Need advise

[BoxsterSenior]

This morning started my 98 Boxster to drive to work and noticed, NO digital instrument display, NO tach or speedo function. The fuel, temp and turn signal indicator lights all function. Everything was working fine yesterday. Where do I start to look for the cause of this? Any help would be appreciated.

[aron in toronto]

Are you noticing any difficulty in turning the ignition key? I'm not going to say all electrical gremlins are caused by a faulty ignition switch but they are common enough to look there first. If your key does not turn/return freely, your switch may be failing and this can cause lots of strange electrical behavior.

My switch failed w/o the typical electrical gremlins but I could remove my key and the motor would keep running and trying to get the key back in was very difficult. This was quite alarming as there was no way I could shut the car down.

Back to your problem if it is the switch it’s a relatively inexpensive and simple repair that has been covered here many times.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=493

One addition or suggestion I have to the DIY instructions above is to use a low step stool or crate that is the same height of the door threshold and a cushion across the threshold to to make it easier on your back while you are contorting yourself into position to access the back of the switch located behind the dash.

Of course it could be something else, such as a bad connection behind your gauge cluster or possibly a bad fuse.

Good luck, hope you find the solution.

Aron

Edited June 18, 2009 by aron in toronto

[BoxsterSenior]

Are you noticing any difficulty in turning the ignition key? I'm not going to say all electrical gremlins are caused by a faulty ignition switch but they are common enough to look there first. If your key does not turn/return freely, your switch may be failing and this can cause lots of strange electrical behavior.

My switch failed w/o the typical electrical gremlins but I could remove my key and the motor would keep running and trying to get the key back in was very difficult. This was quite alarming as there was no way I could shut the car down.

Back to your problem if it is the switch it’s a relatively inexpensive and simple repair that has been covered here many times.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=493

One addition or suggestion I have to the DIY instructions above is to use a low step stool or crate that is the same height of the door threshold and a cushion across the threshold to to make it easier on your back while you are contorting yourself into position to access the back of the switch located behind the dash.

Of course it could be something else, such as a bad connection behind your gauge cluster or possibly a bad fuse.

Good luck, hope you find the solution.

Aron

Aron,

No......have not had an issues with the key or ignition switch. Ocassionally, the radio will cut out for a second when first accelerating.

Phil

[phillipj]

The ignition switch is still a suspect. How old is your battery? Sometimes a failing battery can create strange electrical issues. Have your battery tested first.

[BoxsterSenior]

The ignition switch is still a suspect. How old is your battery? Sometimes a failing battery can create strange electrical issues. Have your battery tested first.

Philip

The battery is only six months old and spins the engine over like a top.

Phil

[phillipj]

Hmmm.. Ignition switch is still a possible suspect. Hopefully others will chime in with more expertise than myself.

Good luck

[aron in toronto]

Philip,

In addition to changing out my ignition switch that solved my goofy key issue but w/o the electrical gremlins, I also had a dash back light problem. It only affected the digital display under the analogue gauges. My tach and speedo were fine and I could see that my digital gauges were also still working if I looked at them in the right light. The problem was that there was no back light illuminating the display. The strange thing was that they all went dark at the same time so I figured it was more than a burned out bulb. The stranger thing is that before I could get around to fixing the problem the lights came back on all by themselves. Since this happened I've read that it could be the symptoms of a faulty light switch. In your case it may be more or different than a failing light switch as your analogue gauges aren't working either, but it may be worth searching back posts for light switch issues.

Aron

[BoxsterSenior]

Aron,

I will check to see if the back lighting is working this evening when it is darker.

In the meantime, I have ordered the replacement switch 4A0905849B and will change it out when it arrived next week.

Thanks for your suggestions on probable cause.

Phil

[phillipj]

Good luck I hope that cures the problem

[BoxsterSenior]

Good luck I hope that cures the problem

Aron,

Hopefully more diagnostic information……..spoiler warning light on all the time, radio display (and sound) cutting out and coming back on for a second then cutting out again continually. When I first turn the key to the on position, the speedo and tach needles bounce up and down for a few seconds and stop. Dash digital back light glowing.

UPDATE…….installed new ignition switch………NO change to any of the electrical gremlins. Pulled the dash out and checked the connections……..nothing loose, all looks in tact.

Any other ideas what could be causing these anomalies?

Phil

[Loren]

Good luck I hope that cures the problem

Aron,

Hopefully more diagnostic information……..spoiler warning light on all the time, radio display (and sound) cutting out and coming back on for a second then cutting out again continually. When I first turn the key to the on position, the speedo and tach needles bounce up and down for a few seconds and stop. Dash digital back light glowing.

UPDATE…….installed new ignition switch………NO change to any of the electrical gremlins. Pulled the dash out and checked the connections……..nothing loose, all looks in tact.

Any other ideas what could be causing these anomalies?

Phil

Did you check the (multiple) chassis grounds under the dash?

