Car continues to stay on after key is removed? (key switch problem?)

[Wonko The Sane]

So I just got to work today (I'm in central PA where it is officially an Ass-Cold -8 degrees in the morning). When I went to get out of my car, the engine stopped, but the car itself never turned off.. The stereo and everything attached to "accessory" line on the key switch stayed on. Has anyone else had this happen to them? It seems to "stick" on more in cold weather, but it normally turns off when I close my door. Today it did not.

Edited to say that this is a 97 986 with 90k miles on it. Forgot to include that, sorry!

[Burg Boxster]

Sounds like your ignition switch is going/gone bad - very common problem. Easy DIY and about $25 in parts.

[Wonko The Sane]

Is there any better place to get the switch than at the dealer?

[RandallNeighbour]

Oh yeah! FleaBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-Porsche-Carrerra-996-Boxster-911-Ignition-Switch-OE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33576QQihZ015QQitemZ 250080239550QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

The stealership won't sell you just this part. From what I've been told, they tell you to replace a lot more and it costs hundreds of dollars. This is all you need though.

Mine went out at 84k on a 97, although I had different wierd things happening to the car... my AC wouldn't work, then my windshield wipers stopped working, then the windows didn't operate, etc. It was freaky.

BTW, you can jiggle the key and while pushing it in hard and probably get it to still work if you are in a pinch again.

[Wonko The Sane]

Thanks for the link, I've got one on order...

Edit: Wow, that really sucks.. I haven't had anything too crazy happen to me because of it.... yet.. Either way, I hope it doesn't take them too long to get it to me, since they're in CT, it's only a few states over.


Thanks again!

[CJ_Boxster]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Oh yeah! FleaBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-Porsche-Carrerra-996-Boxster-911-Ignition-Switch-OE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33576QQihZ015QQitemZ 250080239550QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

The stealership won't sell you just this part. From what I've been told, they tell you to replace a lot more and it costs hundreds of dollars. This is all you need though.

Mine went out at 84k on a 97, although I had different wierd things happening to the car... my AC wouldn't work, then my windshield wipers stopped working, then the windows didn't operate, etc. It was freaky.

BTW, you can jiggle the key and while pushing it in hard and probably get it to still work if you are in a pinch again.

After you installed the new switch, does your key need to me jiggled a bit before the key can turn? Mine sometimes needs abit of jiggle to go into the on position and sometime it just turns with ease. Is the new one like rotating a a philips screwdriver through butter?

[RandallNeighbour]

After my new one was installed, it turns fine and there's no jiggling or fiddling with it. It may not have been installed correctly, or your new one has broken already.

They are made of cheap plastic and do break. My mechanic keeps a half dozen of them in his toolbox for the inevitable day that every single 996 and 986 customer of his calls and says that mysterious things are happening with their electrical systems.