Sidemarkers as turnsignals also

[geoff]

Yes - I saw Loren's post for the sidemarker flash hack, How to make your sidemarkers flash, in step with the turn signals, and that's not what I'm looking for.

I saw something about just swapping pin 3 to pin 4 for the X1 and X2 headlight connectors. Will this cause the sidemarkers to still light up with the running lights, and blink with the turn signals (ROW setup)? Or will the sidemarkers only light up with the turn signals and not come on with the headlights?

Is there any simple pin swap that will make the sidemarkers on/off equivalent to the front, or are there more light bulbs involved at the headlamp assembly than the side markers, which is why the alternating turn signal hack is required?

For a 2001 2.7 - I'm not keen about cutting and splicing wire as the car still has the original Porsche warranty left, hence the question

[Tool Pants]

I did it Sandy's way on 2 local cars. You cut one ground wire on each side. No big deal.

There are some old instructions about swaping wires in the headlight connectors. The guy who prepared them is a local Boxster owner I know. They may not be correct, and/or may not be correct for all years. I do not know anyone who has done it that way and I do not have the time to study the US and ROW wiring diagrams - not that I would understand them anyway. I printed out various pages of info on this 4 years ago. If you want copies PM me your fax number.

Whenever I see instructions on the internet that end with Ta Da I wonder if it will work. ;)

[geoff]

Thanks TP! I got the wiring diagrams from a Boxster service manual I downloaded off the internet, and compared the US and ROW wiring diagrams. Also found the "ta da" instructions. In the 2001 wiring diagram, it looks like the only turn signal wiring difference is like the "ta da" directions said, and the side turn signal wiring in the US goes to pin 3 on the X1 and X2 connector, whereas it goes to pin 4 for the ROW wiring. But, I'm probably not much better at reading electrical diagrams than you are.

Do you know if the sidemarker lights on ROW cars turn on when the headlights come on, or do the sidemarkers only go on when the turn signals flash? If they only go on with the blinkers, then I think the answer is I would need another light socket and bulb in the side marker to get side marker lights for both indicator and turning. Or I would need to do the alternating flash hack like Loren and Sandy described. If the ROW sidemarker lights up with the headlights and flashes with the turn signal, then it probably is as simple as moving pin 4 to 3 (and hoping the circuit doesn't have problems with the additional load - not likely a problem). Otherwise I'll wait until the car is out of warranty before making any obvious wiring changes

Thanks again for all your help

[Tool Pants]

I am also on the UK Boxster board and there is a technical section. http://forum.boxa.net/index.php?act=idx Ask there. I have never seen a ROW car.

When I first started on their board years ago I told them about Sandy's hack and got some funny responses since their cars come with blinking side markers.

[geoff]

Here's the answer from the UK boxster board, which I assume applies to the ROW as well. Their side markers only operate as turn indicators and do not light up with the headlights, whereas US side markers normally light up with the headlights, but don't work as turn indicators. So without doing the wire cut and snip hack, you can't have it both ways.

I'll wait until my warranty is up before I decide to start cutting wires. Gives me time to think up some other options

[Tool Pants]

I did not think there was an easy Ta Da.

I did it a bit different than Sandy's instructions since I have the pin removal tool. When it came time to connect the hook up wires to the white and black connectors I removed the existing pin from each connector. Then I soldered the end of the hook up wire to the now removed pin. You end up with 2 wires on each pin and do not have to cut anything.

I still had to cut the brown ground wires to connect to the other ends of the hook up wires as I could not remove the brown wires from the bulb socket.

I do not have a picture of the side marker thing, but it looks just like this. This pic is from when I added air horns to the existing horn. To power the compressor I removed the horn pin from the white connector and added to the existing horn wire the red wire to the compressor by soldering. Then put the pin now containing 2 wires back into the connector. Did not have to cut anything. I did it the same way with the side marker thing for the end of the 2 hook up wires.

The other way is to scrape some of the insulation off and solder the hook up wires to the existing wires - but you still have to cut the 2 brown ground wires.

[Itzkirb]

geoff

I don't think splicing into two wires is going to void your warranty. I mean if you get an oil leak or something I doubt they could blame it on the splicing of the wires. To be safe I would ask your service advisor about it, I don't they'd mind this simple hack.

Just my 2cents

[nova996]

Here's another page about this hack. It's basically the same procedure.

But will this work on 03 cars? I don't think the orange bulb in the headlight assembly is on as a parking light all the time when the headlights are on.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/ma...arkerflash.html

Now what if I don't want the lights on as sidemarkers, and I want *exactly* the behavior of the RoW cars?

[geoff]

Wow - very enlightening site! (Sorry, I couldn't resist)

After reading this description, I wonder if there's a Porsche or VW/Audi bulb carrier that will take a 2 filament bulb I can use to replace the existing sidemarker bulb carrier. Then I would just need to add another wire, no cutting of wires, and would have the sidemarkers lighting match the front turn signal lighting. Something to start looking into when I have more free time

If I can't find anything else, I'll probably find out what pin removal tool Jeff has and do the side marker hack as he described after the car is out of warranty.

I've had so much stuff replaced by my dealer under warranty and they have been so good about everything, I don't want to do anything that could possibly mess that up until after the car is out of warranty. It's much easier to return the car to original by removing an additional wire than by un-cutting one that's been snipped

If anybody finds another way to do the sidemarker / turnsignal with a different bulb holder, please post details here

Thanks all for your valuable inputs and help - I've learned a lot more about how our cars are wired up than I knew before

[Tool Pants]

geoff

I don't think splicing into two wires is going to void your warranty. I mean if you get an oil leak or something I doubt they could blame it on the splicing of the wires.  To be safe I would ask your service advisor about it, I don't they'd mind this simple hack.

Just my 2cents

Oh, well. I had my tools all ready to cut 2 little ground wires to both side markers. I found some pictures. Both cars survived. Next time.

[zman1858]

I want to wire the side makers to blink, in all the posts, the pics are X'ed out and the details are very vague. I have a great detailed post bookmarked and can't find it now.....anyone have anything...thanks

[Loren]

I want to wire the side makers to blink, in all the posts, the pics are X'ed out and the details are very vague. I have a great detailed post bookmarked and can't find it now.....anyone have anything...thanks

I sent you a PM with the written instructions.

[kbrandsma]

I would also be interested in the DIY directions. I would also like to know if the link provided by nova996 is accurate?

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/ma...arkerflash.html

Thanks

[Loren]

I would also be interested in the DIY directions. I would also like to know if the link provided by nova996 is accurate?

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/ma...arkerflash.html

Thanks

I sent you a PM also.