whall

I don't think the instrument cluster you have seen for sale is compatable with your car. Looking at the online PET catalog, I can't find either your instrument cluster or the instrument cluster for sale. But I am sure that any instrument cluster with a 996.641."2xx".0x.70C in the part number is a later (MY02+), "improved" instrument cluster and is not compatable with your car. It would physically fit but the three plugs on the back of the instrument cluster are physically and electrically incompatable. As for replacing the bad display, I defer that judgement to Tool Pants. He purchased an instrument cluster several years ago and found it had a bad display. As I recall, he found it unrepairable. In any event, I would be very careful about purchasing an instrument cluster from any internet auction site. Bill

Alex, The next to the last few pages in the PET catalog "V-Pages" section has the translation for the codes in the body of the catalog. /LL stands for left hand drive (LHD). Bill

At the risk of muddying the waters somewhat, I know a fellow who has a MY04 base Boxster that was built in Stuttgart. I helped him research the car - offered by a used car "wheeler dealer" - and noticed the "S" in the VIN. Concerned about the possibility of a counterfeit VIN or other illegality, I ran the number by the local Porsche dealer. The dealer gave a thumbs up on the VIN stating that there had been some Boxsters manufactured in Stuttgart later in the production run. I guess the real proof of the pudding would be for the friend to purchase a "birth certificate" from Porsche. Bill

The brake lights do not illuminate on the 996 (US) or 986 (US) unless the ignition switch is in the number 1 (run) position....at least mine don't. Bill

Check pages 38 and 39, in the MY03 Boxster Owner's Manual found here on RennTech. (I think you had earlier mentioned your car is a MY02 but I bet the information is the same for both MY's.) Bill

The XA-T6 cartridge has been discontinued by Sony. There is a replacement cartridge that is found here: http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/ecom/acce...roductSearch.do Oops, you have to enter XA-T6 in the search field to see the cartridge. I suppose (?) it would work. Buyer beware. Bill

The part you need is 996.552.339.00.01C (Matte finish); MSRP $5.15. I have one right in front of me. In German, it's called a "Blende" On the RennTech "Retail Price Search" link it is called an "A/C Panel Trim Piece". Any of the site sponsors can get it for you, although the price, after shipping costs are added, might be higher than the MSRP. Bill

That's a "discounted" mark up. Take a look at the dealers web site: http://www.stevenscreekporsche.com/Vehicle...ortCol=interior Do you supose the dealer will mark up the Panameras? Bill

Integrating a non-MOST component onto the MOST bus seems to be the impossible dream. Another forum member installed a Traffic Pro and wired around the external amplifier. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...tch+replacement Have you thought about finding a non-MOST bus Bose amplifier from a MY02 or earlier car? Possibly, the power, speed and reverse gear input signals and the speaker out plugs would be compatable. I'm sure someone on the forum has wiring diagram information that could confirm whether or not this would be an option. Just a thought. Bill

Try this link: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?a...st&id=12523 The MOST bus is a fiber optic bus that connects the radio, the external amp (if installed), the telephone (if installed) and the external CD player (if installed). The MOST bus is, in turn, connected to the instrument cluster via the CAN bus. Bill

If your car is an MY04, you don't need a radio code. You are "blessed" with the MOST bus. Bill

I have an MY02 Targa with 51,000 miles. I've owned it for two years and have had no problems with leaks or rattles. I generally don't drive with the roof open because of the noise and wind buffeting at highway speeds. There is a small, deployable spoiler that pops up with the top open but it doesn't seem to me to be much help. Another "problem" is that vision through the rear window is somewhat degraded with the top open; and it is totally degraded if the top is open with the retractable sunshield in the closed position. Lastly, there has been some comment about the extra 23 pound weight increase, above the weight of the coupe, ruining the car's center of gravity and slowing the acceleration. I doubt that very many Targas are raced. And, who among us couldn't afford to loose 23 pounds from around our waists to make up for the Targa's additional weight? Bill

There is a note in the owner's manual stating that push starting the car might damage the catalytic converters and other components of the car. Seeing how these cars are just mobile computers that happen to have an engine and transmission for propulsion, it might be a good idea to follow the owner's manual. However, if the flood waters are rising quickly.... Bill

Tim, Here's a thread that covers opening the instrument cluster to change light bulbs: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...amp;#entry22673 Hope it helps, Bill

And the bus (or bus bar) in it's original 19th century terminology is : "a heavy conductor, often made of copper in the shape of a bar, used to collect, carry, and distribute powerful electric currents, as those produced by generators". Now days, a bus more often refers to a distribution system which, sometimes, may only be a single electrical terminal where two or more devices share power or data distribution. The MOST bus is a fiber optic cable that ties the radio, the external CD player, the telephone and the external amplifier together so as to share data. Electrically, the radio, et. al., are powered by their individual circuits, protected by fuses, coming from an electrical power distribution bus - the cable from the alternator/battery. Bill

