try this - mine says "check soft top" whenever I come to a stop, and pushing the button results in same

go in back seat and give the tonneau a fist-whack on each side near the latches, then do the same on lower edges of window

then try switch

worked a charm for me, top works fine switches were just stuck

if that doesn't work and you need to manually unlock 5th bow, search here for the jumper method - unplug the harness on the left and apply 12v to the upper right two pins and it'll go

hope that helps - good luck

 

Thanks for fast help response!!
Being a bloke beating it was my first option. Tried pushing down on outside etc too.
Really interested in jumping it to get it started, will look it up now. I won't fry anything will I??!!

 

Right, just tried this
http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148882
I get a clicking from the left when touched across, doesn't appear to be clicking on right. Same when I reversed polarity. No unlatching though.

I have also cleaned all contacts on the roof switch in centre console.
If i push down and pull on the bit near the seatbelt i can get those microswitches to click on and off.
My boot release on door does not work, is this because the entire system is shut down by module?

 

Have tried doing this
http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148882

Hear a clicking on contact on left side but don't think I can hear anything on the right side. Same when polarity reversed.
My boot release on door does not work, does this and the above mean the soft top is completely locked by the control module?
I have also tried removing battery for couple hrs.
How do I get into the fifth bow micro switches if they won't release??

 

Open the trunk, fold down the flap of carpet by the upper left corner of the trunk opening to reveal the connector for the 5th bow latches. There are two thicker wires (one brown, one gray) applying +12V to one and ground to the other will either latch or unlatch the latches, reversing will do the opposite. You can use the trunk light for a source of +12V. Make sure you disconnect the plug and just apply voltage to the cover side of the connector.
If the latch mechanism wont engage/disengage then it is probably stuck.
Sounds like the STC module is telling the 5th bow to unlatch, but it doesn't happen and times out (the micros switches would notify the STC module that the latches had disengaged).
Either the mechanism is jammed or you have no power going to it.

 

Thanks,
Posted replies but they are not appearing.
Think you are spot on, I did this last night and I could hear the left hand side click (like micro switch sound) don't think I could hear anything on the right. No unlatching, tried reversing polarity also.
The car has been stood a couple yrs before I bought it doing only about 100 or so miles, so thought something may just be seized, but possibly right micro switch?
Now, how do I open something were the opening mechanism doesn't work and I need it open to fix it??!!

 

sorry if I wasn't clear

you can manually release the rear tonneau latches (assuming there is not some other problem) by unplugging it's motor's wiring harness located in the upper left corner of your trunk and applying 12v to it

the harness is behind the carpet @ the junction of areas that form the bend that starts from the upper left horizontal leading edge of your trunk and then goes down / in

search this forum for the post it was quite easy - can grab power from trunk light but mine was inoperable... I just ran jumper cables from the battery back to the trunk and clipped my multimeter wires into them on one end and touched the other end of those wires to terminals 8 and 9 (upper right corner of the unplugged plug)

good luck

if the car sat awhile, the switches / latches / system can def gum up... work through it, hopefully will be an easy fix

 

Sounds like the mechanism is jammed, not entirely sure how to release it when it is in the closed and latched position. It might be possibly to fold the rear seat down, can access to the storage bag, then remove the plastic trim cover on the underside of the torneau cover (couple of 10mm bolts and clips) you will then have access to the mechanism. It wont be easy working in the tight confines tho.
Alternatively you can try reversing the polarity back and forth to try and free the mechanism.

 

hmmm, there's supposed to be a plastic trim cover over the mechanism on the underside of the tonneau eh?

d'oh

 

Thanks guys. Not sure how to remove the inner bag, doesn't appear to come of unless tanneau open. Ideas??
Tried and retried 12v trick and it just clicks. Is it worth cutting the bag off and replacing the bag? Should just be seized locks if I can get in!

 

Try reversing the polarity ...

 

I'd cut the bag at the seam and then later try to repair it out of sight. I'm still not convinced access would be that easy. Alternatively I'm not sure if you could unbolt the rear of the torneau cover where the hinge mechanism mounts to the car body, that way you could lift it up from the back.

 

Getting somewhere!!!
With the encouragement of a friend I cut along the seem of the bag and unlocked the 5th bow, got hood down manually and could work in ease!
Took motor off and took it apart, nothing apparent wrong, put it back together, put 12v across and it worked, now can open and close latches from the plug in the boot. Excellent, thought problem was solved, all back together and "check soft top"!
Anyone know How I check micro switches are working in tanneau with a multimeter???
Does module need to be reset now with tech 2?

 

When a microswitch is closed it will be grounded so measuring the resistance between the relevant pin on the STC module plug and ground should be close to 0 ohms, Pin 29 of the STC module plug is ground. Disconnect the plug and start measuring
Main Ram upper switch (fully extended) - Pin 2
Main Ram lower switch (fully retracted) - Pin 16
5th Bow Ram upper switch (fully extended) - Pin 31
5th Bow Ram lower switch (fully retracted) - Pin 3
Cover Ram lower switch (fully retracted) - Pin 18
Windshield Reed switches (closed) - Pin 34 left, Pin 19 right
5th Bow Intermediate switch (this is the position of the 5th bow in the closed roof position, the ram is neither full extended (raised 5th bow) or fully retracted (top fully down) - Pin 4
5th Bow Latch switches (in cover) (closed) - Pin 17 left, Pin 32 right
Cover Latch switches (closed) - Pin 5 left, Pin 33 right
Storage Bag switches (bag up) - Pin 30

So for example with the roof in the fully closed position the following switches should be closed (grounded)
Windshield (both), Main Ram (upper), 5th Bow Intermediate, 5th Bow Latches (both), Cover Latches (both), all others should be open (note the Storage Bag switch will vary depending on storage bag position in trunk).

