996 won't start

When I turn the key the dash lights come on but the starter does not engage - nothing. Battery appears fully charged (showing 12v). I suspect a bad clutch micro-switch, because I can hear it engage when I depress the clutch pedal, but before I replace it, are there any other explanations for these symptoms? Is, for example, there a fuse involved, or something else I am missing?

I had that happen to me this spring. You can verify if its the clutch switch by bypassing it. Mine turned out to be the ignition switch. This is an inexpensive part and relatively easy to change (although requires a bit of contortion).

Before you buy a new switch pull the two wires off and connect them together to bypass it. If the car shares switch is bad if not you will have to dig deeper. Be aware that there are two switches. One foe start and one for cruise disengage.

Thank you, FPB111 - I tried your suggestion and it still did not start. What else might it be? Is it possible there is a bad fuse? And, JTT, how would I diagnose a bad ignition switch?

You can trace back from the starter motor with a freind and a good meter. There is a relay that controls power to the starter. Cueck to see you have signal to the relay, amd that the relay is working. You can check the relay with a couple of jumpers and a small 12v battery and a meter. All that said, the starter switch is very inexpensive and available at most all NAPAs. Its a safe and cheap shot that solved my problem...but not after I spent hours chasing signals. IMO start with the easy things and work your way to the complex. If you have shorted the clutch switch, you know thats not the issue. Check the relay, it doesnt cost anything to check, then I would buy and replace the ignition switch. If that doesnt work its going to get more complex as the next thing, I beleive (but am no expert by any means) is the security system comouter or ECU....or maybe a broken wire. In fact a friend just had this with a Boxster, where mice chewed through signal wires to relay.

Isn't there an engine to frame ground wire that should be checked also?

Negitive engine to frame, passenger side rear above muffler. Battery to frame frunk on the negative cable Positive pass through fire wall in frunk on the positive cable. Relay in rear seat area behind driver seat. Y cable from positive post in engine compartment to starter and alternator. Positive cable junction point above tranny bell housing. Fuel pump supply fuse in fuse panel.

Do you have another key? Sometimes keys go bad and the car does not recognize it.

Not trusting my electrical skills, the dealer (sigh) is telling me they disconnexted/reconnected the car alarm and it started right uo - sound reasonable?

I know this from experience here at the shop but we have been given cars in the same situation, sometimes it can be the ignition however sometimes it can also be the immobilizer.... This is something that is beyond the normal pay-grade of a weekend warrior.... Good Luck to you,

this might be a mute point now, however i thought i would post this for anybody in the future I had a no start issue, it was the crankshaft sensor-indicator. information below taken from another thread, i took mine to the shop , and this was the issue. $ 200 for the part & $100 for the diagnostic. ****************************** I got the OBD2 Reader to work after reading a posting on Renntech. I added the forum below if anyone else had this problem. Code Reader Equus Innova 3100C - RennTech.org Forums Now that the code reader is reading it had 0 codes. We did have a broken wire on the Crankshaft Position Sensor (pinched,,, my fault) that happened when we took the engine out; We soldered the wire. I am replacing that sensor tomorrow morning just in case (at $230!!!!!). I doubt that is it because there's no reason soldering shouldn't have allowed for plenty of signal. hope this helps a little