89 Cabriolet (1993 model) - new owner with problems!

[tonywitney]

Hi all, I am now the proud owner of a 1993 89 Cabriolet, in black. It looks stunning, but has a couple of things wrong with it. The obvious is the rear screen is very murky, and has a small tear in it. Does anyone know if this can be repaired easily? I have looked around a little, and one Ebay advert offers the replacement with new item (fitted) for £295 GBP. Is that a good deal, or is there better options out there? Can the opaqueness be removed?
The second problem concerns the roof action, or lack of it. The storage lid won't operate, so I can't store the roof. I'm not sure whether this stops the roof from operating, but I will check tomorrow whether the roof operates but the lid won't open.
Is there a common fault for this, or could it be one of many things? I have done a bit of research on it, but the search brought up so many variables that I didn't want to over-confuse myself!
Does anyone know of a decent Audi specialist in the Berkshire area? I'm based near Bracknell.
I also need something to guide me through the workings of the car, i.e., a manual or handbook pack. Any ideas or any availability?

Thanking you in advance, I hope someone can help out here, my limited mechanical knowledge does not stretch to fixing the roof issues!

 

[Rev-head]

The first Q:http://www.autotechnic-online.co.uk/ near you?

They should be able to tell you about roof but probably will be ECU/relay for roof mechanism

Do you have manual or handbook for the car

 

[tonywitney]

The first autotechnic near you? They should be able to tell you about roof but probably will be ECU/relay for roof mechanism. Do you have manual or handbook for the car

Hi there, thanks for the reply. I have these guys on my list of people to contact Monday morning.

The roof lifts up (front and back) after releasing the front pull handle. However, nothing happens at all when I press the button on the door jam. The tonneau cover does not do anything at all. I've tried it with engine on, off, all doors shut (apart from drivers door obviously), rear windows wound down, handbrake on, to no avail.

There seems to be no mechanical (secondary) release mechanism around the tonneau cover neither, but I'll probably go to an Audi garage on Monday, if I have no luck with the independent specialists.

I have no manual or handbook for the car, but am tracking one on Ebay. Do you kn ow where I can get one? I was thinking of contacting Audi to see whether they had any in stock (on my list of things to do Monday).

Any idea what an ECU/Relay replacement costs? Might it not be the wires that are frayed or cut, in the boot area?

 

[Rev-head]

(Hand book)Audi will probably get one for you but might be pricie...if you go to audi they will be able to get you service history and what been done to the car in the past if it was done at a audi garage.....would check all the wiring in the boot as that could be at fault but usaully the whole thing would stop working in that case ...would post up in the VAG.com section http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=27 and see if any users are near you that have it are willing to run a scan for you as if there is any faults electronic in nature it will show them and save you wasting money on trail and error

Cost for ECU vary

 

[tonywitney]

Thanks Rev-Head (Thought I'd replied to this already - must be a gremlin somewhere).

When you say "would check all the wiring in the boot as that could be at fault but usaully the whole thing would stop working in that case", what do you mean by the whole thing? I thought that the roof itself was mechanically moved (i.e., by hand) and the tonneau lid was the thing that was moved electrically/hydraulically? I may be talking rubbish, as (a) I have no handbook and (b) I know nothing about this car, having only bought it yesterday!

I've posted in the section you mentioned, lets see what replies I get. Would a diagnostic reveal any wiring issues, or would it just look at ECU or relay faults? Not to clued up when it comes to diagnostics, as you can probably tell!

 

[atc]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I though all 80 cab's had full electric roofs even '89 Golf cab's were all electric! Start the engine, flip the catches and push the button.

I hate to say it but a lot of people get rid of there 80 cabs becuse the cost of repair of the hood system is prohibitive. There seem to be increasing numbers of cabs coming up with defective roofs for next to no money. Lots of electric motors on an older car is never a good thing. I hope you can get it fixed with out too much cost or hastle!

Best of luck.

 

[tonywitney]

OK, here's an update.

I bought some meguiar convertible screen polish, and spent an hour or so trying to clear the murkiness from the rear screen. It worked up to a point, but where the screen has become too opaque (through repeated folding) it doesn't do much, but at least I can see better out the back now! I've also used some screen repair tape on the 2" gash in the screen, it doesn't look great but it isn't that noticeable, and it'll stay in place.

I took the car to Fontains in Iver (near Slough) and although I was initially unimpressed with their process of investigative problem-solving, they came through in the end.

The car had failed MoT on a number of exterior light failures, the handbrake was inoperative on the drivers side and the wishbone bushes needed replacing. So, I authorised 3 hours of investigative work on the roof inoperation, and to c/o the other MoT failure repairs.

After 2 hours, they were none the wiser, but this morning they called me to tell me that the looms were the culprit (shock/horror!) and had lost the connection between the boot lock mechanism and the roof. They gave me 2 choices; replace the looms or splice the damaged wires. I took the latter choice, due to funds being limited. So they replaced the wishbones (plus something else linked to the wishbones), spliced the wires and replaced the caliper, and hey presto a working roof + the other MoT failure issues (hopefully) fixed! The damaged wires in the looms were also causing the exterior light failures too. The whole repair should cost me less than £600, which isn't too bad.

