Help! Shifter problems
 

So I have been having a problem with my Boxster that has been increasing in frequency, so I figured I would post about it. It's a little hard to describe with words so I uploaded a YouTube video to describe.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Well the loose shift knob may be as simple as a loose hex head bolt. On my shift knob I believe it's a 5 or 6 mm. First thing you would have to do is lift the shift boot from the center console. It just snaps off, but be very careful because the plastic tabs are easily broken. Next find hex head bolt, mine was in the front just below the knob. Tighten and done.

The shifter not going into third or higher could be the cables binding on something. That seems like where i'd start looking since you are able to wiggle it back to working.

Has someone installed a short shift kit on this car. The reason I ask is the shift knob is loose which would not be too normal unless it was disassembled. The cable being miss adjusted would be the second clue. I would guess you need to take the console apart and adjust the lateral cable. Pelican has a good write up on how and there is a post on here from about 2 months ago.

Your left/right cable attachment is on the left side of the shifter mechanism underneath, and when you move the shifter left/right it moves and arm and pushes its shift cable forward and backwards. I have seen these deteriorate, my forward/back one was falling apart with a big piece of rubber hanging off the side and it was binding up. I would recommend to pop off the shift handle/cover and see if you can peek down there with a flashlight; otherwise go ahead and take the whole center console off so you can see. I did it and it only took about an hour for my first time. (When I put it back on I trapped the passenger seatbelt end under the center but that's another story...)

It may be as simple as something like that. If your cable end is degraded, then this is the new part that you need:

Transmission Control Manual Transmission

Part number 10 is the cable end for when you move the shifter left/right, and 11 is the cable end for when you move the shifter forward/back.

If you do go in there you might as well replace them both, or what I did was get the whole shifter assembly from the 987 generation boxster, which included the two cable ends as well as all new parts (including bushings etc, already assembled)

99742401000 - Gearshift Bracket For Manual Transmissions - ES#1499714

These may not be the cause but it might be one place to start. If it is from a previous short shifter then you would need to take it off anyway to look at it, so you can inspect the cable ends at that time.

Good luck!

Steve