I recently purchased a 97 Cabriolet and the top will only open and close manually. When I place the emergency brake in park, release the top overhead and hit the switch to open or close the top all I get is a flashiing light on the dash instrument panel but nothing moves, no noises, nothing and as far as I am aware everything is in place.

The rear deck does not open up nor does the top unless I physically get out of the car and do these things.

Does any have suggestions of how to troubleshoot this problem?

Thanks for any help that the group can give me!!!!

 

Two likely causes:

Most likely: Your trunk lock, or the wiring to it, has failed.

Best indicator: does your trunk lock/unlock normally when you use your key to lock/unlock the driver's door? If not, that's your problem.

Second most likely: "Pop-Switch" under your emergency brake lever is sticky/stuck.

Best indicator: Does your emergency brake light illuminate when you pull up on the brake lever? One spilled soda, due to the cupholder's proximity to the emergency brake lever, can cause that "Pop-switch" (it closes circuit when it "pops" up upon pulling the lever) to stick in the Down position. The top won't activate.

 

I have had a problem with my 97 Cabriolet where the top goes down fine but on occasion wouldn't go back up.

The deck will go up but the top doesn't lift out of the trunk. Both times it happened I would try a number of times and give up, only to try some hours later when it would work on the first try.

Any suggestions?

Also, how do you manually raise the top? Mine seemed like it was locked and would raise by hand, but this was with the car running and the deck raised via the hydraulics. Does the car have to be off to do this? How hard is it (for reference)to lift? I don't want to force it and break something.

Thanks!