03 Boxster S guages

[fredpayne]

Thanks a lot that is perfect, exactly what I needed to know, in the link you sent, it had one thing I wasn't sure about:

"Remove the negative terminal of your battery before you start, and have your radio code handy."

I know to remove the battery cable, but why the radio code, plus I have no clue where that is or what to do with it, I can do the rest, but this has me puzzled.

[Thumper]

You need the radio code in order to re-activate your radio once the battery has been reconnected. The code is a security code meant to discourage thieves from stealing your stereo, as it won't work without the code. It's a 4 digit number that should be included in your set of manuals on a separate card, or in my case the card was missing, but the previous owner had written it down on the inside cover of the maintenance manual.

[fredpayne]

Hmmm, I find that extremely interesting, I have disconnected my battery several times and the radio worked fine when I re-connected, I see you are in McKinney, I am in Carrollton, when I get this project finished, hopefully by the weeks end I am taking it to RUF to have a little OBC programming done. So I should be totally finished by next week early, I broke the cam off of the green connector in the back of the cluster, I have a new one with a 6"pigtail of wires hanging out, I just need to match them all up, solder them and use a little heat shrink around each one. When I get all finished maybe we can meet up and have a cold beer.

Originally Posted by Thumper

You need the radio code in order to re-activate your radio once the battery has been reconnected. The code is a security code meant to discourage thieves from stealing your stereo, as it won't work without the code. It's a 4 digit number that should be included in your set of manuals on a separate card, or in my case the card was missing, but the previous owner had written it down on the inside cover of the maintenance manual.

[Thumper]

I just noticed that you have an '03 (not sure why I missed that earlier) which means that you have the CAN BUS system which would mean that you don't need a radio code. My '01 is the older system where a radio code is required after a disconnect of the battery power.

I broke one of the locking cams off of my cluster harness too. I have the kit to repair it, but just haven't gotten around to tearing it back apart. The connector still seats just fine without it and doesn't vibrate loose. There is a tool that you can use to remove the pins from the broken connector and put them into the replacement connector which would keep you from having to splice/solder anything.

I need to get my Boxster down to RUF for some service work myself. Just been too busy at work these days. A frosty cold adult beverage sounds good.

[fredpayne]

From best I can tell after all the research and everything I have read and tried, I need a 2001 to 2004 Boxster S Tiptronic cluster, this is supposedly all that will work. Thanks

[fredpayne]

I purchased an 03 from another 986forum member, his handle is spine911, hopefully this will solve everything, You have been a huge help and I appreciate it very much, my only concern now is that I don't get the PROTECT message on my radio like I did on the one I got from Oklahoma.