well when you push the clutch pedal down, the pedal phisically touched this little lever, and you can start the car, thats all. so all you gotta do is put a zip tie around it do you have no need to push the pedal down. thats all. so it actually has nothing to do with the clutch itself, but the clutch pedal.
once you get under ther you will see what im talking about.
on my previous 2 BMWs i didnt need to press the pedal down at all

anyone know if that affects the clutch itself at all? it seems like the car would think that that the clutch pedal is down all the time? or is it just a an electrical contact isolated to the ignition?

im sure it has nothing to do with the clutch since ure not pushing the pedal at all

I never knew that my Benz did that !

I tried it this morning and sure enough, turn and let go and the car starts...

Thanks, djomlas :p

Nick

buy now saab later....I love that joke

Hey Nick, FYI, that key fob will also open and close your windows & sunroof.

It's solely used as an ignition interlock. Nothing more.

The clutch actuation is still hydraulic and this hack doesn't affect the hydraulics in any way.

I think this clutch lockout mechanism is a USA only spec, as neither my UK spec Boxster nor my Australian 996 cabriolet had this 'feature'.
I guess its something to do with the USA car market being primarily automatic cars, so American drivers are less used to checking that the car is out of gear before starting it?

Having to push down on the clutch pedal to start the car is a US thing. It has been around for like 30 years.

I am on a few UK Boxster boards. ROW 986s don't have it. But I think they have been saying they now have it with the 987.

all the VWs in europe that my dad had, as well as a POS Yugo, didn't have this feature, meaning that you HAD to push the clutch in to turn the car on, so i dunno...

I was just discussing the push button start with someone the other day. I drove a BMW E90 that had this key that looked like just the fob without the actual key. I looked at it for a second and then went out to the car. Found a hole it fit in and waited, nothing was happening, then I saw the "start button". Felt like an idiot but, I had never seen that before. I work at a body shop so I had spectators, that were laughing.:rolleyes:

But, instead of that pesky one turn of the key, now it's lengthened to more steps. I don't get it. Lexus is pretty cool that you just have to have the key in your pocket and it'll read it. I just wonder when it got so inconvenient to twist the key.

Yeah, in my wife's lexus the key never leaves your pocket or purse. I find it incredibly convenient. When you approach the car, it senses the key, when you touch the handle it unlocks and opens, when you push the button it starts and drives.

If I had to use a key and a button, I would question the throw-back technology.

Can someone post a DIY guide on how to install a push to start button or a link to one please?

Hmmm
 

Old is new again.. my 1949 Hudson convertible had a push button starter as did many others up and including 1953.

But hey if you think they are cool go for it.

Seems to be an answer to a question nobody asked. :D

I've tried the links on two different computers. They aren't working. But, I'm sure it's a nice button. :rolleyes:

Even older than that ... my 1930 Ford Model A that I restored while in high school had a floor-mounted starter button. Some Model T's also were fitted with starters in the 1920s and they too had the starter button on the floor.