[BoxsterSenior]

Good luck I hope that cures the problem

Aron,

Hopefully more diagnostic information……..spoiler warning light on all the time, radio display (and sound) cutting out and coming back on for a second then cutting out again continually. When I first turn the key to the on position, the speedo and tach needles bounce up and down for a few seconds and stop. Dash digital back light glowing.

UPDATE…….installed new ignition switch………NO change to any of the electrical gremlins. Pulled the dash out and checked the connections……..nothing loose, all looks in tact.

Any other ideas what could be causing these anomalies?

Phil

Did you check the (multiple) chassis grounds under the dash?

Loren,

No did not check the ground connections (should have when I had the dash out). I believe there were two. Will do that next and see what effect that has.

Thanks, Phil

[Loren]

Good luck I hope that cures the problem

Aron,

Hopefully more diagnostic information……..spoiler warning light on all the time, radio display (and sound) cutting out and coming back on for a second then cutting out again continually. When I first turn the key to the on position, the speedo and tach needles bounce up and down for a few seconds and stop. Dash digital back light glowing.

UPDATE…….installed new ignition switch………NO change to any of the electrical gremlins. Pulled the dash out and checked the connections……..nothing loose, all looks in tact.

Any other ideas what could be causing these anomalies?

Phil

Did you check the (multiple) chassis grounds under the dash?

Loren,

No did not check the ground connections (should have when I had the dash out). I believe there were two. Will do that next and see what effect that has.

Thanks, Phil

Marked with red arrows - I have seen a couple of these with corrosion before.

[BoxsterSenior]

Good luck I hope that cures the problem

Aron,

Hopefully more diagnostic information……..spoiler warning light on all the time, radio display (and sound) cutting out and coming back on for a second then cutting out again continually. When I first turn the key to the on position, the speedo and tach needles bounce up and down for a few seconds and stop. Dash digital back light glowing.

UPDATE…….installed new ignition switch………NO change to any of the electrical gremlins. Pulled the dash out and checked the connections……..nothing loose, all looks in tact.

Any other ideas what could be causing these anomalies?

Phil

Did you check the (multiple) chassis grounds under the dash?

Loren,

No did not check the ground connections (should have when I had the dash out). I believe there were two. Will do that next and see what effect that has.

Thanks, Phil

Marked with red arrows - I have seen a couple of these with corrosion before.

Loren,

Thanks for pointing out the locations. I believe I can access the driver side ones once the instrument cluster is out. How do get behind the pass airbag area to check the ground connections there?

Phil

[BoxsterSenior]

Good luck I hope that cures the problem

Aron,

Hopefully more diagnostic information……..spoiler warning light on all the time, radio display (and sound) cutting out and coming back on for a second then cutting out again continually. When I first turn the key to the on position, the speedo and tach needles bounce up and down for a few seconds and stop. Dash digital back light glowing.

UPDATE…….installed new ignition switch………NO change to any of the electrical gremlins. Pulled the dash out and checked the connections……..nothing loose, all looks in tact.

Any other ideas what could be causing these anomalies?

Phil

Did you check the (multiple) chassis grounds under the dash?

Loren,

No did not check the ground connections (should have when I had the dash out). I believe there were two. Will do that next and see what effect that has.

Thanks, Phil

Marked with red arrows - I have seen a couple of these with corrosion before.

Loren,

Thanks for pointing out the locations. I believe I can access the driver side ones once the instrument cluster is out. How do get behind the pass airbag area to check the ground connections there?

Phil

Loren,

Dissassembled, inspected and re-assemble the ground connections as you have indicated (except for under airbag) but found no corrosion. The exercise had no affect on the speedo, tach and digital display.

Any other ideas other than the instrument circuit boards ar bad?

Phil

[Loren]

Assuming you have looked for pinched wires or connectors that are broken or not latched then you are pretty much down to the cluster.

If you could find a friend with the same type cluster you could try that.

[BoxsterSenior]

Assuming you have looked for pinched wires or connectors that are broken or not latched then you are pretty much down to the cluster.

If you could find a friend with the same type cluster you could try that.

Loren,

Got friends, but none with Boxster instruments clusters for me to borrow. I'm going to search the forums for a used one to try. Thanks for you help.............will let you know the out come.

Phil

[BoxsterSenior]

Assuming you have looked for pinched wires or connectors that are broken or not latched then you are pretty much down to the cluster.

If you could find a friend with the same type cluster you could try that.

Loren,

Got friends, but none with Boxster instruments clusters for me to borrow. I'm going to search the forums for a used one to try. Thanks for you help.............will let you know the out come.

Phil

Loren,

I was able to purchase a used (verified working condition) instrument cluster from a fellow Boxster enthusiast, installed it and everything is working. Still do not know what caused the 'no warning failure' of cluster gagues and display.

Phil

[phillipj]

Glad to hear you finally solved your issue. Congrats! :clapping: