I replace the bow tensioners because the bow would not pop up when unlatched and it still does not. This is my problem. There is tension on the new cables when the top is up so I was thinking about putting a loop in the cable while the top is down to make the cable tighter when its up and maybe this would pop the bow, but this seems like a work around and not a solution. Could there be another reason why the bow is not popping up?

 

The "bow" is the frame of the top that rests on the deck lid cover, I think you mean the forward part of the top that rests on the windshield frame - not sure what they call that.

I've seen some cars that the front of the top wont' stay up on it's own - I believe this to be a problem with the spring/linkage in the top frame. I'm 300 miles from home in a rental car - can't go out and look mine over to advise you till late next week.

 

Actually, what I called the 'bow' is the 'rear bow" -- so maybe what you are talking about is the "front bow"???

 

Definitely the front bow.

 

Attachment 32305
this might help

 

The weird thing about this schematic is it doesn't even show the bow tentioners.

 

They are shown in this part diagram :