Welcome

looking forward to participating on this board. It looks like pure fun.

First question: Is it normal for the ignition switch to not spring return from the Start position to the run position ? I have to manually return it now.

Thanks and Merry Christmas.

Howard Goodwin
" Goody"
Washington, N.C.

... Welcome to PedrosBoard.
What you describe is not the norm.
The switch should return to its start position.
Most likely you'll have to replace the electric portion of the switch.
It's a known wear item on the older Boxsters.
You can find the DIY instructions and replacement part needed here:

[pedrosgarage.com]

Happy Boxsteting
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)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

the design intent. Its one of the failure modes of the ignition switch. Typically it will also mean your accessories don't work, while the car runs.

Not sure if your car is new or old or whether this matches your experience.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Thanks Pedro:
I will tear into it and report my findings now that I know that it is suppose to return to the run position when released from start.

and Merry Christmas to you too.

Is the Boxster a present to yourself? If so, the gift that keeps on giving. Welcome to permagrin.

It's a gift to my lady and I.....she has always wanted one. It is a hoot to drive, and she looks so good in it.....actually she looks good out of it...smile...I will report my findings soon.

Not sure how you can find this out, but if I'm not mistaken, the '97 Boxster had an iginition recall for cracking that could potentially cause some failures of various electrical components. One of the tells, if I recall (no pun intended) correctly was that the key would not return by itself (isn't this what you described, or the key experiencing some form of binding. I don't know what the window of opportunity is for such things, or how to tell if the original owner ever had this fix made. It is most likely too late for the recall to be done for free, but you should look into fixing this issue before it causes other problems, if it is indeed the original ignition cracking issue. This is just one of the first things that jumps to mind when I hear 1997 Boxster and ignition issues. I'm not trying to cause you concern, but it is something to be made aware of as a potential common problem for the first-year production run of this magnificant automobile. Hope you are enjoying your original Boxster. My first was a '98, and not sure if it is because it was my first Porsche, but after all these years, I still think fondly of my Arena Red/Savannah Beige beauty. The moment I sat in it for the fist time (after buying it without even a test drive, which was commn back then) it fit like a pair of my most favorite, faded Levi jeans.

... the most common problem on all 986 cars is the electrical portion of the switch, shared with Audi, and $20-40 aftermarket, that ahs many nefarious modes of failure.

I got good at them in my (mom's) C4 A6.

If, when it does not return, your accessories dont work - you have one if its little tricks. The most benign of them, since it can be manually returned.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

It didn't impact my car so going off about 15- or 16-year-old memory cells here, but I believe the ingition housing itself would crack and/or break. This would lead to potential electrical problems with lights, wipers and HVAC. Not sure how or why only those areas, though, or if it could include other electrical items. The problem could be that the older ignitions are no longer available, so would the newer ones fit without much in the way of hassels?

that may be true or not. But it is assuredly NOT the cause of the "return to run" problem that's the good ole audi switch.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Problem Solved:
New switch fixed it.
Observation: the old switch had been tampered with. It is a repairable design, with plastic ears that are broken,cracked......I would guess that this is the "cracked Ignition" syndrome.
The spring to return the selector to the run position was missing in the old switch. I bet that it got misplaced by the tamperer....
Now on to the next problem...I will report.
Thanks for all the interest from you folks.

Howard Goodwin
" Goody"
Washington, N.C.

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Here's a link I found regarding Recalls: Boxster Recalls

I have purchased a new switch, Audi part number is posted on this fine board. It was only $17, I will post my findings soon. " Ignition Cracking", sounds serious however.....smile.
Thanks for your responses, Again looking forward to mixing with all the folks on this board.