iNowskk

Hey guys,

Owner of a 1994 Audi Cabriolet here. My convertible can't be opened automatically anymore, so I've been working on opening it manually. The thing is, this is pretty hard in itself as well haha, especially to a newbie like me.

Thanks to the helpful members of this site, I figured out how to unlock the FRONT top half of the soft top. The biggest problem that remains is the back end with the boot cover and everything. Apparently, once the top half is brought up, the back is supposed to come up as well. However, for me, it just stays there locked and just doesn't move. I've been trying to find a manual way to unlock the back half (I think the central locking system has just kept it locked or something).

So, today, I decided to take out all of the trunk lining to find out how it looks like and if there were anything obvious to open to unlock, didn't work haha. Anyways, if anyone can show me how to unlock the boot cover and push the back half up, I would appreciate it greatly.

I have attached pictures of the trunk.

Thanks a lot!

danfil

As a fellow newbie I left this thread alone for some time as the experts have covered this previously in other threads.
Firstly close your very clean boot for this operation, I think from memory It should be locked ( with working sensors telling the car its locked) , for auto top down / up operation. But even for manual operation it needs to be closed. Also windows at least partly down or full down.
Unless the hydraulic pump needs fluid or it needs to come out since the electric motor is not creating enough drive for the hydraulics, which is where I am at.

Yes your on the right track disengaging the handle on the windscreen, then get someone to help you the first time the hydraulics may fight you, even with the car off, and its a lot easier. Even though In the photo's I was doing every thing myself including pictures being taken.

For my vehicles first time of the top to come down manually I was helped by two other people, on for the car running operating the switch to bring down the top. The other to assist with this operation.

1.Push the whole front top up and back, this will allow the rear to be lifted.
2. Lift rear window section to expose compartment lid.
3.Then lift the compartment that the roof collapsed fits into.
4. Then fold the roof back down into the compartment
5. fold down the cover. Hey presto roof down.

But its not that easy, there are manual release clips that may need to be released to lift the compartment lid. These are under the flaps on both sides
that a smaller hands fingers can lift up, but are opened when in the second part of operation #2
These can be locked by corrosion or lack of lube.

Hope this helps.

Dan.

danfil

Here are some more pictures of my operation.

danfil

Her are some more pictures of the electrical area to look at for problem solving your auto operation of top, I repaired two wires under the compartment lid, with the roof half up.

iNowskk

Hey danfil,

You sir, are a life-saver. I finally opened the convertible top! Your response and pictures were extremely helpful. Turns out, my problem was that I didn't push the top enough. I found this out when you wrote that the hydraulics were going to fight against me ahaha.

Thank you so much for your help, I hope you enjoy your Cabriolet us much as my dad and I do!

iNowskk