996 owner with a door that sticks (from the inside door release) ...

I think I can still search what remains of that other Boxster site, but does the archive still work? I pull handle twice and door sticks (not a cab) sometimes, but not always. I seem to recall a cable problem is common ...

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Hey Richard -

Could be a lot of problems. If the 996 doors use the same mechanism as the 986, there are no cables - it is all electronic. The door handle has a micro-switch that tells the computer to lower the window to clear the weather stripping and unlock the door. It could be several issues: the microswitch could be malfunctioning or need adjustment, the door latch mechanism coul be going bad, or the computer could just be confused. For example, do both inside and outside handles malfunction, or just one side?

So, for example, I have only had a door problem once. I opened the front trunk, disconnected the battery (make sure you have your radio code!) and waiting two minutes. This is known as the "Poor Man's Computer Reset" - and the problem never came back. I would try this first and see if it fixes your problem. If it doesn't, try the handle and see if the window does the "drop" - if the window drops, the handle and computer are likely fine and the latch is the problem. If the window doesn't drop and you have disconnected and reconnected the battery, then it is likely the micro-switch in the door handle.

Thanks. I'll follow both of the paths suggested.

It very well could be the Bowden cable that connects the inside door handle to the latch at the back of the door. Searcht the old board. I think my instructions for replacing it are also loaded into the Boxster wiki.

It is happening with the outside handle. The problem was difficult to figure out given that this is window-down season. I highly suspect micro-switch at this point.

was pulled and the door opened or worse dropping at door opening time then once the door open raising again so when the door was closed the top edge of the glass would strike the top rail with a sound that had me expecting to see pieces of safety glass all over the inside of the car.

Preceeding the above the door lock LED (in the button on the dash) would come on at random times. I could press the button and unlock the doors and the LED would go out but sometimes the LED could come back on.

Once in a great while when I locked the car the horn would sound and I suspected a center console switch.

Finally took the car in to the dealer's service and tech diagnosed the problem as a bad passenger door lock. This lock is kind of complex serving several functions and playing a role in the car's security system. Tech performed a few tests to ensure the door lock was the bad actor cause the door lock is IIRC a several hundred dollar part but the problem was ultimately found to be in the door lock. Once replaced and the security system error codes cleared the door, window and the car's security system have been behaving just fine.

Sincerely,

MarcW.