I purchased a used soft top controller on eBay intending to use it as a test harness to test the various soft top switches. When I opened it up, the circuit board was immaculate, and then re-reading the eBay listing I saw that this was working when removed from the vehicle. I only paid $70 for the controller plus the plug with short wires sticking out of it and I'm not really sure that I want to cannibalize a working controller, so I have been looking for a non-working controller or even just the male connector.

I thought you all would like to see what the inside of the N52 controller looks like.


Top of circuit board.

Bottom of circuit board.

Rear of male connector.

Front of male connector.

 

I contacted TE (formally AMP) and they told me that the AMP/TE part number of the male connector that is used on the N52 soft top control module is 963042-1, and they helpfully sent me a list of distributors. Unfortunately, while this connector is still an active part, it is only built on-demand these days, and there is a minimum order quantity of 125 units at anywhere from $25 - $50 per unit depending on distributor. I have attached the CAD drawing of this connector if you want to have a better look at it as well as the pinout of this connector.

My goal is to build a simple test jig that I can connect between the car's female connector and the N52 controller module. This test jig will allow me to view the various switch signals (inputs to N52) and see the various outputs such as which solenoids are actuated. I thought I was well on my way to getting this done when I made a very low bid for an N52 controller with corresponding female connector and it was accepted. I thought surely this controller must be defective but upon re-reading the listing and messaging the seller, he told me it was working when removed from the donor vehicle. So now I'm in a quandary - I don't want to cannibalize a working N52 controller just to get the connector. I have contacted other eBay sellers of N52 modules to see if they have a non-working N52 module that I could buy for parts, but no luck so far. So, I am now thinking of 3D printing my own connector; there is enough in the CAD drawing for me to be able to draw the part in my 3D modeling tool. I just need to figure out where to get the male pins that I can insert into the connector; I have e-mailed AMP/TE asking them about this. Since this connector is only for temporary use in my test jig, I don't need all the other parts of the connector such as the shroud and the locking mechanism.