Replacing the ignition switch in these cars is a job for a double-jointed midget, so don't get upset about it ;) Just take your time and you will be fine.

Oddly enough, I happen to be a double-jointed midget, so it's still a mystery.:confused: But thanks for the encouragement.

We’re going to need pictures of that.

Somewhere else I read that a q-tip soaked in lacquer thinner and applied to the red paint on the set screws will break down the paint making it easier to unscrew them.

I know this switch change is "in my future" but I dread thinking of doing it. Maybe I'll try it in the parking lot of my "indy shop" so if (or when) I fail I won't have to tow the car to him.....LOL

I finally found my tube of Permatex dielectric grease. I believe it would be a capital idea to use it on the new switch's terminals to protect against corrosion and ward off another switch failure. Corrosion on electrical contacts is a frequent cause of component failure.

This afternoon I proudly showed my collection of tools to a couple girlfriends, and they just shook their heads. They couldn't even appreciate the beauty of my gorgeous new torque wrench! They made japes at my expense. However, when something goes haywire with their rides, I'm the first person they call for advice. Different strokes.

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Indeed, it will happen, it never fails.. LOL

The first time I replaced this switch I struggled for a couple hours before I found the right tool (a jeweller screwdriver is not the right tool). The second time I had to replace this switch, it literally took 10 minutes and was SOOOOO.... easy. All you need is the correct tool. No need to remove the seat or be a super contortionist. One screw is plainly visible and the second you find by feel, but with this "special" tool, it's easy to find.

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I bet you already have this tool.

OK....I have that tool.....but how do you grip it and turn it....fingertips? If it needs to be attached to something like a wrench, driver etc.....how did you maneuver that?

Or a quarter inch box wrench

A flexible shaft screwdriver makes it a lot easier. The tip can be 180* from the handle.

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At first I put it in a small socket but realized I didn't need that. It's easier with just the bit. It's a perfect fit so you can feel it slot into the screw which is slightly recessed. These are tiny set screws so there isn't a lot of torque on them. You can turn it with just your fingers. The important thing is the positive contact. You will struggle to get that positive contact with any other contraption. This was the smallest of my flathead bits. Any bigger won't fit.

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The correct replacement switch finally got here and I'm happy to report it's installed and works like a charm. I must say, it was easier putting the switch in than it was taking it out. Breaking those set screws loose turned it into a @*$%^#! ordeal. Other folks didn't have as much of a problem with them, so I guess mine were just exceptionally stubborn. By the way, Phillips set screws would make the job much less aggravating; it's tough to orient a blade with the slot.

Putting the side vent back in was another ordeal. I really had to reef on it to get it seated. But I finally did and then I secured it with its three Torx screws. ** cue ominous music ** The Torx screw that goes in the light switch socket didn't seem to tighten. But the vent seemed solidly mounted, so I called it good. Then I noticed a pink plastic "speed nut" laying on the floormat. I slowly bonked my forehead on the steering wheel repeatedly, realizing why the Torx screw in the light switch socket wouldn't tighten. At such times, I question my sanity in doing my own repairs.

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Now... I could just shrug and let it go. But it would cause anxiety potentials in my brain's positronic pathways, so that's unacceptable. Sometimes being afflicted with Perfectionist Syndrome is a pain in the ass. Anyway, after I psych myself up again for the undertaking, I'll wrestle the vent out again and set things right. Once more unto the breach, dear friends...

I want to thank newBgeek and JFP for their suggestions that I use a screwdriver bit on those set screws, with a small rachet to tighten, which worked better than a screwdriver. Wish I'd used them to loosen the set screws; it wouldn't have been such a gawdawful ordeal.

Also pretty handy was this telescoping, LED-illuminated, multi-adjustable inspection mirror. Highly recommended for these types of tasks.

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I like the idea of a lightened mirror.. :-)

LWG, some of the reviews of the LED inspection mirrors (Amazon) made the comment that they were not that helpful due to being somewhat blinded by the light source pointed back towards not only what you're trying to see...but also towards your face.

Not a problem in your experience? Curious, because I'm tempted to pick one up!

