Chris_in_NH

it sounds like the key is not working in the door. is there any resistance when you turn the key, or does it just turn with no resistance at all? as you know, the remote system has gone to sleep. if you *can* set off the alarm, that might wake the car up so that you can use the remote. but maybe it won't and your alarm will go off until your battery drains (i'm not sure if it stops after a while.) but you'll be sure to be a hit with the neighbors. :lol: if you can get into the front trunk (by taking off front wheel, pulling back wheel well liner, and pulling the trunk release cable), you can remove the neg battery cable for a minute (have radio code if your radio needs one) and then re-attach the neg cable. this may wake the car up so that you can use the remote. yes, it is a pain. :rolleyes: i can't remember which side the trunk release cable is on, but i think it's the passenger (right) side. if you search the forum for 'dead battery' you'll find detailed instructions on how to open the front trunk with the release cable. i don't know if the coathanger trick will work. i don't know if i'd want to chance it, personally. now that i think of it, there is a feature with the key to roll down both windows. i think you put the key in the door and then turn it to the left twice. (or maybe the right? - i can't remember). it's worth a shot, anyway. good luck.

if there is an AutoZone near you (or on your drive home), they will let you borrow their code reader for free to read your codes and reset the CEL. then at least you would know the codes. you said your car isn't running rough and the smoke goes away after 15-20 seconds. that sounds like normal flat-6 smoke to me. i would just keep an eye on it.

you *can* drive home (or *try*, anyway.) i would check that tube first. if it has a lot of oil in it (more than a misting) it's probably better to fix your car and then drive home. you can DIY in 2 - 3 hours and there are plenty of how-to's with pics. the AOS and J-tube will cost about $120 together. overnight shipment is about $25. when the AOS goes bad, it starts feeding (lots of) oil into the engine, which is why it smokes. at one point, if left untreated, one or more of the cylinders could fill with (un-compressible) oil, and something has to give (your engine!) if you do drive home, keep an eye on the smoking. if the smoke is going away after a while, you're probably ok. if the car is not running rough yet and there's no CEL or flashing CEL, chances are the AOS has not gone completely bad yet. the other thing to keep in mind is that some smoke upon start-up is normal for flat-6 engines. especially if you just moved the car a few feet and then turned it off. is it possible that you just noticed this, but it has been smoking like this all the time you've owned it? when the AOS goes bad, the car will smoke the whole time it is running and you won't be able to see your neighborhood. (yes, it's really that bad.) ;)

that's weird, because when i searched i found it. see post #10 in this thread. it shows the picture of the plug you're looking for. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...amp;#entry36977 also see this thread (specifically posts #4, 6, & 8): http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=11713 this pic is the wiring color diagram for the extra power plug under the radio, so you know which is switched/toggled power, constant power, ground, etc.

1. what radio do you have? (CDR-220, etc?) 2. what year is your car? 3. have you searched here for 'iPod'? there is tons of info. i think the blue wire is the phone mute wire which (in a factory setup) will mute the stereo when the phone rings. depending on which model year your car is, there is a 3- or 4-plug extra power plug located behind/under/around the stereo. it's just a loose wire with a plug on the end. if you search for 'iPod' you will find a diagram that shows the power plug and what the wire colors correspond to. one is switched (toggled) power, one is constant power, one is ground, and i can't remember what the other one is (phone mute maybe.)

yes, they can be repaired. it can be a pain to 'finesse' the vents out (especially the driver's side with the light switch), but it's not too hard. the louvres are numbered so that you can put them back in the correct order if you remove them. but in your case, you just need to re-attach the little plastic wire that they pivot on. there are two positions on the plastic wire where the louvres clip in. to remove the driver's side vent, you need to remove screws on the side of the vent housing (facing the door) and a screw that is in the light switch recess. to access it, you need to remove the headlight switch by pulling it out as far as it can go, and inserting a screwdriver in the bottom of the switch (there is a little hole for this) to release the lock. the headlight switch will come off and you will see another screw which you need to remove. there is a large, thin nut that holds the headlight switch internals to the vent housing. remove it. then you may need to rock the vent housing a little bit to get it out. the passenger's side is easier. remove the screws facing the door. pop off the round plastic mesh piece by prying it with a butter knife/flathead screwdriver wrapped in a cloth so you don't scratch anything - (you might just be able to pull it out with your fingers, try that first) and then remove the screw inside. i haven't had to do the middle vents, but i'm sure it's a similar design. to remove that you need to (with your wrapped butter knife/screwdriver) pry the two side pieces (with the TC, conv top, central lock, etc. buttons) off (they are pried out easily). then disconnect the wires that are clipped to the backs of the buttons (they wiggle off easily). when you remove those side pieces, you will see a screw in each of the 4 corners of the console/vent frame. remove them and the whole frame will come out. (you may need to remove whatever is in those two DIN slots first - climate control unit, cup holder, etc.) good luck! ;)

:rolleyes:

that's ridiculous. some of these guys just like to hear themselves talk. however, you *could* just leave everything disconnected and have a *manual* convertible top. i did this for over a year (was just too lazy to fix it, even though i had all the parts) and it's a little more of a pain to have to get out of the car to put the top up/down, but i could do it quicker than the 'automatic' feature could, and the top would never break again. ;) i have since fixed my top and it took all of 20 minutes. D'OH! as i mentioned before, there are a very limited set of possible causes for your issue, so it shouldn't be too hard to figure out. it's either mechanical or electrical, and it doesn't sound electrical at this point.

hmm... one of the cables could be broken inside the cable sheath. have you been able to remove the clamshell push-rods yet? if so, put the cables back in the motor and have someone quickly push the conv top button while you watch the V-levers to see if they both spin. if they both spin, the cables are OK, and the transmissions are (probably) OK, and the conv top cable motor is (probably) OK. i say 'probably' as you could have an intermittent problem. take a look at the red ball connectors on the conv top push-rods you removed. are they cracked/broken? also take a look at the push-rods themselves. about half way down the push-rod, there is a set screw. are the set screws tight, and in the same location on both sides?

getting the push-arms with the red connector off is a good start. if your clamshell is at 45 degrees, then it's almost all the way in the up position. if this is the case, you should be able to pop the black canister arms (clamshell push-rods) off very easily with a screwdriver. the canister arm uses the same ball-socket connection that the red connectors use. get the screwdriver between the V-lever and the ball connector on the end of the canister arm and pop it off. if that doesn't work, you could try to undo that brass connector that attaches the other side of the canister arm to the clamshell. then the clamshell would move freely (after unclipping both sides). here is a picture that might help you.

did you READ the post i linked to? ('here's your freebie:)? you NEED to READ (all of) it! as you WILL read in the R&R post, there are very few components that make the top work. there are 'transmissions' (one on each side of the car), a conv top cable motor (located under clamshell by 3rd brake light), two sets of push-rods (one set for the clamshell and one set that moves the conv top frame), a 'V-lever', and conv top cables. the cables are the most likely cause of your top problem. i am assuming that when you pull the handbrake (emergency brake) the corresponding dash light comes on. correct? for your clamshell, look inside the space that the clamshell normally covers. attached to the clamshell, you will see two black canister arms (one on each side of the car). follow them from the clamshell to where they attach at the 'V-lever' and pop them off the V-lever with a screwdriver. (hold the clamshell while you do this so it doesn't fall down on you). this will allow you to open/close the clamshell manually. then, READ the post i linked to - and detach the push-rods with the red caps on the ends (one on each side of the car). you can use a screwdriver or another pry tool. this will allow you to open/close the conv top manually. after you've done all that, see the section in the R&R thread about checking your cable lengths and how to replace the cables. don't push the conv top button anymore! it CAN get worse (and expensive)!

"I saw a couple of your posts about this topic and thought you might be able to help me? My keys are locked in the trunk and my cable relese on the car broke ?!$@. I have read a few posts that talk about fishing with a wire under the drivers side tail light, tried did not work. I read your post about cable under drivers rear fender cover, still can't find. My car looks different that the one in your post. is that a 911 or boxter? any help on exact location of cable for a 99 boxster? It is so sunny and nice out, must drive boxster bad !! HELP" i'm going to guess it's the rear trunk. ;)

this should be in the Boxster Conv Top Forum which is a link at the top of the Boxster Forum Page. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showforum=46 you need to disconnect the conv top push-rods and the clamshell push-rods so that you can open and close the top manually. the problem that you're having is probably related to the conv top cables and they probably need to be replaced. also, please include at least the model year of your car when posting. help us help you! ;) here's your freebie: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=68 read it all and you will understand how the top works, the parts, and what needs to be disconnected and repaired/replaced. you can fix it all yourself relatively easily and cheaply. the fan that you hear from the passenger side is normal and not related to the conv top.

any Porsche dealership? :rolleyes: http://www.sunsetimports.com and http://www.suncoastporsche.com have the best prices.

Hi George... in the future you should create a new post for your issue, just so we can keep them straight. yes, you will need to replace the handbrake microswitch. it is underneath the storage compartment at the back of the center console. you will need to remove the center console to get at the microswitch. here are some short-shifter instructions that explain how to remove the center console. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?a...ost&id=1853 also, when you are removing the center console, it can scratch the handbrake up pretty good, so it would be a good idea to cover the handbrake with tape or a towel or something to protect it. here's a picture of the microswitch. the part number you need to order is 996.613.112.01 and is only a few dollars.

oh, ok. i get it now. as far as the pictures, as Tool Pants mentioned, you can upload them directly to Renntech. but i use a site called P-Cars (http://www.pcars.us) where i have created an album. by doing this, all your pictures are ready-to-go for any site that you visit and want to post pics. standard pic size for websites, etc. is 640 pixels by 480 pixels. there is a setting on your camera that will allow you to take pictures at this size, or using a photo program (Photoshop, Jasc Paint Shop Pro, etc.) you can resize the image to 640x480 and then upload it wherever you want.

