98 Boxster, dead battery, fuse box charge

[Trakehner]

According to my owner's manual, there's a "pull out" stud (I don't have the manual in front of me right now, but if memory serves, it's on the upper right of the fuse panel) that you can pull out with a fuse puller. Once you have that out so you can make contact, connect a positve cable from another car batter to the pull out terminal, and the negative lead to ground (owner's manual recommends door latch) and you'll have enough power to operate the hood release switch.

Curiously, the Owner's Manual also specifies how to use the dash gauge to check the oil level, but that's another post.

[dparker]

I wish I could pull out a fuse and charge it, but my car's an early model and doesn't have that option. I have to either figure out a charge via the lighter, or manually get the hood open, which I suspect is better left to the dealer.

Anyone tried trickle-charging a battery via the lighter plug?

DParker

[Trakehner]

I watched the dealer do it to an '01 that I test drove (and did not buy). It wasn't a fuse that you charge through, rather, there is a part in the fuse box that you can attach the battery to... it's not enough to charge or jump start the car, only enough to power the electronic hood release.

On the 987, it's on the top right of the fuse box, just above where the fuse puller tool sits. If the 986 does not have a slide out piece, look for some sort of stud. It will connect with the positive bus of the fuse panel. What does your manual recommend for a dead battery/jump start?

[rdancd816]

Originally Posted by dparker

I wish I could pull out a fuse and charge it, but my car's an early model and doesn't have that option. I have to either figure out a charge via the lighter, or manually get the hood open, which I suspect is better left to the dealer.

Anyone tried trickle-charging a battery via the lighter plug?

DParker

Haven't trickle charged the Boxster but I did use my Porsche trickle charge unit on my son's old Fiero. He's away at school and the car sat for months, batt. totally dead. Plugged it in overnight and wholla, started right up.

[denverpete]

Originally Posted by dparker

I wish I could pull out a fuse and charge it, but my car's an early model and doesn't have that option. I have to either figure out a charge via the lighter, or manually get the hood open, which I suspect is better left to the dealer.

Anyone tried trickle-charging a battery via the lighter plug?

DParker

No, but I did try the booster through the lighter plug (the Black & Decker). Here's what I found: Within seconds after the booster was turned on and showed it was charging, the device would then start beeping indicating that it could no longer charge. I tried numerous times (the plug doesn't really fit the Porsche recepticle that well and with differing ignition positions. As best I can tell, once a certain amount of power was present in the car, the car "turned off" or disallowed the lighter plug. However, with the door open I was able to plug it in, turn it on, and un-pop my hood. From there I just removed and replaced the battery ($50.00 at Sam's Club).

[dparker]

DenverPete,
That sounds perfect. I can't close my door anyway, because the car is in "lock" mode. So sounds like the B&D lighter charger gives enough juice to enable the hood release to work, and that's all I need.
Do I have that right?
(And given that, is there a difference between a trickle charger connecting directly to the lighter receptacle versus the Black and Decker charger? Any danger with me trying the trickle charger first?)
DParker

[Jennifer]

I bought the B&D Battery pack and had the same beeping problem indicating no charge. Finally I tried one key in the ignition, plugging in the Battery Pack and then used my spare key to unlock the door. It opened up immediately.

Thanks for the B&D Battery Pack solution!!

Originally Posted by denverpete

No, but I did try the booster through the lighter plug (the Black & Decker). Here's what I found: Within seconds after the booster was turned on and showed it was charging, the device would then start beeping indicating that it could no longer charge. I tried numerous times (the plug doesn't really fit the Porsche recepticle that well and with differing ignition positions. As best I can tell, once a certain amount of power was present in the car, the car "turned off" or disallowed the lighter plug. However, with the door open I was able to plug it in, turn it on, and un-pop my hood. From there I just removed and replaced the battery ($50.00 at Sam's Club).

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by dparker

I wish I could pull out a fuse and charge it, but my car's an early model and doesn't have that option. I have to either figure out a charge via the lighter, or manually get the hood open, which I suspect is better left to the dealer.

Anyone tried trickle-charging a battery via the lighter plug?

DParker

Hi everyone, new to the forum and signed up for this exact reason. I am not the owner of the 99 Boxster, but I convinced my sister to buy it and taught her how to drive it (5-speed), and I pretty much take care of it for her in the off-season. As I said, I am faced with this same issue of getting to the battery, since this past month it has been very cold and the battery just got discharged. I've been looking around and seeing plenty of different things to do, but some of them really don't appeal to me, and if I can avoid them I will.

How can I be sure that the 99 actually has or doesn't have that thing in the fuse box that I can hook a jumper cable up to? Is there a picture on the forum anywhere so that I know what I'm looking for? I pulled down the fuse box cover and took a look around, but it didn't look like there was anything to be pulled out. I did see this purplish-red colored rectangular thing right above where my left knee would be with wires leading into it, but it will not budge, so I don't think this is what I'm looking for.

So, if the 99 does have this lead that a pos. jumper cable can connect to, is it actually there in the fuse box? If so, is it in a corner? And does this run the risk of shorting any fuses or any electronics in the vehicle if I do it myself vs. hauling the car to the Porsche dealer in the next city. Thanks in advance for any help, and I must say I'm very impressed with this forum and am glad to be a part of it. Thanks again!

-O/D

[Lil bastard]

Originally Posted by Overdrive

Hi everyone, new to the forum and signed up for this exact reason. I am not the owner of the 99 Boxster, but I convinced my sister to buy it and taught her how to drive it (5-speed), and I pretty much take care of it for her in the off-season. As I said, I am faced with this same issue of getting to the battery, since this past month it has been very cold and the battery just got discharged. I've been looking around and seeing plenty of different things to do, but some of them really don't appeal to me, and if I can avoid them I will.

How can I be sure that the 99 actually has or doesn't have that thing in the fuse box that I can hook a jumper cable up to? Is there a picture on the forum anywhere so that I know what I'm looking for? I pulled down the fuse box cover and took a look around, but it didn't look like there was anything to be pulled out. I did see this purplish-red colored rectangular thing right above where my left knee would be with wires leading into it, but it will not budge, so I don't think this is what I'm looking for.

So, if the 99 does have this lead that a pos. jumper cable can connect to, is it actually there in the fuse box? If so, is it in a corner? And does this run the risk of shorting any fuses or any electronics in the vehicle if I do it myself vs. hauling the car to the Porsche dealer in the next city. Thanks in advance for any help, and I must say I'm very impressed with this forum and am glad to be a part of it. Thanks again!

-O/D

The '99 does not have the FuseBlock jumper. Your problem is that the hood latch (which is mechanical only on the '99) lever is locked when the car is locked by a sort of cam which, for security's sake, will not allow the lever to be lifted if the car is locked.

You can either supply power to the battery through the cigarette lighter - enough to at least activate the locks. Once the locks are open, this cam moves away and allows the lever to be lifted and the hood opened.

As mentioned, there is a way to physically move this cam using a thin needle or pick-type tool.

Either buy a maintainer that works through the lighter, or get what is called a Memory Maintainer like this: http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm?fa=p&pid=52

The 9V Battery is sufficient to at least open the locks, it'll drain pretty fast, but will the trick.