One step u can take is waterproof box

My 09 Boxster had to take the flatbed of shame from the Marriott parking lot in Tyson’s Corner to the dealer a fee blocks away Thursday. I’m not fully sure what happened... came back from work, locked the car, went back to lift the handle and make sure it was locked, and left. Next morning, I came out to find the rear trunk ajar and both windows down 1/4 way. It rained all night. Car battery dead, trunks inoperable...etc. This looks like what happens when you hit the lock button repeatedly...

Sitting at Tyson’s Corner dealership for 4 days untouched (I live in Va Beach, so left it). Figure I trashed the central locking mech box under the driver’s seat.... any other guesses??

Quote
Chris in Va Beach
My 09 Boxster had to take the flatbed of shame from the Marriott parking lot in Tyson’s Corner to the dealer a fee blocks away Thursday. I’m not fully sure what happened... came back from work, locked the car, went back to lift the handle and make sure it was locked, and left. Next morning, I came out to find the rear trunk ajar and both windows down 1/4 way. It rained all night. Car battery dead, trunks inoperable...etc. This looks like what happens when you hit the lock button repeatedly...

Sitting at Tyson’s Corner dealership for 4 days untouched (I live in Va Beach, so left it). Figure I trashed the central locking mech box under the driver’s seat.... any other guesses??

Central locking mechanism (security module) under seat got wet is my guess, too.

Either body water drain basins plugged up or you have door leaks. I was religious about keeping the body water drains clear with my 2002 but the door membranes failed -- due to age -- and after a wash or sitting out in the rain the door bottoms were wet. Had both door membranes replaced.

I have to ask if there are precautionary procedures for a later Boxster. The idea of the windows opening in a rainstorm is particularly disturbing. Any references would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

Best precaution is to make sure the drains are clear. There are two in the plastic liner under the top (open it into service position) and two located in the outside wall of the channel right behind the door frame. If any of these get clogged, you could get water in the floor of the cabin.

This isn't something I need right now, since I'm off on a vacation in 2 days, but the next time someone cleans out the drains it would be useful if they could post pictures showing the location of the drains for reference.

Thanks,
Steve

Here's a diagram of the rear drains. This shows a 986, but they're in the same position on the 987.

Both sets of drains can be seen when the top is in service position. (Open about 6" and the clamshell is in the up position.)

#1 is on the outside side of the channel that runs under the front tip of the clamshell. Look for the black rubber grommet. (one on each side of the car.)
#2 is in the bottom of the tray under the back of the roof. There's one on each side of the tray.
Not in this picture, but there's also a drain on each side of the battery in the front of the car to take water away from that area. Again, look for the rubber grommet.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2018 04:20PM by Guenter in Ontario. (view changes)

Thanks. That's exactly what I was looking for.

Steve

Guenter covered it.

I will expand a bit and add that whatever MY car you own learn where the body water drains are and check them occasionally for trash (mainly plant litter) build up. If you find any be gentle removing this. You don't want to break/damage the delicate styrofoam that is the water catch/collection basin and you don't want to dislodge the hose that connects to it and runs down through the car.

To make the job easier, or less necessary, avoid parking under trees or near plants that shed litter. Leaves. Seeds, seed pods, etc. When you return to the car if you spot any leaves on the car pick them off so they do not get carried down by air flow into the catch basins.

Generally door membranes fail due to age. I will note my Boxster had both doors opened up several times to replace worn out or bad door lock controller, door latch switch, and window regulators. I'm not sure any of these repairs required the door membrane be disturbed. If so the disturbance might have hastened their end.

When I found the carpet along the door bottom wet and took the car in the tech found the membrane had come loose in places. He tried (re) gluing the membrane but the glue didn't hold. The membrane was just frail from age.

Can't highlight how important this is but after a wash or after the car has sat out in the rain check the carpet along the door bottoms for signs of dampness. If any found #1 suspect has to be door membrane.

[pedrosboard.com]

There is a waterproof box for the under seat computer. If your car is in the elements and thus exposed to the potential flood problem, this is something you should look at. Tom .

Agree with the posts about the top and trunk drains.... it was the under seat box that flooded, but the tech thinks the popped trunks and down windows were a result of the failure not the cause of it. Speculation is a window was cracked enough to allow water in that caused the failure. Regardless, $2000+ to get going. I don’t think I have the stupidity rider on my insurance

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Chris in Va Beach
Agree with the posts about the top and trunk drains.... it was the under seat box that flooded, but the tech thinks the popped trunks and down windows were a result of the failure not the cause of it. Speculation is a window was cracked enough to allow water in that caused the failure. Regardless, $2000+ to get going. I don’t think I have the stupidity rider on my insurance

Wasn't stupidity on your part. Just an understandable level of unfamiliarity with the car and its special needs, one of its idiosyncrasies. (Another off the top of my head, at least with the older Boxsters, is the "chop" the need to get the plastic window folded properly before fully lowering the top. Not paying attention to this cost me a plastic window when the plastic window folded wrong and cracked.)

I mean when it comes to cars we all think of gasoline, oil, other vital fluids, tires, and similar things, but body water drains? And knowing the risk a blocked drain presents to the car's security module is another level of knowledge about the car that most otherwise conscious owners are not aware of.

Thanks for posting. When I read your original post again, I realized we have cars that are essentially identical. I think there were no significant changes between 09 and 10 model years. Did you have a clogged drain that failed to take care of the water under the seat?

Steve

That "waterproof" box is VERY HARD to waterproof.
The problem is that there's a thick wiring harness that needs to be made water proof with globs of silicone.
It's almost impossible to do, because water always makes it's way in through the wires.
Even is a small amount of water makes it in, it's then trapped and does more damage than if the whole thing was flooded.
If you ever find that the CLU is wet the BEST thing to do is DO NOT INSERT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION.
Current through a wet circuit board is what does most of the damage.
If you can catch it in time, it's very likely that you can save it by pulling out the board, dunking it in alcohol and then reinstall.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

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