Diagnosis: Bad Starter

My car failed to start (2007 987) and the dash tells me to depress the clutch pedal.

No sweat, I know that problem, just jumper the idiot switch.

Except it doesn't work. I jumpered it but the car still doesn't start. Anyone have any other ideas? Could it be a fuse somewhere?

Does the solenoid click?
Does it crank?
Does the battery pass a load test?

The interlock switch tests good on the fluke.
It does not crank.
Solenoid does not click.
Battery is good. I think. MIght be worth checking.

The fuel pump relay has not been checked yet.

This video is pretty interesting.

[www.youtube.com]

By his logic, it's either the relay or a starter, or the ECU. I'll get back at it tomorrow. I'll charge up the battery just in case. It's only 6 months old, but this car does have a history of eating batteries so I shouldn't be so confident of the battery being blameless.

Jump the starter @ the solenoid and see if it cranks.

... two switches on the clutch pedal.
One is to disengage the cruise control, the other one is the clutch interlock.
Did you jumper the wrong one?
The one with the plunger is the interlock.
Hope this helps,
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

I'm pretty sure you have that backwards.

And if you don't then oops.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2022 10:30AM by Skyler. (view changes)

Two switches on the brake pedal as well.
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

We'll see if that fixes it, but the shop says it's the starter.

that the dash would inform you that the clutch switch circuit is discontinuous if the problem is the starter.

Regardless, if the problem is the relay then you can verifying that by jumping the relay

Yes, it is very strange. We shall see if that fixes it.

Oh, I did jump the interlock switch.

Changing the starter did the trick. Incidentally it no longer gives me a pause when starting. Since I got it six years ago, it always paused a bit before starting. I wonder if that is related.

Fixed a loose starter cable by replacing the starter and putting the cable on correctly this time j/k

Glad it's fixed and better than before.

It could very well be true!