Hi Guys, When the top of my '99 XK8 is down my windshield header latch slowly stands up as I am driving as if it were ready to receive the convertable top rod.
Is this stand up position normal, or should the header latch be in the down position?
In addition, my message center states the top in unlatched??

Have not had the chance to look into the problem. Has anyone experienced the same results?? Thank you, Rich

 

Latch should be down and the message center is telling you that it's not. Don't know why yours is raising someone with more knowledge will come along and chime in.

 

There is not a spring to cause this as the latch is moved by hydraulic pressure alone. That leads back to the valves on the pump leaking but there should be no pressure within the system.

Does this happen only shortly after lowering the top when there might be some residual pressure from the movement of the rams?

Have you used the manual latch key to lower it and to see if it happens again?

 

Thanks guys, a little bell rang in my ears of a self induced pain. I've just completed replacing all hoses and sent the two rams plus front latch out for repair.
I recall while re- installing the front latch, I could not fit the lever into the latch piston. ( latch looks like a tune fork). The angles of the rod to fit into the latch ( tune fork) were off which would not allow for a smooth fit. Naturally, someone at factroy must have installed this lever backwards. I took the clips off, turned upside down to see the lever fit nice and square into the latch. I bet this was intentional to create drag, friction of sort to prevent natural movement of this latch/lever without the top pump telling it to do so. Ouch. Sorry for the crack factory, and with a little redemption to thoust self, these hoses, rams, etc had been played with by a dealer for a previous owner. Not sure if I can get to re-repair till spring here in NY, but will let you know the results. Rich

 

Since you did not say otherwise, I'm assuming the latch functions normally when closing the convertible top ... that it captures the top and stays closed.

If so, I'd look to another possibility: on the right hand ram there are two switches that sense when the ram is fully up (extended) or down (contracted). If the "down" switch signal is not getting through, then the system will not fully close the latch when the top is lowered, and it may act as you described. You might want to look into the connection to that "down" switch, and whether the switch is functioning.

My '01 had a similar problem, and that switch connection was the cause.

 

Hi All, thank you for your help. Turns out I had not cycled the top enough to get all the air out of the system. Sunday's ride to work, 80's here on Long Island, had to run with the top down. Windshield latch did stay down as you stated it should be. Top not latched warning still on dash. Both rear pistons were just overhauled wires are conneted. I will need to do a little more investigating. I still suspect the windshield latch micro swithch. Thank you, Rich

 

Rich,

There is an "eyeball" test for the function of the top-down switch on the ram.

As the top finishes going down, there should be a point where the latch is pulled rapidly down into its closed position. If the latch just sort of sinks slowly down instead, there's a good chance the top-down signal has not been received.

Good luck.