Boxster Not Starting TRIED EVERYTHING! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

nyranger6830 · 04-03-2016, 11:58 AM

Hello all,

New to the forum but I really need your help, as this is my daily driver!

2000 Porsche Boxster Auto Trans

My car has intermittently not started throughout the last few months. Some days no issues, others I have issues getting it started on the first try. Now it will not start at all!

What happens:
I turn the key first and second click everything is normal, third click to attempt to turn car on, nothing happens. No clicking indicating a dead battery, just seems like no power is going to the starter. Usually I played with shifter and eventually I can get the gar started but that no longer works.

What Ive looked at and tried:

Ignition switch replaced (electric part)
Battery has 12v
Alarm unit removed from under driver seat ( Fuse intact and connections look normal) also ground wire removed, wire brushed and reattached.
All fuses by kick panel are good including E1 (No fuses in rear trunk)

At a loss here. Ive looked up everything possible on the issue and couldn't come to a solution! PLEASE HELP! I NEED TO GET TO WORK TOMORROW!

rick3000 · 04-03-2016, 12:31 PM

Since you have checked the 'usual suspects,' my first thought is a bad Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS), they have a tendency to fail without throwing a code, and would keep the car from even attempting to turn over. They also tend to fail intermittently before completely failing.

Have you noticed it having more trouble turning over once warmed up? That is a classic sign of CPS failure. Can you provide any more detail about when/how the car was having issues previously.

If you want it fixed fast, it is probably best to take it in to a mechanic, these things are always tough to troubleshoot over the internet. Best of luck!

jsceash · 04-03-2016, 01:15 PM

Park neutral position switch. Since you said that earlier you could wiggle shifter and get car to crank.

nyranger6830 · 04-03-2016, 01:17 PM

Update

Tested starter. 12v on hot wire, 0 volts on ignition wire while cranking. In addition, when I turn the key to on, very high pitched sound coming from engine bay (electric sounding hum). Any ideas?

particlewave · 04-03-2016, 01:32 PM

Park neutral position switch, as stated above.

jsceash · 04-03-2016, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nyranger6830

Update

Tested starter. 12v on hot wire, 0 volts on ignition wire while cranking. In addition, when I turn the key to on, very high pitched sound coming from engine bay (electric sounding hum). Any ideas?

The whining sound could just be the secondary air pump turning on. Normal

nyranger6830 · 04-03-2016, 02:31 PM

Quote:

With a new ignition switch and battery, the only thing that could stop it from cranking would be power to the starter. Either a fuse or the starter relay in the rear.

Check the fuses first. B8, C1, C2, C3. If they are good then either the ECU isn't getting the w lead signal or the relay is broken.

To check the relay, it is number 7 in the rear relay carrier, jumper the 2 larger wires coming in, then try starting the car. If the car cranks, but no start it is the CLU not sending the w lead signal, or the ECU is broken.

If it starts, replace the relay. if there is still an issue, it is the clutch switch wiring.

With a broken CLU or ECU - time to start digging deep in the pockets.

I found this on a previous post and all the fuses were good and when I jumped that relay 7, I was actually able to get the starter to turn and crank as normal, but the car didnt start. The most ive gotten out of it since thursday aka the last time I got it started. Anything anyone has tried before? What does this show?

particlewave · 04-03-2016, 02:35 PM

That shows that the DME and CLU aren't meshing (not getting the "OK to start signal"). My money is still on the park neutral switch. It locks out starting if the car is not in park. If you wiggled the gear selector to get it to work before, this would be the logical place to start.

Seriously. Check the switch.

Steve Tinker · 04-03-2016, 02:39 PM

Have you investigated the transmission neutral position switch as 2 people (#3 & #5) above have suggested ???

Doh - beaten by Particle.....

nyranger6830 · 04-03-2016, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by particlewave

That shows that the DME and CLU aren't meshing (not getting the "OK to start signal"). My money is still on the park neutral switch. It locks out starting if the car is not in park. If you wiggled the gear selector to get it to work before, this would be the logical place to start.

Seriously. Check the switch.

