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1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

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Original source
3 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW

Discussion summary

YOUR RESEARCH1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Reported or suspected cause

switch or a bad wire

Reported cause

No successful repair reported for this finding.

1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context

Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.

Discussions that report identifying a cause
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Reported cause · Original poster

I hate to replace the starter motor to find out that my problem was a switch or a bad wire.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Frequently discussed work

Replace after the battery

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

After the battery was replaced, the car started OK for a couple of days and then nothing.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Read full discussion summary

Leading evidence: 'switch or a bad wire' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'switch or a bad wire' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace after the battery' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.

Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.

Read captured replies

1 matching discussions · 3 captured posts examined · 0 partial discussions

Compare 4 other evidence results

Replace after the battery

Performed · outcome unconfirmed

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context

Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.

Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

After the battery was replaced, the car started OK for a couple of days and then nothing.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Replace battery

Performed · outcome unconfirmed

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context

Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.

Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

I replaced the battery again.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Replace battery in my 97 boxster

Performed · outcome unconfirmed

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context

Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.

Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

About two weeks ago I replaced the battery in my 97 Boxster.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Replace ignition relay and the starter relay

Performed · outcome unconfirmed

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context

Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.

Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

I replaced the ignition relay and the starter relay.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Frequently discussed actions (5)

These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.

Replace after the battery

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

After the battery was replaced, the car started OK for a couple of days and then nothing.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Replace battery

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

I replaced the battery again.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Replace battery in my 97 boxster

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

About two weeks ago I replaced the battery in my 97 Boxster.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Replace ignition relay and the starter relay

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster

I replaced the ignition relay and the starter relay.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Replace starter motor

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Suggestion · Original poster

I hate to replace the starter motor to find out that my problem was a switch or a bad wire.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Reported and suspected causes (1)

These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.

switch or a bad wire

No successful repair reported for this finding.

1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Reported cause · Original poster

I hate to replace the starter motor to find out that my problem was a switch or a bad wire.

1997 Boxster will not start - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Coverage and how to read this overview

Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.

3 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.

  • 986Forum: 1 discussions

0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.

0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.

Generation: 20261026T183130Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources

POST 1 / ORIGINAL POSTEROriginal post

About two weeks ago I replaced the battery in my 97 Boxster. The starter was sounding like it was straining and the battery was discharging while the car was sitting in the garage. After the battery was replaced, the car started OK for a couple of days and then nothing. During the time the car was idle, the battery was being drained by some open circuit. I thought the ignition switch was bad, so I replaced it. Nothing. I then jumped the clutch switch. Nothing. I replaced the battery again. Nothing. I replaced the ignition relay and the starter relay. Nothing. When I turn on the ignition, all of the systems in the car seem to be working, headlights, radio, top, etc. just no ignition. The starter doesn't sound like it is getting any electric power. I hate to replace the starter motor to find out that my problem was a switch or a bad wire. anybody have any suggestions? Zok

POST 2Original post

Is it manual or tiptronic. If manual, roll down a hill & let the clutch out. If it starts & runs then you know it is the starter motor.

POST 3Original post

On the starter is a solenoid which engages the starter. This may be your problem not the starter. A stuck light switch in the front or rear trunk maybe not working and leaving your light on. It will drain the battery.

This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.