XK8 / XKR ( X100 ) 1996 - 2006

2000 XK8 Convertible Top- Limit Switch and/or solenoid issue

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old Today | 01:24 PM
Tom Baker's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 71
Likes: 53
Default 2000 XK8 Convertible Top- Limit Switch and/or solenoid issue

Good day folks; just another XK8 with a top that won't work correctly. I've done quite a bit of troubleshooting though and read other posts so I'm hoping this is novel enough to warrant your time.
I'll begin by mentioning: I swapped all of the hydraulic lines with a Top Hydraulics kit ~6 years ago so there's no green shower for me!

Initial symptoms:
Initially, the roof was up (closed) but the rear windows were locked in the down position. At the time of the fault I wanted to lower the roof - but the rear windows simply went down and then the roof stopped responding to all requests. I drove home with the rear windows down but the roof remained closed.
Pressing Roof Close would not raise the rear windows despite the roof being closed and latched; it would engage the pump for a period of time, but it would then stop instead of opening the front latch.
I followed the steps in the video at the bottom to bypass the relays and manually raise the rear windows, one at a time. I then attempted to lower the top by pressing Roof Open - again, the pump operated for a short period of time and then stopped. When pressing Roof Open, the rear windows remain raised. At this time - as far as the Roof operation button is concerned - the rear windows are entirely inoperable.

I manually opened the roof with the battery disconnected - all windows down and front latch hidden. I then reconnected the battery and pressed Roof Close.
The pump engaged and the roof began to raise, but notably the front ram/hood latch remained in the closed position - i.e. the roof hook would arrive at the front latch and be unable to close.
I manually operated the front latch to allow the roof hook to engage and it immediately closed again.
Once the roof was successfully latched again - the rear windows did not close. In order to close the rear windows again I had to resort to the relay bypass.

Theory
I believe there are two possibilities as to what's going on here:
#1: A limit or position switch is failing to engage and as such the roof is operating in an incorrect "state" or thinks it's in an invalid position.
#2: A solenoid inside the hydraulic pump is failing to reverse the flow of the front hydraulic ram - as a result it's never correctly raising the front latch, and putting the system into an invalid position.

The roof pump will raise and lower the roof regardless of the position of the rear windows - which is dangerous - and the rear windows are entirely inoperable without bypassing the relays.
The front latch is only ever operating in the "close" method - it never operates in the "open" method - regardless of whether you press Roof Open or Roof Close.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Below is the video - I didn't want it to embed but it seems that is just going to happen anyways:
 

Last edited by Tom Baker; Today at 01:27 PM.
  #2  
Old Today | 01:53 PM
motorcarman's Avatar
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 12,394
Likes: 8,350
From: Wise County,TX
Default

Are there any messages in the INSTPK display? (ie. ROOF NOT LATCHED)
 
  #3  
Old Today | 01:57 PM
Tom Baker's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 71
Likes: 53
Default

Originally Posted by motorcarman
Are there any messages in the INSTPK display? (ie. ROOF NOT LATCHED)
No messages- no hints there, unfortunately.
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
carloverswife
XK8 / XKR ( X100 )
13
04-28-2023 02:32 PM
Pristine97XK8Convertible
XK8 / XKR ( X100 )
8
06-28-2022 02:37 PM
1jaglvr
XK8 / XKR ( X100 )
3
05-26-2022 06:34 AM
XCrossWindsX
XK8 / XKR ( X100 )
7
11-10-2015 04:10 PM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 11 (1 members and 10 guests)


Quick Reply: 2000 XK8 Convertible Top- Limit Switch and/or solenoid issue



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:10 PM.