Really not having a good time... - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Ok my Porsche ownership is going from bad to worse. It's now surpassed the number of problems (pro-rata over ownership time) than the TVR Chimaera I had. So, a few weekends back, I took the ferry over to France, to pick up some nice wines and also spend some time with my five year old son. Not three miles onto French soil, the car cuts out completely. All electrics are fine, the engine just died. Wouldn't catch on turning over at all. I eventually got the car back to England after approx £400 ($750 ish) in recovery fees. That problem still remains, haven't had it looked at yet but I suspect maybe fuel pump, fuel pipe blockage, the recovery guy suggested it might be the interia switch.....I don't know. Anyway so it's sat there on my fecking drive with it's spoiler stuck in the 'up' position, not working. So anyway today, I have to change the brake pads on my family motor. I go to the Boxster to get my trolley jack (which is in the rear boot/trunk), and...the battery is dead. And I don't mean low , I mean 100% dead. Not even a flicker on the dash lights. So I can't open the boot/trunk to get the sodding jack out. I've searched the net but can only find a link for 987's where you can put a battery pack on an attachment on the fuse unit, and the negative to the door hinge. Only of course, mine is a 986 and there isn't such a connection. So I hook my battery pack up via the lighter socket......doesn't make a blind bit of difference. I tried a different battery pack, just in case....not making any difference, no lights no power, and yes I have the key in and in the ON position. I've also searched for this mystical 'rectangular' cover/shroud that's over the release wire, somewhere in the wheel arch, but I can't find it. How can I tell if mine is the electronic release mechanism or the mechanical version? (1999 2.5). Any help appreciated. Oh and did I mention (and this is completely my own fault) I managed to lose the locking wheel nut.

How about public transportation? LOL Hang in there... things normally happen in 3's. You have now achieved your quota. Dan

Well, its not the end of the world yet. Here's a question for you: When you are unlocking either the front or rear trunks, are you pushing a button, or are you pulling up on a lever? If its a lever, there is going to be a pull cable somewhere in the front bumper. Typically, it is somewhere near the little plastic hole in the front bumper that you are able to screw the tow ring into. You should be able to remove the bottom of the bumper cover, and search around inside until you find it. Its just a wire cable with a loop on the end of it. Search for it if your car has the levers. If your car has the buttons, you will most likely need to replace your ignition switch before you can do anything else, as this is most likely the entire cause of all your problems. BC.

>>Well, its not the end of the world yet. No, I know, just a little frustrating. I'd just like a few months, hell, maybe even a year, with no car issues. Anyway....enough moaning. It's not gonna happen unless I start driving Toyota Corollas or Honda Civics, but I'm not ready for retirement yet >>little plastic hole in the front bumper that you are able to screw the tow ring into Ah yes, I know exactly where the tow ring goes I'll have a look tomorrow, mines the pull-up variety. Thanks for the info.....fngers crossed.

http://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/whenyourbatteryisdead

Thanks....appreciated. Truly. W

Sounds curiously like what happened to me recently (my car: '02 S, 71k mi), but unfortunately at Home Depot in New Jersey, not France. France is one of the few places I wouldn't mind being stranded. Turned out a faulty voltage regulator had caused the battery to very rapidly discharge to near zero with no warning whatsoever. After you get the boot and bonnet open, measure your battery voltage (see threads for specs), then charge it thoroughly overnight, or if it's more than few years old strongly consider simply replacing it. I'd just replaced my battery not more than a week before experiencing this failure. Search this site for "alternator" or "alternator failure" to find a number of very good threads on troubleshooting your charging system and alternator removal. Replacement of the faulty voltage regulator, which is part of the alternator, is inexpensive (the part was $15, some people have paid up to $65) and very quick once you get the alternator out. Overall, not a bad DIY project for someone like me with very average mechanical skills. Don't get discouraged, your Boxster DOES love you, it just gets a little cranky occasionally. As you say in the UK, "Keep your pecker up."

Ok, first of all thanks for the info. I got the trunk/boot/bonnet open, I opted to use the 'thin screwdriver in the lever area', i.e. sliding the solenoid across manually. Only thing I would mention to UK owners is that you're sliding it away from the middle of the car, not towards, but that's quickly worked out! So anyway, I've opened it all up and am mildly happy...or kind of, I think maybe just relieved I can get to all areas of my broken car now BUT.......and I do wonder if this is why my car died in the first place - to the right of the battery, there is a 'void' area with some elctrical items (I don't know what they are yet)....but anyhow.........that entire void was full of water. Right up to the bottom of the battery. I'm beginning to think the previous owner parked this car in the sea. I've drained it (more or less), but now need to find out what's housed in there....and then whether they will dry out in time (not counting on that as it's a typical British winter), or whether they will need replacing. If anyone has any ideas what they are, that would be appreciated. In the meantime I've drawn a diagram of how to open the trunks, to suplement the guides below. It's crude but.....I tried. Also, photos of my water tank....argh, I mean, my car. http://www.4vve.com/boxster/bootopening.htm

If you have water there, that means that your drains for the windshield area are plugged up with leaves and other debris. You will need to clean those drain tube areas out. BC.