Re: Broken gear shift

Three days ago I was driving down a highway in my manual transmission Base Boxster. Traffic started to slow down and as I downshifted I heard a noise and the gear shift handle became completely loose. It clearly wasn’t connected to anything and was useless. The gearshift just flopped around. The car was stuck in third gear and I couldn’t shift gears. I was able to pull off the road and into a parking lot. As the car slowed the engine stalled because I couldn’t downshift. I called AAA for a tow to the Porsche dealer. I hoped to get the car to the dealer who closed at 6:00 pm but despite followed up calls to AAA they ever showed up. I called AAA again the next morning at 8:00 am for a tow, and despite promises they would get me help, at 1:00 in the afternoon and not getting a tow, I called the Porsche dealer and they referred me to a tow company and a tow truck showed up one hour latter. Does anyone have an idea what might have happened to my gearshift? The dealer said they would get back to me with a diagnosis in a couple of days. I don’t know how the gear shift handle is connected to the transmission. I’m hoping that the repair will be something simple and not a protracted repair to the transmission. By-the-way, this is my third Boxster and the first time I’ve ever had a mechanical problem. Thanks for your thoughts.t

You don’t mention what year it is but I know from experience and discussions on other forums that it is likely the connectors at the transmission end of the shifter cables have come detached. If they have it is a simple fix and their are products out there to provide a better connection.

My Boxster is a 2012 Boxster. Thanks.

From experience I'll guess that you have a broken transmission cable.
987s are prone to do that.
The Porsche replacement part has been beefed-up but you can also opt to go with other aftermarket such as N numeric, etc.
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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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

Pedro--Do all model years Boxster and Cayman have this cable breakage problem or just certain years?

Broken shift cables are more prevalent in the 987.2 and to a lesser extent 987.1.
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)

---

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

Does this happen in the triptronic and PDK as well?

MIKELLIG

Does not happen on Tip or PDK.
They are completely different transmissions with mostly electronic controls rather than manual.
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)

---

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

Grant

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

.. although i broke two on 986s (over many years, both used hard)

Grant

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

Mine broke on my previous 2001 986S when it had maybe 30,000 miles on it. I replaced it myself and it worked fine.

Neil