What is this light for?
 

I am a happy new owner of a 98 Boxster but I am also one of the unfortunate owners that did not get an owners manual with his used car. I have a question on the headlight switch. When the lights are on you can pull the switch out one click which turns on your foglights and a yellow indicator light goes on. You can then pull it out one more click and a green indicator light goes on just below the yellow light but I cannot tell what that does. As far as I can tell no other lights go on. Can anyone outh there educate me on this switch.

Thanks :confused:

rear fog light

actually I was told its the light you must turn on (if your in the Germany) if your car is pulled over on the side of the road.

Buy the manual. It is cheap and worth it.

Good luck on your new car.

And visit often!

Its for the parking lights, like tqtran was eluding too. The parking lights on European cars are different than American ones. On our cars, when you turn the parking lights on all four lights come on. On the Euro cars you have to select which side lights to turn on. When parking on the street you are supposed to turn on the lights only on the side of the car facing the street. I am under the impression that parking lights are actually used in Europe. I’m not sure I have ever used them, or ever seen anyone use them here.

I know Mercedes are the same way, I’m not too sure about BMW since most BMWs in the US were actually built here.

Never heard all this hubbub about parking lights and whatnot. Pull the switch all the way out.

Go look at the back of your car. You'll see a bright red light on one side of the car (driver's side in US).

That's what it does. Use it however you will...I use mine when its super foggy or rainy and I don't want someone slamming into the back of my car while driving.

-Kevin

If you turn it on - just to have it on, then it makes it look as if you have two-footed brakes; and you're riding the left one....or like it's: "lighting by Lucas" - "assembly by Yugo".

I saw one go by me one morning, quite light already and it looked like the back light switch was buggered. I have this same EU/CDN lighting on my CDN issue ML320.

Jim

Hmmm, I've read through the trail, so let me try and bring some clarity to the original question.

Pull out the light switch to the first stop, and the front fog lights come on only. Pull it out to the second stop and the front and rear fog lights come on.

The first switch position on the headlight switch turns on all parking lights. To turn on side parking lights, you move the indicator switch to the direction of the middle of the road, before turning the engine and lights off. Only the road side headlight parking and rear light will be on. My VW Passat works in the same way.

European cars are required by law to have one fog light at the back. In the UK, cars are permitted to have two rear lights, but in Germany only one is permitted (to ensure that you don't get confused with brake lights).

It all depends on how serious law enforcement is, as to when you should/can use them. For example, I was stopped by the police in London for driving with my front fog lights on. In Australia people put them on in town, 'cos they think it looks cool.

I find it really annoying when people drive around with the rear light on. Usually they have accidently pulled the switch or put it on in the morning and have forgotten all about it.

Local Australian cars have no fog lights (which is strange, because the thickest fog I have ever encountered has been right here in Oz.

Hope that clarifies it

so why do we call them parking lights in the U.S.A?

Parking lights in the US were intended to help you keep your car safe back in the days when tail lights did not include reflectors. If you pulled over in a dark spot and wanted someone to be able to see your car (remember this was back when headlights were much dimmer too), you'd turn on the parking lights.

Because they didn't include the headlights' drain, you could leave them on for a while to have folks see your car but still have enough battery left to start the car when you wanted to go.

Now that we have 4-way hazard/warning lights, most folks seem to use them for the same purpose, although in a less refined way (FLASH-FLASH-FLASH "See me now" vs Glooowww "Just remember I'm here"...).

I still can't get my front fog lights on. I tried pulling and turning the damn knob...nothing.

You can only get the fog lights on when your headlights are on too.

Oh, do you pull on the knob once the headlights are on?

yep

Man, I learn something new on this board everyday. I drove around this evening turning those lights on and off. What a big difference. I just ended up leaving them on because we have tons of road debris here and I hate driving the Box at night because I keep thinking I’m going to tag a tire retread (again). After reading this post I vaguely remembered something about fog lights in the manual, but I never gave it a second thought after I read it right after I got the car.

I first tried my fog lights about 6 months ago, after rereading the manual. 6 months before that I was reading the manual and learned that my rear window heater switch could be used to warm my mirrors. Yesterday was Sonja's 3rd birthday (date of manufacture) - I still reread the manual once or twice a year.

Funny Looking Green Light Indicator
 

All,

I'm new to the forum, so if my question have been address already please forgive me.

I have a funny looking green light indicator on my 01 Boxster dashboard, it stays on all the time can someone please explain. Please see picture.

Also, where can I pick up a cheap owners manual for my 01 Boxster S?

Super thanks!

Welcome to the Forum.

Your cruise control has been activated. Press the bottom on the crusie control functions (the arm below the controls for the wiper functions).

I have seen cheap owner manuals on ebay

Bill

Thanks, Bill. I will check ASAP. Have a wonderful week.

That's kind of funny. It was the green light and no one even noticed that was what you were talking about from the begining when you said it was GREEN.
As far as I know that is the only green light on the entire dash. Yep, that's your cruise control telling you it is ready to be activited, or in the "on" position. You can turn it off by pressing the button on the bottom of the windshield wiper or trun signal, I forget which one it is located on. I like to leave mine on, so I can just set the cruise control whenever I want. To set the cruise control pull the lever towards you when the green light is on. Also, when set, you can adjust your speed by 1mph up or down by pushing up and pulling down on it (the lever) while driving. This function is great for saving on your gas milage. The cruise control is also dis-angaged as soon as you step on your clutch. Hope this help until you get your manual. :)

Not that most of us really care here, but if you're curious to have the whole bit explained, here it is:

On US spec cars the switch has several positions in two dimensions. We all know where off is. If you turn right one click, you get parking lights. Turn right two clicks and you get headlights. Now, pull out one click and you get front fogs. Pull out two clicks and you get front and rear fogs. To engage the parking feature (which will leave one side parking lamps on after the car is shut down) turn to the left one or two clicks as you simultaneously pull out. This will leave either the driver or passenger side parking lights on to mark your car on a dark road. Very used in Europe, but I have used it a few times here in the states when on a very dark, busy road.

Patrick

Since everyone is asking questions... There's this stick in the middle of the cabin with numbers 1-6 and the letter R on it. Why is it there, and what am I supposed to do with it? Oh, and are there any mods I can do to make my car faster? I can barely do 30mph and not for a long time because it's so loud and there's always smoke coming out of the engine bay when I push it that fast. I thought Porsches were supposed to be fast. Please help!
Z.

porsche986spyder and all,

Thx for all the info that helps. Nice explainations. My ole 944S doesn't have all these features, so I'm learning all kinds of new stuff about this Boxster S model.

Take Care!

Yay second page and we finally have the exact description of the functions of the switch! :D Good job Patrick! :cheers: