Ok, so it was about to start raining so I ran out to put the top up. Pressed the switch – NOTHING. Then the rain started coming down heavy. I managed to rip the trunk apart and open the valve on the pump and got the top up and locked manually. But the rear windows won't go up. When I press the switch, the front windows lower themselves, but the rears don't go up. It's raining good, so I am not really able to check anything now. But does this seem like a simple fuse problem (he asks hopefully)? The odd thing is the fact that the front windows respond to the top switch but not the rears. A couple of years ago I did have to replace the diode in the pump, but it's worked flawlessly since. So maybe that's the problem again. If it's a fuse, I wonder why it blew. In the meantime, I have plastic bags covering the rear windows since I have no garage. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

P.S. My roof latch leaked a few years ago, so I've been latching it manually since then with no problems.

 

John if the rams are not fully extended to engage the limit switch, the rear quarter windows will not go up. Check out the link from Gus's website which discusses manual ops


JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

 

Thanks. I guess just raising and locking the top does not ensure the rams are fully extended.

 

As mentioned above, your rear windows will not roll up without the rams locked, and in order to lock them you must put some force into the locking mechanism, but also be careful enough not to bend them. Simply pulling the top up and latching them will not lock them.

Concerning the rear windows, there are two relays in the trunk in the fuse box that work the rear windows. You can pull the relays off and use a jumper wire to manually close the rear windows for the time being. You may want to look into installing a rear window switch for times like these. There are threads on the forum about installing one, and it makes it so you have a window switch to work the rear windows independent of anything else. They are easy to install.

Just from the sounds of it, the top system may be confused and you may need to "reset" it. On a more serious note, you could have cooked the diode you replaced already, or more likely than not, burned a fuse. When you open the fuse box in the trunk, there should be a larger than normal fuse (I believe either 30A or 40A). That is for the top motor. Check to see if it is good first.

 

Thanks, I'll be tackling that this morning and will report back on my findings.

 

It looks like the pump diode went again. Meanwhile, my rear windows are down and I cannot figure how to lock the rams to get them up. Can someone explain how to jump the relay so I can raise them for now?

 

Well, at least I got the rear windows p. Now just have to get ahold of a diode.

 

Good luck and keep us posted. Here's hoping that the new diode will last significantly longer than the current one did. Quality control issues, perhaps?

 

Thanks, Jon. I wonder. I also wonder if holding the switch for a few seconds after the operation is finished somehow stresses the diode. It doesn't seem to be a very common issue – not unknown, just uncommon.

 

That diode pair is a surge suppressor. It does not "feel" anything unless the motor is running, and is stressed only if the motor puts out some sort of spike. So it is not stressed by holding down the button in the way you described.

Yours is the only case of two failures that I know of. Go figure. Maybe stock a spare or two?

 

To recap: the other day just as it started raining, my top wouldn't respond to the switch. I've been operating the latch with the Allen key for a year or more with no trouble. I always raise the latch hook with the Allen key, press the switch and raise the top. After a few seconds, the rear windows raise. Ths time, after getting no response from the switch, I managed to close the top manually and jumpered the rear window relays to raise them just as the heavens really opened up.

Next day, I checked the pump fuse and found it was good. So I jumped to the conclusion that the pump diode had failed AGAIN, second time. Didn't actually examine it as that means pulling the pump out of its very tight space and it was too damn hot to get into that. Was just happy the car was closed up since it was another very rainy day and my house has no garage.

This morning, I tried the top switch just for the hell of it and heard the pump run. Closed the pump valve, hit the switch, and magically the top rose and then lowered when I pressed for down. The rear windows were up and the window relays were still out, so I jumpered them to lower the rears. Replaced the relays and tested the operation. NO GO - NOTHING. No sound at all from the pump. All fuses still good. Pulled the relays again and tried jumpering them. This time nothing happened. Could get no response from the windows.

