Boxster S Transmission Failure... Help?
 

Well, I have a Porsche Boxster S 2003MY with a Tiptronic S transmission.

The issue started 2 months ago when the car was being driven very smoothly and suddenly one day an Emergency Tiptronic Mode on the 4th gear appeared, I turned the car off then on again and everything seemed normal. Nevertheless things started getting worse ever since that day (of course I had changed the transmission fluid), until what the problem is right now.

When the car is turned on, after a long night sleep there is no way the shifter would shift, as you know the car drives off with 2nd gear, while it appears on 2nd gear on the dashboard it actually is being driven on 1st gear, so I basically have to keep on trying to drive it around the house for around 15-20 mins so that the car would heat up for the transmission to work normal again... So basically the car cannot be driven on a cold start.

Also, the 5th is always slipping.

So as I suppose the transmission is dead? can it by any chance be rebuilt? or I'll have to go into a 3-4k $ issue to buy another transmission?

Who changed the fluid? Is it the proper ATF?
Check the level when the transmission is at 100 F (38 C). It often needs to be topped up after a fluid change. (I topped mine up 3 times. ) the transmission will behave oddly when the fluid is low.

was the filter changed when the fluid was changed ????

It sounds from the off that it isnt working properly until the fluid has heated up and the viscosity changed. If the filter is clogged up from repeated changes without being changed that would cause similar effects.

I think you are dead on Bruce! There was a show on Discovery where a couple of locals to you rebuild cars, they had a boxster same symptoms, and that was exactly the issue. If the OP can find the show it had a pretty good video of the process!

Oh f*** me ! Wheeler Dealers.. Mike Brewer is a chop! they butchered that boxster (and pretty much everything else they touch !)

I have a couple of Range Rovers and the big thing with those is, to change the gear oil and filter..

regularly people come on the forums with gearboxes being lazy and acting up, a gear oil and filter change should be the first stop with any new purchase, it's something that often gets ignored.. it's often like breathing new life into a box. people change the engine oil and filter but not the gear oil!!


The porsche engines and gearboxes are precision engineering, gear oil and filter should never be ignored ! ;)

Thank you guys for your replies

I took it to a Transmission specialist with over 35 years of experience, turned out to have a speedometer malfunctioning as well as having to strip the transmission and rebuild it, that would cost around 1200$.
An Air Mass sensor needs to be changed as well for what it showed on the Scanner.

As soon as im done from that I will have to sell the car and go for an E92 335i coupe or an E46 M3... what are your thoughts?

Transmission rebuild What is the diagnosis ? like i said it sounds like it needs a fluid and filter change.. try that first and see what the results are

What did the scanner show for diagnosis on the Air Mass Sensor ? I've just ordered a replacement one due to the the live data showing an issue. see here : http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/56733-lambda-high-no-fault-codes.html

$1200? what is the exchange rate that's a great price for a rebuild!

too great ! to rebuild a transmission it will be at least that in parts, let alone the labour.

the torque converter is £1700 for OEM

I can get remanufactered torque converters for about 450 or even less. Those are simple enough that a remanufactered unit is no biggie. I think those trans are pretty generic but still, that's one hell of a price.

maybe its' a good price bearing in mind it's beruit.. however, i'm interested to know the daignosis is for a transmission rebuild

Health, last week it was 1 Euro = $1.07 USD... :-)

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okay so 1.07 x 1200 = 1284

That is a very good price for R & R and rebuild!

Hell yes..!

I paid to GBox +/- $4k to rebuilt my 6 speed gearbox (however my second gear was totally toast and required manufacturing a new gear and synchro ring), but honestly I am very happy the way is working now.

Also, I requested them to install an OS Giken LSD which further inflated the bill, but it was worth it and do not have any regret doing it so, it's like a completely different car I love it..

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