Honda S2000 Convertible Top In-Motion Interlock Bypass
Introduction
The Honda S2000 will not raise or lower its power convertible top once the car is rolling, because a vehicle speed signal locks the top mechanism out above a walking pace. This guide shows how to defeat that speed interlock so the top can be operated while the car is moving, intended for off-road and track use only. The relevant wiring sits behind an interior side trim panel; on later (AP2, roughly 2006-plus) cars the target connectors are reached through the passenger-side pocket, and earlier (AP1) cars differ slightly in trim. Two approaches are covered: interrupting the speed sensor wire so the top works with the parking brake pulled up one click, and an optional second tap that removes even the one-click requirement. The de-pin method keeps the whole job reversible with no soldering. Adapted from a community writeup by LanceM on Club RSX (https://www.clubrsx.com/threads/diy-video-s2000-top-down-up-in-motion-mod.580659/), including corrections from the follow-up discussion.
Reference
Tools Required
- Phillips screwdriver
- Toothpick or fine pick (to release connector locking pins and trim clips)
- Wire cutters or a connector de-pin tool
- Soldering iron (only needed if you cut the wire and later want to rejoin it)
- Test light or multimeter (optional, to confirm a switched ground for the green/white tap)
Parts Required
-
Electrical tape
-
Quick-splice or wire-tap connector (optional, only for the green/white switched-ground method)
Safety Warnings
- ⚠ This defeats a factory safety interlock. Operating a convertible top while the car is in motion is intended for off-road or track use only.
- ⚠ Keep the car under 20 mph whenever cycling the top after the bypass.
- ⚠ Do not cut the green/white wire when using the optional method; tap into it only, as it is a signal line.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Remove the interior side trim panel
Take off the trim panel that covers the target connectors (the passenger-side pocket on later cars). It is held by one screw at its top edge and a plastic clip on each side. Back the top screw out and set it aside. Depress the center of each side clip with a toothpick or fine pick until it releases, then pull the panel off with steady, even pressure. The clips let go easily once their centers are pushed in.
2 Locate the two connectors and identify the target wires
With the panel off, find the pair of connectors behind it. On the right-hand connector, the speed sensor wire is white with a black stripe. On the left-hand connector, the wire used for the optional second method is green/white; it hides behind the green/red wire and is not obvious at first glance. Confirm both before touching anything.
3 Interrupt the speed sensor wire
Disable the speed signal on the white/black-stripe wire. The reversible way is to unclip the connector, pry open its housing, and back the pin for that wire out with a toothpick or de-pin tool, then insulate it; to return to stock later you simply reinsert the pin. Cutting the wire also works, but then restoring it means soldering. With the speed signal broken, the top will cycle once the car reads as stopped.
4 Account for a Modifry DCI installation
If a Modifry DCI is installed and you use its speed-sensitive volume feature, the DCI needs to keep receiving the speed signal. Make the break on the connector side of your DCI splice rather than between the DCI and the head unit, so the audio feature still sees the signal while the top mechanism no longer does. De-pinning the wire at the connector satisfies this and leaves the DCI feed intact.
5 Operate the top using the one-click parking brake method
After the speed wire is interrupted, the top still expects a brake indication. Pull the parking brake up a single click, just far enough to light the BRAKE lamp on the gauge cluster, and the top will raise or lower while rolling. Keep the car under 20 mph whenever you cycle the top this way.
6 Optional: remove the one-click requirement
To operate the top without touching the parking brake, tap a switched ground onto the left connector's green/white wire. Do not cut this wire; splice into it only. Applying a ground to it lights the BRAKE lamp on the cluster and allows the top to run, provided the car is stopped or the speed sensor has already been bypassed. Route the tap to a switch so the ground is only present when you want it.
7 Insulate and reassemble
Wrap any cut or exposed conductor with electrical tape, tidy the harness, and confirm the pins or splices are secure. Reseat the connectors, then refit the trim panel by aligning the two side clips and pressing until they snap home, and reinstall the top screw. Test the top at low speed before relying on the mod.
Pro Tips
- 💡 Backing the pin out of the connector instead of cutting keeps the mod fully reversible: reinsert the pin to return the car to stock with no soldering.
- 💡 On later (AP2, ~2006+) cars the connectors are behind the passenger-side interior pocket; pre-2006 (AP1) cars differ in trim layout, so expect a slightly different panel.
- 💡 If you run a Modifry DCI with speed-sensitive volume, break the signal on the connector side of your DCI splice so the stereo keeps its speed feed.
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