Boxster immobilized
 

I have a 1998 Boxster, tiptronic. I am installing a new radio.
Somewhere along the line I must have shorted something, because now
the car won't start. There is full power to the instrument cluster,
but when the key is turned to "start" nothing happens -- no crank, no
sound.

I have a Durametric. It returns a Code 25 fault, as shown in dm1.jpg.
The fault will clear, as shown in dm2.jpg, but returns when the key
is turned to Start, as shown in dm3.jpg. The status of the various
inputs is shown in dm4.jpg and dm4a.jpg.

My research indicated that the electrical portion of the ignition
switch might be the culprit, so I replaced it, but that did not
resolve the problem or change anything.

One clue to the problem may lie in the fact that the orange radio
wire, which is supposed to carry 12v when the ignition switch is in
the accessory position, has less than a volt when the switch is turned
to "accessory." A photo of the wire in question is dm5.jpg. A
Boxster book indicates that this wire is fused to E1, which is also a
fuse for the alarm system, I believe. Fuse E1 has 12v on both sides,
but that power is not being carried to the end of the orange wire, so
I am sure this is relevant to the alarm/starting issue. Note that the
starting problem arose only when I started tinkering with the radio.

All fuses in the kick panel are good, as well as the small fuse in the
immobilizer under the seat and the big fuse on the DME in the trunk.
In addition, every fuse in the kick panel has 12v going in and out.

Finally, note that the circuit board in the key head to turn the locks
on and off remotely does not work -- it is not even in the head. This
has not presented a problem as I lock the doors manually through the
door. I assume the transponder pill is ok, or I would be getting a
different code, and if that were the problem, the orange wire would
carry the proper voltage.

Please help!! Thanks.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/dm11328197572.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/dm21328197584.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/dm31328197595.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/dm41328197606.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/dm4a1328197620.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01/dm51328197638.jpg

You did not forget to recharge the battery once the radio work done right?

If you short anything on the car, one or more fuse(s) will pop before anything else so just take your time and no panic brotha! Can't be anything other than that really

... and to be even less helpful, have you tried removing the radio and trying without it on the circuit? Not sure if anyone seen a 'bad' radio unit but it could well be a first.

Good thing you stopped by this forum. There are pretty switched on members here so just give it a rest for a day or two and all should be back to normal soon.

Best of luck man. Feel ya

wire nuts... *shudders*

i doubt it's your ignition switch (unless for some odd reason you felt the need to mess with it during the radio install). have you got voltage out of the battery? any lights come on in the accessory key position?

my guess is either dead battery or an error in radio wire connections.

EDIT: and welcome to the forums!

check out these threads:

http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/8748-immobiliser-problem-can-someone-help.html

http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/20495-how-reset-iginition-immobilizer.html

wire nuts ? Please get rid of them. Then start over.

The alarm system is in alarm and is trying to tell everyone your radio has been stolen. Are your parking lights blinking?

Find this and unplug it, it's on the bottom side of the radio opening.

[IMG]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...t/P3140320.jpg[/IMG]

I had exactly the same problem. I had been poking around with my stereo try to get to the 12v accessory switch wire to run power to so extras. After I put it all back together I tried to start the car and just got silence. I also measured about 1v on the accessory line after that which had been 12v earlier when I tested it with a voltmeter.

After reading this post and some off the links I tried the whole business with putting up the soft-top, rolling up the windows and shutting myself in to try and start it with different keys. Still nothing. I even bypassed the clutch switch.

Finally, and dont give me a hard time for doing this last, I checked the fuses. And I found fuse E1 had blown. I dont have an alarm that Im aware of. I don't even have remote locking. It hadnt occurred to me I had an immobilizer but Im guessing it uses the E1 fuse somehow.

Anyone know what the wire is that Paul is holding?

That wire when grounded signals the alarm system that the radio has been removed. It attaches to a spade on the radio mounting frame.

I dont think I have that wire. I removed my stereo and had no problems. Maybe more evidence that I dont have the alarm system.