Top switch failure?
 

My Boxster is now 11 years old, and I'm beginning to think about what kinds of things are going to fail in the coming years--this isn't a complaint thread--I just recognize that electrical components fail with time and heavy use, like the headlight switch and the ignition switch.

How about the top switch? That's getting pretty heavy use. Have many people had to replace these? I was thinking about actually carrying a spare on-board. It's easy enough to replace on the road.

Other than fuses, of course, what other kinds of electrical spares are people carrying?

The only switches I have replaced are the ignition switch and turn signal (three switch) tree. I have owned my 2001 Boxster for 7 1/2 years and now have 227,000 miles on it. As far as other electronic components, I have replaced O2 sensors and light bulbs... That's it.

Switches are actually tested to perform for thousands of uses. I doubt your "heavy use" top switch is used as heavily as you think.

Well, heavy-use in relative terms. I've never even touched my central locking switch in two years, for instance.

Sounds like the top switch is fairly robust, though. Great.

The top switch in the dash will last forever. The switch that is most likely to fail is the top microswitch in the windshield header that tells the computer whether the top is latched or unlatched. http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/27370-top-not-working-fixed.html

Oh, the other switches that I've had to replace are the clutch and brake light switches under the dash on their respective pedals. Both are inexpensive and easy.

What indications did you have when the clutch switch went bad?

Sometimes the car wouldn't start. I thought it was the ignition switch but eventually figured out that the clutch switch was intermittant (clutch switch is used as an interlock to keep owners from starting the car in gear). Replaced it and everything was back to normal.

Same here !!! Replaced at 90K 1999 all original