Key Sticks After Week in Driveway - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Eletson · 10-13-2017, 01:56 PM

My 2000 Porsche Boxster S has been having a difficult time when I first try to turn the key after a week of being parked. With each successive try it gets easier. I read that some may think its the ignition switch itself and someone even said to spray WD-40. I'd hate to muck up the electronics though.

Has anyone else had this issue and what did you do. Thanks
Eric

dghii · 10-13-2017, 07:18 PM

Mine does that too. I just live with it.

Boxstard · 10-14-2017, 05:02 AM

Mine does when it gets colder... takes a few turns sometimes to get the key cylinder to pop.

Tom Mohr · 12-20-2017, 03:50 PM

After pulling the ignition key out, it can take awhile for the secondary cylinder return "pop" to occur when cold. Has anyone used an electric contact cleaner/lubricant to smooth out this operation? Not a WD40 fan for this situation.

particlewave · 12-20-2017, 03:56 PM

Electrical contact cleaner is not a lubricant (will actually dry things out). WD-40 is a lubricant.
However, in this situation, graphite is best.

Lube the cylinder and replace the electrical portion of the switch (it is low cost). None of the behavior posted in this thread is at all normal.

Boxstard · 12-20-2017, 04:43 PM

Having the same issue... spraying oil into the key hole did not make it POP out any faster, it takes up to several seconds when cold.

I feel the pop sound comes farther down near steering column lock, where I may need to reach out and lube internal moving parts, maybe removal of the switch is needed to do so?

Brian in Tucson · 12-20-2017, 05:18 PM

My 01 had the problem when I got it last summer. Actually would run the battery down. I got it so it immediately pops every time.

What I did, I cleaned it with lots of brake cleaner, the cheap stuff from Autozone. I felt like I needed to soften and dissolve any dried out lubricant and dirt and flush it out. More than one cycle was necessary.

Then I squirted Tri Flow into the lock and worked it with the key. It was immediately better, but as time went by it got much better. Your mileage may vary, but this worked well for me on my poor neglected 01 Boxstah base.