Anyway, I'll rebook the MoT tomorrow and stick some beam convertors on the headlamps (its a l/h drive) so hopefully all will be well!

I've also ordered a Cabriolet manual from an Audi dealer in Southend (they are like rocking horse *** to procure!) and they will send it to me when it gets in from Germany.

 

[Rev-head]

Good news then glad you got it sorted

If you are needing any bits for it there is one getting stripped at overton scrapyard
http://www.overtongarage.co.uk/

 

[atc]

Good on you for getting it done and so quickly! It'll be a great car when you get it back. By the way what engine have you got?

You say your getting your manual from Southend Audi are you local or are they the only people who could help? If you are in the are there is a specialist near Southend Audi called Peter Breading who really knows his VAG mobiles!

 

[tonywitney]

Thanks Rev-head/atc,

It has a 2.3 engine, which purrs nicely. I was quite surprised at how quiet it was, although when I put my foot down, it does roar nicely. I picked it up this afternoon, drove it back with the roof down, oh joy! (although it was a tad cold). It cost £787 in all, and that was after they took pity on me and knocked 3 hours labour from the 10 it took to repair the various faults!

They also had to replace the handbrake cables, as they were ruptured (they showed me the cables). We did have a bit of confusion when I tried to get the hood down, as the centre console button (just in front of the handbrake) didn't action the hood, but it transpires thats for all window movement, and the hood is manual. It's only the tonneau lid that is actuated electrically.

I'm nowhere near Southend, I was told by my local dealer that they might have an Audi cabriolet instruction manual, but they didn't have one, so they ordered one from Germany.

No bits needed for the audi now, but thanks for the info anyway Rev-head!

 

[atc]

Glad you got it back and got some money off the bill!!!! The 2.3 is a great engine I love the 5 cly engines I used to have a 2L 5 cly '86 coupe I loved that engine. Like a prat I sold it for a '90 Golf GTi, not half as much fun!

The trick to driving a convertable in the cooler weather as I'm sure you have disovered is hood down heater on full and enjoy.

 

[delphi]

Hi Tony,

If the roof storage lid switch should ever fail again you can operate it manually as follows...
1) Lift the small flap infront of the lid (where roof hinges from body) and look inside
2) In here you will see a small catch, just pull it and that side of the lid will popup
3) repeat on the other side
4) now the lid will be open - so just pull it up
Had same problem with my manual hood (1994 2.3E auto) one sunny morning. Fixed the switch when I got home - contacts on the back were just dirty.

As you have already found nobody produces a manual for the Cab.


Mart

 

[tonywitney]

If the roof storage lid switch should ever fail again you can operate it manually as follows...
1) Lift the small flap infront of the lid (where roof hinges from body) and look inside
2) In here you will see a small catch, just pull it and that side of the lid will popup
3) repeat on the other side
4) now the lid will be open - so just pull it up
Had same problem with my manual hood (1994 2.3E auto) one sunny morning. Fixed the switch when I got home - contacts on the back were just dirty. As you have already found nobody produces a manual for the Cab.

Hi Mart, thanks for that. Unfortunately a short while after the loom splicing was done, it failed again. Plus, it failed whilst here in the Czech Republic, under a massive thunderstorm. Took me ages to dry the car out. However, on my car there are no small catches under the flap, only an Allen Key mechanism, into which I managed to wedge a screwdriver to release the lid. Now of course, I have an Allen Key to do the job! I kept meaning to check out the splicing in the wiring in the boot, but never got round to it. When you say the contacts on the switch were dirty, which switch do you mean?

 

[delphi]

Hi Tony,

Glad you managed to figure yours out, must have been a nightmere during a thunderstorm.
As you haven't got the small catches I guess there is a difference to my UK spec Cab. If I get some time I'll get some pics uploaded and place the URL in a post for you to view the catches on my one.

The switch is the storage lid actuator, in the drivers side door shut. Removed mine and there were two spade connectors on the rear which I cleaned with 1200 grit wet/dry paper.
However it's likely a problem with the loom again as it fixed the issue before. Perhaps the garage used the same length of wiring to splice back in but re-doing it with a longer length to give more slack my be more a permanent solution. Manufacturers often use 'just enough' length in a loom so over a large production run they save quite a lot.

I don't have a manual for mine, but the other thing I would check when yours arrives is the wiring diagram. If there is a relay in there for the storage lid and it can be removed, check it for dry solder joints.
Audi Cabs of this age can suffer from this! Have seen fixes for this on electric window issues and fuel and temp gauge not working correctly.
My fuel gauge always read incorrectly and the temp gauge worked intermittantly but after resoldering these joints on my clocks PCB it fixed the issue; one garage had previously stated I needed a new temp and fuel sender.

Mart

 

[delphi]

Tony,

Just another quick thought, you do turn the ignition on before pressing the storage lid cover? It won't work with the ignition off.

Mart