Apr 5th, 2010 by Ross Edwards
Convertibles are great. You can feel the wind in your hair and get some sun while driving. Part of the appeal of a convertible is that you get to choose when you have the top down and when you have it up. Unfortunately, some Porsche Boxster Spyder owners have found that their choice to have the top up at high speeds has been overruled by the car. Porsche is recalling nine Boxster Spyder models because of a problem with the latch that secures the soft top, which can become detached at high speeds and open unexpectedly, according to Inside Line.
“It is possible that the locking hook on the sun shield [temporary soft top] may not engage correctly into the lock catch which is positioned on the windscreen frame of the vehicle,” The NHTSA said in its official explanation of the Porsche Boxster Spyder recall. “If the sun shield is not fully locked, the sun shield can open when traveling at higher speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.”
The Porsche Boxster Spyder recall only affects nine cars because the high-performance Spyder uses a manually-opening soft top, while the standard Boxster uses an automatic one. This saves 46 lbs compared to a standard Boxster. The Boxster Spyder has a top speed of 166 miles per hour, but only 124 with the top closed, according to Porsche.
The Porsche Boxster Spyder recall will begin in April. Boxster Spyder owners affected by the recall will be contacted by Porsche, and the locking hook for their sunscreen will be replaced with a redesigned one.