EEEK! What happened to my LCDs?

[RandallNeighbour]

Three weeks ago I drove the box to the park for a walk on a nice sunny day and all was fine and dandy with the LCDs on my cluster and climate control. I had the car in the garage with the top down since then and just went out to drive it this morning and saw this:





We had a little cool weather the last week or so and it dipped into the low 30's, but it didn't get down so low that the cold weather should have done this, right?

The cluster was replaced in 2005 with a brand new one after a couple of LCD segments went out on the speed reading in the lower part of the tach. The climate control unit is original to the car.

Any way to repair this instead of replacing these expensive parts?

I tell ya, the components in the 97 boxsters were total crap. Everything wears out prematurely.

[epapp]

It looks like you brought some tree branches and snowflakes back with you from the park

Unfortunately, the only way I know how to fix this type of problem is with a new LCD. I dont think it can be repaired

[RandallNeighbour]

How about this repair kit? Anyone have experience with it?

Porsche Boxster Carrera 996 997 LCD Replacement Repair Kit for Climate Control | eBay

[Deserion]

Looks like the kit is made from the Audi version of the LCDs. If the close-but-not-exact fonts/icons don't bother you, go for it.

[Gary_d]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

How about this repair kit? Anyone have experience with it?

Porsche Boxster Carrera 996 997 LCD Replacement Repair Kit for Climate Control | eBay

I installed one of these in my wife's '97. Pretty simple and straight forward to do. Took all of about 1/2 hour, and 10 minutes of that was cleaning the old parts.

I wouldn't bother with the Ebay one though, got mine directly from ModuleMaster.com for lots less. About $51 plus $8 Priority shipping, had it in two days. Funny, the photos on the Ebay ad look like they're straight from the instruction kit ModuleMaster supplies.

[coreseller]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

I tell ya, the components in the 97 boxsters were total crap. Everything wears out prematurely.

Not to have fun at your expense Randall but that sentence made me chuckle. Your disposition on your 986 has always been made clear, Good Luck on the repair.........

[RandallNeighbour]

Coreseller, you are correct. I love to nag about my car. It's something I'm evidently quite good at!

However, I hear very good things about newer Porsches, so I'm looking forward to a newer model.

OK guys, tell me if this cluster will work in my car. It's from a 98 and has white/silver gauge faces which is a nice upgrade, even though I have silver ones in mine (which I will turn around and sell I guess)...

98 Porsche 986 911 Boxster Gauges Instrument Cluster Gauge 986 641 103 01 17 360 | eBay

[KevinH1990]

I ran into the same issue with the Carrera cluster I swapped into my car:
http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/43017-carrera-gauge-swap.html

It's amazing how similar the damaged areas appear.

The cluster you found on eBay will work in your car according to the guidance on Pelican. Personally, I like having the Carrera cluster, but they may be harder to find and more expensive.

If you need instructions for coding the replacement cluster with the information from your present cluster, send me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll send them to you in a Word document.

Also, you can swap your gauge faces over to the circuit board on the new cluster if you have a preference for your existing one.

Good luck.

[Eric G]

Before you go to Ebay, go to these guys: ModuleMaster | Services | Instrument Clusters They have a Boxster LCD repair kit for the center panels that only cost $60 and are a direct plug and play.

Here is the link to the actual kit you order: ModuleMaster | Services | Climate Controls

I cannot tell you how happy I am with the results of the kit.

[Perfectlap]

Randall you've not spent much time in the Cayenne forums -- the one Porsche that actually gets driven a lot. Tons of whinging about the quality of the trim parts for more than just garage queen duty.

My general impression is that Porsche has never been very good at these type of 'high-tech' additions. I would have preferred having everything as analog as possible.
I guess new stuff keeps the over-priced parts counter from getting dusty.

[RandallNeighbour]

So the newer Porsches aren't build with more dependable parts?

Please say I'm wrong on this assumption.

[Perfectlap]

Probably true in the sports cars (Boxster/Cayman and Carrera), but so few of those cars ever get any serious mileage to find out just how well made they are.

When it comes to Cayenne owners, they have very mixed opinions on the build quality of the non-engine equipment. Especially the out-of-warranty owners.

My take is that wnen it comes to most new cars these days, they build them to last four year to six years. They get the original sale, and a fraction of those go CPO. After that they want you buying another one new.

[RandallNeighbour]

My tech tells me guys bring in their wife's cayenne for brake work in THE FIRST YEAR of ownership (lots of grocery runs and kid's ball games) and they were floored that they needed pads and discs to the tune of $1,500 or more.

I don't think a lot of new Cayenne owners count the cost of maintenance when they buy one, let alone the premature failure of suspension parts, etc.

[RandallNeighbour]

Got my new-to-me box cluster and installed it yesterday to check it.

Now my fuel gauge reads 4/4 when I have a full tank! Sweet!

Now to yank it out and send it to a forum member to get the mileage right.

[patssle]

Now my fuel gauge reads 4/4 when I have a full tank!

I thought that was a tank filling issue - I've read many others having that problem. Something about a flap where the gas nozzle goes.