Have read quite a few posts with similar problems but wanted to post and see what if any advice you have before taking this into a dealer. The above items spontaneously stopped working this summer - no battery change, no jump start, etc. The top and roll bar lights are on continuously and everything is stuck in the down position. Have had fuses checked by mechanic - no problem there. Vehicle has 20K miles, driven in summer, stored in winter with trickle charge. Never a problem of any kind prior to this.


Thank-you

 

You need to read diagnostic codes. The procedure varies slightly between a '94 model made in 1993 and one made in 1994. Reply back with the date your vehicle was manufactured.

 

I will check on that next weekend when I'm with the vehicle again and sorry for my ignorance but where would I find that info?

 

The date of manufacture is on the driver's door jamb.

 

Thanks - will report back when I have the info,

 

Date of manufacture is March 1994.

 

The code reading procedure described here works for all systems with diagnostics on the R129 through model-year 1995 except for the SRS (airbag) for '94 and '95. On some of the systems from '94 and '95 it will not retrieve as much information as an advanced scan tool would.

Each system's diagnostic output signal is wired to a specific socket of the car's main "diagnostic connector", X11/4. Early cars with continuous-fuel injection have 16 sockets, while later models have 38 sockets (picture). The sockets are numbered for easy identification. When you make connections to any of the you should know that all circuits have protected outputs and nothing can be damaged by mistakes.

On a car manufactured in '04 the socket for the convertible top is #21. The socket for the roll bar is #22.

Codes are read sequentially one at a time. That is, you trigger the system you are checking to issue a code, you read the code, you trigger another code, and so on. With the key on and engine off, you trigger a code by electrically shorting the system's particular diagnostic socket to ground for 2 to 4 seconds using a wire. A second or two after the wire is removed, a series of electrical pulses will occur at the socket. The number of pulses corresponds to the number of a code.

There are numerous ways to view the pulses for counting and getting codes. The voltage of the pulses is roughly 12-volts DC. I connect a 12-volt LED and watch it flash. A test lamp or multimeter can work as well.

The codes you read may indicate current problems, or they may indicate a problem that existed long ago and has since gone away. Therefore, you want to erase a code immediately after reading it. To erase a code you short the diagnostic socket to ground for 6 to 8 seconds. Once all codes are erased, attempt to operate the top and roll bar and see what fresh codes appear.

 

Thank you for the kind reply.