This is great information Pizzaguy. I know the fuse is OK. I am starting with the sensor above the passenger visor and then on to the trunk.

 

Pizzaguy,
Can you tell me how to get at the Latch Retainer Switch to see if it is working??

MCPO

 

Best way is to not do that. Instead, pull the trim from the trunk and access the PTCM and measure the voltage on the pin of the wire going to the switch - way easier than taking the frame apart.


Pin 16 of C1 should go LOW, that is, zero volts when you "pop the top". WIth top up and secured, you should see 5 volts.

 

I have had a 2005 Roadster since it was brand new in 2005. This car has thrown me every curve ball that you can imagine since ownership. I had to find out about every electrical component the old fashioned hard way. (Including electronic transmission issues) If I would have had this AMAZING resource back then my life would have beed so much easier. I recently purchased another roadster for dirt cheap because the guy can't get his top to work. This string is priceless and you deserve a medal for taking the time to help others. Thank you!!

 

HELP,
Are there any videos available showing how to replace the remove and replace LATCH RETAINER SWITCH located above the driver side visor?

MCPO

 

[QUOTE=MCPO;966158]HELP,
Are there any videos available showing how to replace the remove and replace LATCH RETAINER SWITCH located above the driver side visor?

This is all that I know of for instructions https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...-roadster.html. Before you go through all that work, have you checked it for voltage where it plugs into the PTCM? Should be either zero volts or 5 volts depending if opened or closed and the D lever.
Pin 16 of C1 should go LOW, that is, zero volts when you "pop the top". WIth top up and secured, you should see 5 volts.

 

None that I know of. Paul up in Canada and Greg in OKC have made a lot of videos on the car, but not that one. And, sadly, the poor text description given by Wayne (Shamrock) in that link above is all there is.
Our cars' documentation is really pretty poor. I'd sure go along with verifying the voltage change at the module in the trunk, if you see it change when the D ring is turned, you need not get in there and screw with it anyway. And I gotta tell ya, in the 12 years Iv'e been on here, MOST of the time that switch was suspected, turned out to be no power to the module OR a water damaged module.

 

You say "this sensor" Where is it located? Help!!!

 

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...er-removal.pdf
found this in an earlier thread. Hope it helps you! Thank to the original Poster!

 

Hope this helps

 

Doc78
Thanks so much for the input. Stay tuned!!!!

MCPO

 

Hi folks,
Thanks for the information as it has been very informative. I found my convertible top fuse (25 Amp) burnt out. I bought some new fuses and each time I try to install it the fuse sparks and burns out. Any ideas on what is causing this to happen and where? I'm guessing it is a short, but not sure how to proceed.

Rip

 

If the fuse blows as soon as you put it in, pull the connector from the pump, if it still blows as soon as you put a new one in, pull the connector to the PTCM. The device you last unplug is blowing the fuse.

If the fuse only blows when the pump starts (because you hit the button), the pump motor itself is almost certainly the cause.

 

***Help!*** I am well versed with these Crossfire tops and how they operate but this time I am stumped. When I hold the top button put the top down it gets to the final stage which is the tonneau cover latching with a "click sound" . (But no final beep) and then the cover slowly pops back up unlocked. Reversely, when I go to close the roof the top goes all the way the final stage but the rear window (Bow) will not travel downward. (My guess is that it senses the tonneau cover is not locked and stops). I can pull the fuse and get it to close the rest of the way and lock it with the tool. There is no data in this string about how the tonneau cover latch works. It's almost as if the hydraulics bleed backwards and the latch never fully gets engaged. (No visible leaks either) I've adjusted the height of the latch but that did not work. I can lock it with the wrench with great ease so it's not a latch alignment issue Any advise?

 

Let's go thru this slowly.

So it latches with a clicking sound - but then pops back up, so it did not really latch, did it? And keep in mind, there is no final beep until the cycle completes - the beep happens as soon as the electric trunk lock switches to the "unlocked" position . But this wont happen if the PTCM senses that ANY sensor has not reported proper position. If a sensor indicates proper position and then IMPROPER position before the lock is commanded to unlock, you will also get no beep.

So the lid pops back up, we now know that the tonneau lid didn't really latch.

