Boxter Newbe with massive problems....

[Keith Newby]

Yes, it is necessary to depress the clutch to start the car. The door, trunk lids and top position don't effect starting.

[Spinokovits]

Thanks for first ideas.

@Stl-986

Sounds like the key/dme/immobilizer aren't matched up

This was my first idea also.
To check this, I removed the transponder from the key.
Then immobilizer throws error "wrong key or key not matched" and cant be cleared
When puting transponder back into the key, error is gone, respectively can be cleared.
So I hope this should be OK, but not fur sure of course.

1 thing would be to find someone close to you that you can take the combo from your car and put in theirs to see if it still starts, or do the opposite.

Would be a great idea if I had someone with the same car nearby.
But unfortunately I haven't.

Not sure how you (or if you had someone do it) "cloned" things over. This isn't a simple thing to do with these cars.

That's my daily business. ;-)
Not for Porsche´s, but for VAG group (VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda) and you're right, Porsche seems to be a little different.
I have all the tools (and 20 years experience) to extract and read/write the memorychips of most ECU's.

@thstone

Are you sure that the ECU, immobilizer, and the key fob transmitter are all programmed with the same code?

Not 100% for sure, but because no error is stored in immobilizer (except I remove the transponder from the key) I think (hope) this should be OK.

Any other ideas ?

b.r.
Spinokovits

[Oldcarguy]

If this is a manual transmission, are you certain that the clutch interlock switch is not faulty? A manual transmission Boxster will act as you describe if this switch is not functioning properly or the clutch pedal is not depressed all the way to the floor (and I mean buried in the carpet).

[itsnotanova]

There's a fuse on row B or C that will keep the vehicle from starting if it's blown. Same with the fuse on the immobilizer and if you have a bad starter relay located in the trunk. I believe only north america has to press in the clutch to start. Everywhere else has the ROW tune and you can start without your foot on the clutch

[Spinokovits]

Originally Posted by itsnotanova

There's a fuse on row B or C that will keep the vehicle from starting if it's blown. Same with the fuse on the immobilizer and if you have a bad starter relay located in the trunk. I believe only north america has to press in the clutch to start. Everywhere else has the ROW tune and you can start without your foot on the clutch

Hmmmm I've checked all the fuses, but I will do it again just to be sure that I've nothing overlooked. ;-)

The starter relay is not bad.
If it is supplied with power when it is removed, it switches as normal as it should.
The problem is apparently that it is not activated by the engine control unit.
The question is why?
I only bridged it on a trial basis to rule out the starter motor as faulty.

I think the reason why the starter relay is not activated by the ECU is the same why there came no signal to the injectors and spark stages.

b.r. Spinokovits

[Spinokovits]

Doublepost sorry.

[ike84]

Originally Posted by itsnotanova

There's a fuse on row B or C that will keep the vehicle from starting if it's blown. Same with the fuse on the immobilizer and if you have a bad starter relay located in the trunk. I believe only north america has to press in the clutch to start. Everywhere else has the ROW tune and you can start without your foot on the clutch

When I first got mine there was an odd relay with a fuse jack at E6 (telephone/terminal 30). Removing the jack or fuse caused the car to behave as described.

However, I recently re-tuned to ROW version and this is no longer the case. If you're in Europe and have an ROW tune then this won't be your issue.

The part about the clutch depression is also true. On US tunes, the clutch must be fully depressed and if it is not or the actuator switch is bad then the car will behave as described. Again though, with an ROW, this feature is not active and clutch depression does not affect starting.

Sorry I've got nothing good to add.

[Spinokovits]

Originally Posted by Oldcarguy

If this is a manual transmission, are you certain that the clutch interlock switch is not faulty? A manual transmission Boxster will act as you describe if this switch is not functioning properly or the clutch pedal is not depressed all the way to the floor (and I mean buried in the carpet).

Good approach.
I've checked it an found out the following:
According to the original circuit diagram, it looks as if the clutch monitoring is only installed (and active) in (manual) vehicles in North America and Canada, while this is not the case here in Europe. (Really no idea why)
In any case, a clutch pedal switch is not installed in my vehicle and the corresponding cables are not present at this point.

Is there any other known fact that can prevent the engine from start ?

b.r.
Spinokovits

[Stl-986]

Originally Posted by Spinokovits

Good approach.
I've checked it an found out the following:
According to the original circuit diagram, it looks as if the clutch monitoring is only installed (and active) in (manual) vehicles in North America and Canada, while this is not the case here in Europe. (Really no idea why)
In any case, a clutch pedal switch is not installed in my vehicle and the corresponding cables are not present at this point.

Is there any other known fact that can prevent the engine from start ?

b.r.
Spinokovits

So is it a tiptronic or manual?

[Spinokovits]

Originally Posted by Stl-986

So is it a tiptronic or manual?

Manual, WITH clutch of course, but without clutch monitoring switch.