Stumped, I logged onto the Forum to search for info and came across a member stating his non-closing top surprised him by going up once he manually raised the latch hook with the Allen key. Tried that and lo and behold, the top and the rear windows work as they should and cotinued to work through several cycles. Only difference is now the front windows lower completly if they are up when I start to raise the top. Before they would just drop a little and close completely once the top was up.

Needless to say, I'm glad the top works again, but I am mystified as to what caused the initial problem. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

 

The roof is controlled by the ECM, SCM and the switches in the header and in the right rear ram. The Security Control Module operates the windows then the Engine Control Module takes over controlling the pump actions provided that the switches in the header and rams are correct. If it were me checking I would open the roof and windows and do a hard reset on the car then try to close the roof electrically and see if all goes well. Then reset the drivers and passengers windows and do an open and close with the engine running.

Have you checked your battery voltage recently? How old is the battery?

 

Thanks, Gus. All is working well now. I am starting to think there was never actually a problem, but in my haste to button things up before the downpour I may have tried closing the top before (manually) raising the latch. I just went out and checked and sure enough, if I don't raise the latch, the top does not move. In the hundred or so times I have manually operated it, I probably never attempted it without raising the latch, something I always automatically do first without thinking about it. And I guess the latch was down when I was troubleshooting.

Thanks to all who helped. Even after owning this car for over five years, I still expect a catastrophe ay any moment, so my imagination can easily get the better of me.

Now I'm off for a sun-filled top-down drive. As you were.

 

My concern is that I think the system is a little confused and a hard reset could help.

 

Thanks, Gus. I will do that. Certainly can't hurt.

 

As luck would have it a similar situation just happened to me tonight. Went to raise the top and it appeared to hit the latch and jam in place. It won't move either up or down, no sound from the motor and the rear windows are down. I don't know where the trunk fuse box is, but will look for it and try to find the appropriate fuse. If the fuse is okay, should I try a hard reset next? Also, have no idea what or where the diode is, and how it affects overall operation. Just lost use of my garage for the next month, so kitty is sitting outside.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

The fuse box you want is in the trunk under the battery cover. If you've got an owners manual it will show you fuse locations. Otherwise a search here will bring them up. But you won't need diagrams in this case ...

Look for the only 40 amp fuse in the box next to the battery. It protects the conv. top pump motor circuit. See if that one is blown.

When people speak of the "diode" they're referring to the surge suppressor inside this pump motor (it's a special type of diode pair). If the 40 amp fuse is blown, this component is your prime suspect. See "Motor Repair" in my sig line below for info on replacing it if necessary. It's a pretty easy and cheap repair.

Anyway, I would check this fuse first. Easy to do and quite possibly the source of trouble.

 

Max, you can try raising or lowering the latch using the Allen key that is clipped to the pump. Remove the little plastic cap above the windshield. Apparently, if the latch hook is not fully extended, the top and windows get no power. The other thing to try is turning the T-handle on the pump counter clockwise to allow you to raise the top (or lower it) without the back pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the lines. I have read that stopping the top travel before it is complete can confuse the system, causing it to stall. If these suggestions don't work, send out the Gus Signal for expert help.

 

Max,

Careful here! Do NOT try to to move the latch using the Allen key without FIRST turning the T handle on the pump fully counter-clockwise.

 

Thanks Everyone,

Here's the problem: when the top tried to close, the latch somehow got stuck under the loop it latches to, holding the top open about 1/2" inch. The loop is bearing on the latch directly, and cannot be moved, which has prevented the top from closing all of the way and energizing the two micro switches on the top edge of the windshield to close the rear quarter windows. I rotated the "T" handle, which allowed me to operate the latch manually with the Allen head wrench. It did not, however, release pressure in the hydraulic rams, and the top still won't move. If I open one or both of the lines on the pump, will this bleed down the pressure enough to move the top; all I need is about an inch or two and I can work the match manually and hopefully get the system back on track.

Unfortunately, we're having a thunder storm here and I'm praying that the taped trash bags will keep the interior mostly dry.