I would multimeter each switch in a position when it is meant to be open and closed and make sure it matches up.

The top does the following steps when attempting to open, lower and stow away.
1. The 5th bow unlatches (this is electronic), you now know all about this step.
2. The 5th bow raises to a vertical position.
3. The torneau cover will unlatch and raise to a near vertical position.
4. The 5th bow will start to lower.
5. The 1st bow (and bows 2-4) will also start to retract, at the same time the 5th bow passes past it's intermediate position and retracts into the storage bag.
6. The 1st bow continues to retract until it is full retracted and in the storage bag.
7. The torneau cover closes and latches.

Once one step is completed the STC module waits for a signal from one of the various micro switches before proceeding to the next step, if the signal isn't received with in a certain amount of time the system will error and message will display on the SID.

So for example once the 5th bow unlatches (and the 5th bow latch micro switches are open) the 5th bow will raise, the torneau cover wont unlatch until the STC module receives the signal from the upper 5th bow ram micro switch that the 5th bow is fully vertical.
Also the next step can not be completed if there is a problem with the hydraulic system (motor, pump, hoses, rams, valves, etc).

By releasing the emergency pressure valve (and manually unlocking the torneau cover) you can manually move the top throughout it's entire range of motion and measure the micro switches (via the above info) to make sure they all report the correct condition (open when they should be open, closed when they should be closed). If all the micro switches check out then start looking at the hydraulic system, common failures are leaking hoses and rams, but I have also seen the internal seals of the pump leak and the valves not correctly respond to the STC module.

No Tech II should be necessary (though it will help diagnosing the generic "Soft Top Failure" message) for the og9-3 convertible system, the only time it is required would be if you were replacing the valves since they share a common bus they each get programmed to their specific position so they know when to accept a command from the STC module and when to ignore it. If you replace the valves with used ones, then as long as you place them in their original positions they don't need to be reprogrammed.

 

3. The torneau cover will unlatch and raise to a near vertical position.

Is there an electric motor that raises the tonneau cover upright? All the steps outlined work correctly on my car except the tonneau cover does not raise upward. If I have someone manually lift the tonneau cover up at the correct time I. The entire process, the top folds down correctly.

I just don't see what flips the tonneau cover up and down.

 

Wow! Wil try my best with this one, ill post results
Thankyou for incredible help, was really struggling to find info

 

No the cover lifts via a hydraulic ram and a mechanism behind the carpet on the right side of the trunk. If your only problem is the cover not opening check the shear pin/u joint.

 

Sorry guys, non stop rain is putting a halt to thing at the moment. When it finally stops I'll test for microswitches from stc module. The joys of living in the uk!

 

Right, between rain and work here it is:
Roof closed-
windshield- 34.5 ohms
Main ram, 5th bow intermediate, 5th bow latches, RH cover latch, fully retracted, - 1.4/ 1.5 ohms
LH cover latch, cover ram, 5th bow ram lower, 5th bow ram upper, main ram lower- OPEN

Roof open-
RH cover latch, main ram lower, 5th bow ram lower, stowage- 1.4/1.5 ohms
All the rest OPEN

I unplugged The left hand cover microswitch and measured continuity, on and off, this showed on meter as open and 1.5. I have made sure it clicks as cover sits.
Something I'm missing here??
Remembering tech 2 read 5th bow ready to latch switch time out, LH& RH.... They appear ok??

 

The 5th bow latches aren't right. With the roof closed they should both be 1.5 ohms with the roof open they should both be infinite ohms.

Remember that connector you used for manually powering the 5th bow latches, well the other 4 wires are for the micro switches. I would check continuity between that connector and the STC module connector (I'm not sure what pins on the 6 wire connector match the STC module connector, but I imagine the wire color remains the same. Then check the other side of the 6 wire connector and the connecters at the micros switches themselves.

Again measure the micro switches and activate them manually to make sure you go from infinite ohms to 1.5 ohms.

Looks like the RH side one is sticking in the closed position and LH side one in the open position regardless of if the micro switch is being activated or not.

Sometimes the problem can be hard to spot since the switch will appear fine when you manually test it, but there is a loose internal connection that can through it off. Also make sure the metal arms are bent correctly so the latch eye depresses them fully when closed.

 

Thanks, will trace wires and try. Think I'm getting muddled with the names,
Are the 5th bow latches are showing ok? 1.5 with roof closed, infinite with roof open.
Are the 'cover latches' the ones I'm testing fixed to the underside of tonneau cover as I thought they were the 5th bow latches??

 

cover latches are located inside the rear inner fenders on the top outer edges

5th bow latches reside under the tonneau

btw - I got rid of my "check top" error light by adjusting the 'prongs' on the microswitches located @ each cover latch so that they now are contacted with the closing tonneau

 

I can hear the microswitch click at the correct time for the tonneau cover. So the cover latches are at the top of tonneau next to top of seat back?

 

I made a lot of progress by manually lowering the top (see owners manual) then using the hydraulic system to raise it.

That way you can further isolate your problem, as in it works up to x point...

 

My bad, I read it wrong. You probably just need to adjust the metal tabs on the torneau cover latch switches to make sure they are activated when the cover is down. These wont really cause much of an issue but you will get an error message every time you drive away if the STC module doesn't think the torneau cover is properly secured.

 

I don't get the 'check soft top' message but nothing unlatches or moves when I try and lift top electrically, there is a noise though.

 

Lift from the fully down and cover latched position? If the electrical noise you hear is the pump motor then it sounds like you have a hydraulic issue, though at that point there are no valves for the ram, fluid flow is controlled purely via the relays. Is the emergency valve fully closed and tight?