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It seems that there are more and more cases of these faults appearing, and as some of our cars are reaching 10-12 years old, it is hardly surprising. I've compiled this information from past personal experience on both of my 996s, reading about others on here and other forums, referring to the workshop manual and wiring diagrams, and applying some logic. Hopefully you might find it useful, and save some grief when troubleshooting. DOOR MICROSWITCHES There are seven microswitches in each door which control the alarm system. Two are separate switches: a] One on the outside door handle. This switch is used to sense that the handle is lifted. b] One on the inside door handle, which has the same function. When the car is unlocked and either handle is lifted, this signals the alarm control module (ACM) to lower the appropriate window by 10mm, and turn on the interior lights. As soon as the door opens, another switch inside the door lock (explained later) tells the ACM that the door is open, which holds the window down until the door is closed, when the window is raised, and the dimming timer on the interior lights is started. Once the car is locked, the outside handle switches are ignored by the ACM. The remaining five switches are inside the door lock assembly: c] One switch senses if the door is open or closed. d] One senses that the key has been turned to the 'lock' position. e] Another senses that the key has been turned to the 'unlock' position. f] One senses that the door lock motor has reached the 'lock' position. g] Another senses that the door lock motor has reached the 'unlock' position. TYPICAL FAULTS All these microswitches can be problematic, and it is common for one or more to fail at some time. These are some of the common failures and symptoms: 1) The door window won't drop when lifting a handle. This is usually the handle microswitch which has failed. 2) The window drops, but goes back up when the door opens, or when the handle is released. This can be the handle microswitch, or more likely the 'door open/closed microswitch' ( c ) has stuck. Because the system thinks the door is still closed, it sends the window back up. 3) Door window won't go up the last 10mm. This is likely to be the 'door open/closed microswitch' ( c ) stuck in the opposite sense to (2). The system thinks the door is still open, so won't allow the window to go back up. Note that in this case the door will still lock, but you may get a single-beep from the alarm horn. 4) Door will not lock with key. The 'key lock' microswitch (d) is broken. This is very rare, as this microswitch is hardly ever used – most times the car is locked by remote. 5) Door will not unlock with key. The 'key lock' microswitch (e) is broken. This is also very rare, for the same reason. 6) Door locks, and then immediately unlocks, usually accompanied by a double-beep from the alarm horn. This is the 'door locked' microswitch (f). The locking motor physically operates the door lock, but the microswitch to sense this has failed/stuck. The ACM promptly unlocks the car. In this case, the only way to lock the door is to use the emergency locking procedure. Turn the key in the door to the lock position and back three times in quick succession. 7) The door unlocks, but there is a beep or double-beep from the alarm horn. This is the 'door unlocked' microswitch (g). Although the door is unlocked, the ACM has not recognised that. The alarm will not sound, as turning the key in the lock has deactivated it. FIXES The inside and outside handle microswitches are available separately, and are not too expensive. Although alternative equivalent switches may be available, the genuine Porsche switch comes with a connector and wiring, so it makes sense to use an original. Part Numbers: Inside handle microswitch: 996.613.123.00 (Same both sides) Outside handle microswitch: 996.613.125.00 (Left) / 996.613.126.00 (Right) The door lock microswitches are not available separately. You have to buy the complete door lock assembly, at a cost of around $120. It has been known for people to repair the offending switch though. This is a picture of a typical failure of a 'door open/close' microswitch (courtesy of another RennTech member): You can see that the plastic plunger has broken, jamming the switch lever inside. These switches are (apparently) made by Burgess, but as yet the source and part number are unknown. There are several other similar standard switches on the market for around $2, and people have stripped down the new switch and rebuilt the old one with the plunger from the new one. OTHER SWITCHES IN THE ALARM SYSTEM The other switches and contacts in the alarm system are to monitor the lid closures: Front lid microswitch Rear lid microswitch Oddment compartment microswitch Glove box microswitch Radio contact (to detect radio theft) An open compartment or switch failure will cause a single-beep of the alarm horn on locking. A system error will cause a double-beep. Other elements of the system include an interior monitoring sensor (in the overhead lighting), an alarm readiness light (on the dashboard in the centre) and a central locking button (on the dashboard). Options are a tilt sensor (next to the battery or under the left-hand seat) and an alarm siren (next to the battery).