How would you check the switch?

nyranger6830 · 04-03-2016, 04:02 PM

In regards to a possible NSS issue, I will note that regardless of the key being in the ignition, I can move the shifter (again, automatic trans) to any position. When the gear goes into Park, you can hear something click inside the ignition lock cylinder which is probably normal.

On a side note, Took the CLU out from under the drivers seat and cleaned the minimal amount of corrosion on the pins and board with Ethyl Alcohol and dried with hair dryer... didn't help.

jdraupp · 04-03-2016, 04:46 PM

You should check the neutral position switch.

(I'm intentionally being redundant)

nyranger6830 · 04-03-2016, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdraupp

You should check the neutral position switch.

(I'm intentionally being redundant)

It would be helpful if you could explain what exactly "check" means

jdraupp · 04-03-2016, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nyranger6830

It would be helpful if you could explain what exactly "check" means

Replace is probably a better term. Plenty of posts advising you that's likely your issue. You will likely need to arrange a rental for the morning if it's your only car...

particlewave · 04-03-2016, 06:28 PM

Checking it would require removal and testing of the leads via continuity check or ohm to verify that they are doing what they are supposed to. I wish I could eloborate, but mine is a manual and I've never seen the switch in person, so can't tell you which leads should do what.

I think your best route (if you aren't familiar with electrical testing) would be to contact Woody and see if he has a used working one. His prices can't be beat and shipping is always fast.
His username here is itsnotanova.

His profile - http://986forum.com/forums/members/itsnotanova.html
It's best to call or text him, though... 512-925-9171

particlewave · 04-03-2016, 10:03 PM

Looks like a new switch is north of $400

To bypass the park/neutral switch, disconnect it at the connector. Connect a jumper wire from a solid ground point to the following wires; Yellow with Violet stripe and Pink with Brown stripe. There may be 2 Yellow with Violet stripe wires or just one. If there are 2, both need to be grounded.
Do this on the harness side of the connector, not the switch side.

This will tell the car that it is in park and allow it to start IF the switch is the problem. If it does start, DO NOT attempt to put it in gear and drive as this switch also tells the car which drive gear it should be in and will cause problems.
Just jump them and try to start. If it fires, shut off and get a replacement switch.

nyranger6830 · 04-04-2016, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by particlewave

Looks like a new switch is north of $400

To bypass the park/neutral switch, disconnect it at the connector. Connect a jumper wire from a solid ground point to the following wires; Yellow with Violet stripe and Pink with Brown stripe. There may be 2 Yellow with Violet stripe wires or just one. If there are 2, both need to be grounded.
Do this on the harness side of the connector, not the switch side.

This will tell the car that it is in park and allow it to start IF the switch is the problem. If it does start, DO NOT attempt to put it in gear and drive as this switch also tells the car which drive gear it should be in and will cause problems.
Just jump them and try to start. If it fires, shut off and get a replacement switch.

Thanks so much, when I get home tonight Ill drag myself under my wet car and check :/ I read somewhere that the Boxster has two Neutral Saftey Switches? One activated by the push mechanism of the shifter and one obviously on the trans. Does anymone know anything about the first one mentioned?

petee_c · 04-08-2016, 11:55 AM

12v?

12.0v is almost a dead battery.... full charge is 12.8v, half charged is somewhere around 12.5v

how old is the battery?

mikefocke · 04-08-2016, 02:17 PM

12 volt is 25% charge for a conventional battery, 50% for an AGM.

nyranger6830 · 04-09-2016, 01:43 PM

So the long process is over. The issues was the Immobilizer. I was saved when I read this post from Pedro and i suggest anyone who runs into an issue with their's, try this first before replacing:
"Try removing the driver's seat and then the CLU.

Disconnect it from its harness, remove it from the car and open the case.

Remove the printed circuit board and dunk it in a shallow recipient and cover it with isopropyl alcohol.

Shake it well so the alcohol penetrates all the spaces, in particular between the chips and connections.

Then, let it dry. You can accelerate the drying by using a hair dryer in the cool mode.

Dry out the inside of the case if it had humidity and put everything back together.

If it was water causing the problem, it should now work fine.

We have saved many CLUs this way."

Thanks everyone for your help!:dance: