Reverse Light Switch Replaced, but No Gear, Please Help!

[WendyS]

Hi,

 

Car:  2002 996 TT Tiptronic.

 

This is the first time I'm posting.  Thanks for all of your information.

 

I didn't have reverse lights, nor did my side mirror tilt down when in reverse.  After reading many posts, I decided it was probably the reverse light switch under the gear shifter (it's a tiptronic).

 

I disconnected the battery, put the key in ignition, turned key to #1 position, foot on brake and shifted into Neutral.  I left the car in neutral during the entire replacement of the reverse light switch.  The switch replacement went well and I took many pictures to make sure everything was aligned when I put it back together.  Once all together, I shifted the car into park, pulled the key out, reconnected the battery.  Started the car in Park.  Then upon shifting, the car goes into gears and moves, but the dashboard light is now staying only in Neutral.  The shifter moves fine and the car moves in reverse and moves in Drive.  It also does not drive well in Drive, like it's not fully in Drive.

 

I scanned with the Durametric and get every error known to man.

 

What did I do wrong?!?!  Any ideas you may have is greatly appreciated.  Otherwise my next step is to have it towed to shop :(

 

Respectfully,

Wendy

[Loren]

 

If you disconnected the cable then you need to follow the factory workshop manual:

 

Insert support bracket sleeve on the selector lever cable in the support bracket on the selector support. Make sure the two plastic clips engage properly. (See enlarged view).

1.	Insert selector support and connect electrical plug connections.

2.	Tighten fastening nuts.

 

3.	Insert support bracket sleeve on the selector lever cable in the support bracket on the selector support. Make sure the two plastic clips engage properly.

 

4.	Push selector lever cable all the way back (see enlarged view); this shifts the transmission into park.

5.	Move selector lever to position P.

 

6.	Engage the selector lever cable into the open adjuster and close the adjuster (see enlarged view). The locking sleeve on the adjuster must move to the end position automatically.

7.	Engage cable nipple in the keylock lever.

8.	Insert adjuster on the keylock cable into the support bracket. Make sure the two retaining clips engage properly.

9.	Install center console → 68 17 19 Removing and installing center console.

10.	Install selector knob → 37 04 19 Removing and installing selector knob.

 

Also, make sure you got the electrical connectors properly seated.

[WendyS]

Hi again,

 

Sorry to say that for my first time posting on this forum, that I'm going to answer my own question.  Not a good start...

 

After cursing das Porschy, drinking a glass of wine, searching the internet, and talking it through with my husband, we figured out what went wrong and it was sort of obvious.

 

So, for everyone replacing the multi-function switch on their 996 tip. because they don't have reverse lights, don't make this mistake.  The new switch comes with a metal pin in the center that needs to be removed after you have the switch installed.  This pin, apparently, is to hold the switch in the neutral position during installation.  It won't work if you leave the pin in or remove the pin and move the switch's position.

 

When replacing this switch, the car needs to be in neutral and the switch needs to be in the neutral position.  If you make a mistake and these two things don't match up, the switch doesn't function and the car doesn't know what gear it's in.

 

So, now that I've taken everything apart again and checked the switch's position, I finally have reverse lights and my right side mirror tilts down in reverse!

 

Hopefully this tidbit helps anyone replacing this switch.

[WendyS]

Thanks for the information Loren. Thankfully the problem was a simple fix.

 

I've spent the last 3 weeks working on various issues with this car. Hopefully this was the last for a little while.

 

Thanks again for everything posted on this forum.  Unfortunately it makes me a little over confident sometimes :)  Great information!