he said that he changed the cables proactively, before he had top problems. that's what i don't understand about this whole thing. maybe i'm still not understanding this correctly. ;)

yes, sounds like you need a new ignition switch. the part is $20 at Audi dealers. just make sure you get the right one. and yes, you don't need much mechanical expertise to change it out. all you need is a small screwdriver and contortionist skills. ;) here's the DIY: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=493 you probably just need to replace the switch behind the lock tumbler, not the tumbler itself.

ok, i see now. replace the bent V-lever and replace the push-rods with the red end caps. those red end caps will eventually break. the new reinforced ones (from Porsche) are white. the metal ones at Paragon look fine and will be cheaper than buying the entire push-rods for both sides. when replacing them, just note how many threads are showing on the old ones, and make sure you have the same number of threads showing when you screw on the new ones. you might still need to do a little adjusting, but you will be very close. to be honest, the V-lever doesn't look *too* bad. you might be able to bend it back. or just leave it. i know you said that you replaced the cables before you had any problems (good idea), but i don't understand how the V-lever would get bent like that if the top was working normally. presumably it would take a lot of force to bend it. that 'adjustment screw' doesn't really adjust anything, it just holds the clamshell to the screw that slides in the rail. with the clamshell push-rods (black canisters) disconnected, if you pull the clamshell up to its highest and farthest-back position, does it still look uneven? in the pic, it looks like the passenger side of the clamshell is simply slid more forward than the driver's side. again, if nothing broke previously, i don't see how the clamshell (or the V-lever) would be bent. congrats on your pic posting! ;) should be an easy fix.

i don't see any pics! ;) just Paste the link to the pics in the message. like this: http://www.my_pics_are_here.com/pic1.jpg also Paste the link to Paragon if you'd like us to look there.

that is going to depend on the size of the wheels you get. for example, front wheels might be 18x8 and rear wheels 18x9, etc. when you know the dimensions of the wheels, plug in the numbers at TireRack.com and you will get a list of tires that will fit. also, be sure the wheels have the correct offset so they will fit your car without spacers. i don't know the correct offset, but i'm sure someone here does.

i'm not understanding this completely. - you installed new cables. presumably something happened with the old cables, so the timing on the transmissions may be off to begin with, correct? - "when trying to put the top back up, and noticing in the mirror that the right side was higher than the left" - are you talking about the conv top or the clamshell? - "I stopped it immediately and reversed, but could not get it all the way back down" - again, conv top or clamshell? - "The first thing I noticed was that the adjusting screw on the leading edge of the clamshell, passenger side, was very loose, but adjusting and tightening it had no effect" - do you mean the nut for where the clamshell attaches to and slides along its rail? - "As I was re-installing the V lever on the driver's side, I noted that the upper ball joint on it appeared to be further from its large plastic bushing than the V lever on the right." - which large plastic bushing are you referring to? i'm afraid i'm completely lost on this one. maybe your picture will help if you can get it posted. but my thoughts on this are that your transmissions may be out of sync with each other which is why one side of the conv top (or clamshell) raises higher than the other. this can be fixed by syncing them up. if your V-lever is bent and can't connect to either the conv top push rods (has a red or white ball socket on the end) or the clamshell push rods (looks like a black canister) then you'll either need to bend it back somehow (a vise maybe?) or buy a new one. to post a picture, the picture must first be hosted somewhere - meaning you can get to it by typing a web address. copy that web address, or better yet - right click on the picture and select 'Copy Image Location' from the list. this will copy the address into memory. at the top of the text box where you type your Renntech message, there are little buttons. one looks like a picture with a sun coming up (7th button from the left). click it and then right-click inside the box and select Paste. your picture address that you copied should then be seen in the box. press the Preview Message button below to see if your picture shows up in your message. if it does, click Post Message.

the alarm/locking control module under the seat also holds the immobilizer code for the car. when you insert the key in the ignition, the alarm/locking control module checks the key's code to make sure it is (one of) the key(s) for the car. if it's not, the car won't start (obviously). ;) so even if someone had a key copied, they still wouldn't be able to start the car. the key must be programmed (at the dealer) to the car (control module). here are some pics of mine (from '97 Boxster): cover removed:

many people have purchased replicas. they look exactly the same as OEM wheels, but they are a little heavier than OEM wheels - but only ~2 lbs per wheel. they also don't have the Porsche part number on them (but who cares?). you can save a ton of money by purchasing replicas. try eBay. plenty of cheap replicas.

did you remove the cables from the conv top motor and check them for length? you're looking for 3/4" of drive cable sticking out the end. to answer your question - yes, it could still be the cables even if you have the newer reinforced ones. the drive cable may have broken inside the cable sheath, etc. look at these pics: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...ost&p=26510 this is what's referred to as the V-lever. there is one on each side of the car. notice that black canister piece that is connected to the end of the V-lever. if you can reach back there, take a screwdriver and pry that black canister off the end of the V-lever. it will just pop off. do this on both sides of the car. then you will be able to open your clamshell manually to better access the cables/top motor. scroll down a little in that same post and you will see some more pics that show better pics of the V-lever/black canister, etc.