I covered the LEDs with a strip of beige masking tape and then just enough light shined through to illuminate the subject but not enough to blind me. A dab of clear silicone sealer over each LED might be another solution.

Simple but effective, very industrious of you.

I've had those cheapo dental mirrors before, but places you tend to need them invariably lack enough light to see much of anything. And trying to work a penlight into the equation is the height of frustration.

This, on the other hand, sounds very viable, thanks!

My inspection mirror has become one of my most useful tools. Before I got it, I made one. Aside from its lack of LEDs, my makeshift inspection mirror didn't have a telescopic handle and the mirror wasn't mounted on ball joints, so it was inflexible as to position. Pull the trigger, Frodo. You won't be sorry.

JFP, this photo makes me laugh every time I see it. That girl has a body for working on Porsches.

Good, it was meant to :)

And just a by-the-by, I have owned and used the same mirror you purchased for many years; it is always the one I reach for when trying to see something that is behind something else............

When last I checked in, I was facing pulling the vent again and reinstalling the speed nut that had fallen out onto the floor mat. Still haven't done it yet, but there's a good reason for my procrastination. I was fiddling with the lights and found that I had only low beams, apparently the result of jockeying the vent around. I started to check the connection to the light switch, but then I said to myself, "You might get the switch working again, but why take a chance? As long as the vent is out anyway it would be a good idea to also replace the light switch." I always heed my advice.

I figured the light switch would cost about the same as the ignition switch ($15). I was wrong. Utterly, drastically wrong. Porsche wants $241 for the real McCoy. That's Porsche for you. Fortunately, Amazon carries an exact replica of the OEM version for $79.50, one-third the cost of OEM. It'll be here Wednesday. In the meantime I also ordered a set of Torx screwdrivers, magnetized. They'll be much more convenient than the kludge of Torx bits and extensions I've been using that don't fit into certain places, such as in the tunnel for the Torx screw under the knob for the lights.

.So I'm treading water until Wednesday.

The $79.50 special from Amazon. Looks just like the $241 job from Porsche.

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I always try to save a few bucks whenever possible. BUT, having said that I'd bit the bullet and install the Porsche branded part due to the difficulty and time it takes to install the part. Not to say any part could be defective right out of the box but I'd hate to take a chance that I might be UN-installing then re-installing. The $161 dollar difference is "negligible" ....but it's not my money, so easy for me to say.

Well the headlight switch is easy to replace and the cheaper part will most likely be fine. I replaced one with a used on from low mileage car a few years ago and it and it worked great.

Please keep us posted regarding your experience with the Amazon switch. I had a problem with my headlight switch a few years ago. Based on information from this forum, I resolved it by soaking the switch with electrical contact cleaner. It has been working fine, but I will probably replace it the next time it gives me a problem.

The price for the OEM Porsche part does trigger sticker shock.

The new light switch is installed and the lights now work perfectly. However, the vent is not back in the dash, because all the speed nuts were sprung (which is why one fell out onto the floor mat). It's crucial that they stay in place in order to secure the vent with the Torx screws. My patent-pending solution:

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Actually, there are three speed nuts, but you get the idea. As for my solution, you know what they say — necessity plays with the Mothers of Invention (or something like that). I'll let my invention do its stuff overnight and then I'll wrestle the vent into place tomorrow. (BTW, I wish the stripes in the Porsche crest on the hood weren't cloudy, but the price for a new crest is one arm, one leg, so I guess I can live with this one a while.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ameMlSYYE04

Replacing the old crest doesn't look too difficult. The only tricky part concerns fastening the speed nuts that hold the crest in place. I have found that my fingers, small parts and tight spaces are not a good combination.

Not too worried about the difficulty of replacing the crest. Compared to replacing the ignition switch, which involved breaking loose obstinate set screws I couldn't see, it's a walk in the park. I AM concerned about the cost. An OEM crest from Porsche costs $173. Amazon has one for only $20, but the workmanship looks crude. Anyway, thanks for the YouTube link, Kevin. It might come in handy if I find a crest for a price that won't blow my hair back.

In the meantime I'm going to look for a magic potion (rubbing compound?) that will get rid of the cloudiness in the stripes.