Car Will Not Start :(

[C.Plavan]

:help: Any ideas from the group? Battery is fine with 12 volts, I get all lights when key is turned, I can hear the clutch switch clicking when I depress the clutch. I changed the ignition switch in Sept. I tried both keys and it would not start (thinking low battery's in the key for alarm) Can any of you think of anything else I am forgetting or should try???

Thanks in advance.

[b-man]

I have no idea if this applies to 996's but, I know you're desperate so I'll try to help. On many cars with these symptons, one of the wires that goes to the starter occasionally has a bad electrical connection/contact. Usually, you look for the starter (in the engine compartment), and wiggle the wire(s) that is connected to it. This will help the electrical connection/contact. You can also remove the wire (it should be very easy) and examine the contact and maybe use some sandpaper on the male end to help it make a better contact when it's reconnected if it's dirty or corroded.

b-man

Edited April 12, 2004 by b-man

[mffarrell]

You might still have a bad switch on your clutch. Try shorting the two terminals on the switch, thus bypassing the switch and see if the starter engages.

[C.Plavan]

I tried bypassing the clutch switch with no success. I have all my tools in storage because our new house is not done yet.... figures. I will be towing it to a shop in the AM.

Thanks

Edited April 13, 2004 by C.Plavan

[clord]

I believe that there is transceiver in/near the ignition switch that "talks" to the coded chip in each key head. The drive block has to be programmed by the PST2 to recognize each separate key head. Could changing the ignition switch have messed with the transceiver?

[C.Plavan]

It shouldn't because the car has worked fine since Sept. Thats when I changed to ignition. I think the immobilizer is what you are thinking about. That could be my problem.

[Scouser]

Check the battery leads are connected fast.

Check the fuses.

Do you get a click from the ignition when you turn the key?

[Itzkirb]

So what was the cause?

[C.Plavan]

It was the immobilizer that took a crap with only 33K miles on the clock. The shop says they have replaced 3 others. They hooked it up to the computer and it didn't even recognize the immobilizer. There goes $300 to $400 on a crappy Porsche part that will fail again in the next few years. Not to mention the pain in dealing with Porsche to get the new codes for the new immobilizer.

[C.Plavan]

UPDATE: Now I need new key heads. Because they do not work with the new immobilizer. Price now is in the $700's total. Great... thanks Porsche.

[Tool Pants]

There is a Boxster guy I have tried to help with the same problem. His unit shorted out due to water.

When you replace the control unit the PST2 can read out the codes for the remote keys and then the code can be inputed/transfered into the new unit and that way you do not have to replace the remotes.

But if the PST2 cannot even recognize the unit..... Same problem with the Boxster guy.

Were you given the paper tag for the remotes when you bought the car? It has a bar code on it with a 24 digit code.

I know a guy with 2 new remotes with the paper tags who wants to sell them - but they are for a Boxster.