So, going the other way, the lid does it again (from this description). I can tell you this: At tech days, I have seen the bow latch mechanism fail to actually grab and lock the bow, twice in the last three or four years. BOTH times, lubrication of the bow latch mechanism fixed the problem. I think THAT is what we should try here, with your tonneau lid latch.

The Tonneau cover latch has caused issues, I've never worked on a car with such trouble, but my first reaction would be to lubricate the mechanism. BOTH symptoms that you are seeing implicate the tonneau lid latch mechanism. The fluid pressure and flow are provided by the pump, the control of such flow is done by the PTCM thru the valves in the pump assembly. Certainly a leaky cylinder (and as our cars age, that is more and more common) would cause issues.

But Im still thinking "lubricate the damn thing and see what you get". Like I said, the bow latch has caused issues. I worked on a top last fall - the CLP/SSM had water damage. Once we changed it and the last two feet of the wiring harness feeding it, the top started working, but the bow latch was not working well. The car's owner has a shop full of lubes and oils and greases. He tried some silicon lubricant (he's a retired mechanical engineer) and we worked the top up and down maybe five times. Bow Latch operation improved to the point that, the last two times, it latched just fine.

So, try lubrication and work the top up and down several times. Be rather generous with the lubricant, too.

If that does it, cool. If not, we can consider other ideas.

 

​​​​​​Fantastic and thoughtful reply.! Lots of lube and repeated cycles tomorrow. I will report back!

PS I took the brass plate of the front of the tonneau latch mechanism (3 little Phillips screws). Then you have a clear view of the micro switch. It looks to be opening and closing properly when the lid is shut (No fuse). (It clicks and is clean) I wonder if thats an open switch or a closed switch?

Thank you! More to come .

 

The manuals are not clear. That switch was left out of the chart in the 2008 manual (or it's not called out with the right name). But the convention is that it would be closed when the latch is securely closed.
I base this on how the other switches are always closed to indicate "normal" or "ready to run pump". I may type out a summary of switch positions, I'd need to use my voltmeter and go thru those Im not sure of.

I know:
Top open and divider are closed when ready to run the pump.
Latch retainer (in the windshield frame) is closed when top is up and latched.
Electric trunk lock shows a closed in the "locked' switch when locked; and a closed in the "unlocked" switch when unlocked. If neither is closed, or both are closed, its an error state and the pump wont run, you get a flashing button and beep.

 

***I FOUND THE PROBLEM!!***

Lube and Cycles did not result is any success. I took a multimeter to the microswitch and did a continuity test and there was not enough continuity to get my meter to beep. The microswitch is an open circuit when not latched. When latched the the plastic lever disengages from the microswitch and closes the circuit. In my case the circuit is not getting closed. (See images.)

To test this I unplugged the microswitch, then I electronically closed the roof to the point where the tonneau cover was closed and the bow was stuck in the up position. Then I opened the trunk and hot-wired the wire plug the leads to the microswitch to close the circuit. The cover immediately relaxed (As if I pulled the fuse). I shut the trunk hit the silver button and the bow CLOSED!!! AND I got my magical "beep" YAHOO!!!

Now I'm going to have to find a replacement on ebay I think. Odds are I will have to buy the entire latch assembly to get the switch.

Thank you so much for your help Pizzaguy!!!!!!!!

See Images

When the Tonneau latch is shut this level disengages from the micro switch and closes the circuit

Open circuit when not latched

 

It was the Microswitch! (See my previous post)

 

***Cheap fix for bad microswitch on the tonneau hatch*** (Don't try this unless you know what you're doing)

I had an old microswitch sitting around that closes the circuit when depressed. I cut the wire from the old defective (Gray) switch and soldered the two wires to the new (Black microswitch) Then I carefully lined it up with the black lever. drilled a pilot hole in the bracket and threaded a heavy screw and glue mounted the new microswitch. Works like a charm! Unfortunately I will have to forgo the brass cover now. But it works until I decide to purchase a new bracket assembly with the microswitch. Ebay wants $70 to $125 for these units. My fix was about $3 and an hour of time. (See photos)

Black microswitch is a DIY hack. Closes circuit when depressed

Black microswitch is a DIY hack. Closes circuit when depressed

Black microswitch is a DIY hack. Closes circuit when depressed