This is a project I intended to do a few years back with my old Boxster, when the armrests started peeling, but I never got around to it. Lately, a couple of posts on PPBB got me thinking, and this time, doing. A few hours later and I am absolutely thrilled with this hack! I've taken those hard plastic covers which are pathetic as armrests, and turned them into something actually comfortable, 100% OEM-looking and matching the interior, and add a touch of class. I highly encourage you to try this hack! Time required: 2 hours Cost: About $20 Materials: Piece of leather to match your interior (I got one off eBay for $10 shipped) 2mm (about 1/8”) thick closed-cell foam sheet (They have at Michaels’ craft stores) Spray Adhesive (Mine is 3M “Super 77”, also from Michaels—we’ll see if it can handle the summer heat) Masking tape Tools: Brand new razor blades Scissors 120 Sandpaper Needle-nosed pliers Narrow brad or something to push a pin through a hole Step 1: Remove armrests Swing an armrest open and note the two hinges. Remove the pins, starting the front one, by using a brad or other object to press through. If it gets stuck halfway, simply use pliers to pull the pin through. Be careful after you pull the second pin—there is a spring still holding on to the armrest. To remove it, simply keep the armrest in the “up” position and locate the spring. You’ll see how to slide the armrest out. You should have a set of 6 hardware pieces for each armrest: 2 pins, and 4 bushings. Don’t lose them! Step 2: Prep armrests with foam Clean the armrests thoroughly to promote good adhesion. Take the foam and cut a reasonably loose shape around an armrest. Spray the armrest moderately with adhesive. I found that a little bit of adhesive to the foam helped as well. Not too much as you really don’t want the complete “contact cement” experience! The adhesive I used gave me an instant but slightly reworkable bond. Aim for having no actual tension in the foam by starting in the most concave section and working outward. Don’t worry about the wrapping the foam around the edges; that is not desired. Trim the edges with a bevel using a razor blade. Remember, we are only adding foam to the top part and we don’t want it to roll over the edges at all. Here is a tip I got out of “Custom Auto Interiors” by Don Taylor and Ron Magus—sand the foam! Sand it using 120 grit sandpaper, and don’t be shy! Sand nice transitions around the edges, and sand the “skin” off all the foam to promote better adhesion. (Ignore those little slits you see in the picture; they were not necessary) Clean the armrest thoroughly. Step 3. Cover armrests with leather Basically, repeat what you did with the foam. But leave a GENEROUS amount of leather around the edges. Spray the adhesive and apply the leather with some gentle stretching. Don’t worry about the wrapping yet, worry more about not having air trapped between the leather and the foam (bad when it gets hot). With the basic adhesion done, trim the leather a little closer and make a series of cuts to create tabs which will allow the curves to come together on the back side. Some of the cuts should actually be v-shaped to prevent too much layering. Also, make precise cuts near the pads and hinge areas so these can be cleared. Do a second round of adhesive spraying on the back. But start with loosely masking the back side to avoid having too much goop on your finished product. Press all the leather “tabs” firmly in place, and trim as needed with a razor blade. Step 4. Reinstall armrests First re-insert the bushings. Make sure they are inserted completely. Begin the reinstall by inserting the spring at the rear. The best (perhaps the only) way to do this is by holding the armrest as if it was in the “up” position and guiding the spring into the small hole at the edge. I used pliers to help with this. It will take a few tries! Next, reinsert the pins. Start with the easier front one; that way the one at back, where you will be fighting the spring tension, will be more stable. Make sure you have the pins in all the way. That’s it! On mine, the armrest doesn’t quite swing ALL the way up, or at least not with a clean motion, but that doesn’t’ bother me. It is probably due to some clearance issues with the leather.