If your car is a MY03, it has the MOST bus architecture which ties together the radio, the external CD player, the telephone and the external amplifier on a fiber optic network. The MOST bus is tied to the instrument cluster by the CAN bus. There are no radio codes (per se) associated with this setup. So....if you haven't changed the instrument cluster or any of the components on the MOST bus, and your radio is serviceable, you should not have to do anything to reactivate your radio after a power interruption. If you change a component on the MOST bus or the instrument cluster, a PST2 / PIWIS has to be used to recode the system as a unit. Bill

#1. I don't know. It has mentioned here before as an alternative to programming a used instrument cluster. I haven't seen a subsequent DIY. #2. If the instrument cluster is new "out of the box", it can be programmed with your cars actual mileage using a PST2 / PIWIS. If the replacement instrument cluster is indicating more than approximately 60-62 miles (100km) it can not be programmed, it has to be sent to a VDO speedometer shop where the technicians can program your cars mileage. I would expect to pay in the neighborhood of $150 for the service - plus shipping. Bill

I don't mean to muddy the water, but there are two failure display modes concerning engine oil pressure. The first and least problematic is the OBC warning with an oil can icon and the verbiage: "Failure Indicator"....which means: "Oil pressure indicator is faulty. Have the fault remedied at an authorized Porsche dealer". The second and potentially the more serious is an low oil pressure "idiot light" in concert with the OBC oil can icon with the folowing verbiage: "Engine oil pressure too low"....which means: "Stop immediately at a suitable place, measure oil level with the on-board computer and, if necessary, add engine oil". The low oil pressure idiot light has the ultimate vote, being essentially an "on/off" switch....some pressure/no pressure. If you just got the OBC warning without the idiot light, as Loren says, you may have a bad oil pressure sender, or a bad connection at the sender. If you got the OBC warning and the idiot light - with sufficient oil in the engine, things get more complicated and potentially more expensive. You could still just have a bad oil pressure sender, but it would be the better part of valour to have your car flat-bedded to a shop for a definitive analysis. In any event, a PST2/PIWIS can find out if you had an actual low oil pressure event. Like many tattle-tails, that information is stored in the DME. Bill

On an MY02 (non-MOST Bus) car, swapping one Boxster instrument cluster for another Boster instrument cluster, there are only a couple of things I can think of that should be considered: 1. You'll need your radio code, and 2. You'll need to address the mileage situation on the odometer. (The mileage can't be reset by a PST2/PIWIS/Duramatic software unless the new instrument cluster is new - less than 60-62 miles/100kms. The mileage can be reset by a VDO repair shop.) The benefit of having a factory original OBC instrument cluster is that you will have a dot matrix display capable of showing a multitude of icons and warning messages. If you do the OBC hack with your original non-factory original OBC instrument cluster you will be limited to displaying temperature, average speed, average MPG, miles to empty, trip odometer and speed warning gong in a lighted segment type display....still nice to have but not as comprehensive as the factory original OBC installation. BTW, I'd recommend the "full monte" with the four stalk switch unit. There have been a couple of RennTech members who have managed to install the OBC switch on their oiginal switch unit without removing the airbag and stering wheel. There is a new thread on the board - somewhere - that documents that procedure. If, however, you are concerned with the material condition of you existing switch unit or are contemplating hacking the cruise control, you will need to replace the entire four stalk switch unit. Bill Good morning Loren!

Claudine, It sounds like it may be that the seatbelt tongue is making intermittant contact with the seatbelt buckle. Each time you hit a bump or adjust the seatbelt position, the contact is opened momentarily bringing on the warning chime (and possibly the warning light). You might try verifying this by sitting in the car with the ingition switch in the number 2 position, and with the seatbelt fastened, wiggle the the seatbelt tongue and buckle to see if you can make the seatbelt warning chime sound and warning light illuminate. There is also a mode in which the same chime sounds if you leave the key in the ignition when opening the driver's door to exit. However the logic in the warning system inhibits the warning chime unless the ignition switch has been cycled from position 1 to position 2 and back to position 1 and then the driver's door is opened. If the switch that tells the warning system the door is open sends an "open door" signal to the alarm system, while the ignition switch is in the number 2 position, it will be disregarded until you return the ignition switch to the number 1 position. In other words, when you are driving along, you will not hear a warning chime due to an "open" door. The problem with seatbelt buckle anomalies is that nuisance airbag warning light occurances are caused by poor contacts in the seatbelt buckle. There is a TSB that covers that problem. Bill

With the advent of the MY01 Boxster, the instrument cluster changed fairly extensively. CAN Bus operations, display presentations, including the OBC display....if you had the factory installed OBC. The display went from lighted segment numbers (like the digital speedometer), to a dot matrix display which gave better resolution of the numerical display and the ability to display a greater range of icons and warning symbols. Regardless of the instrument cluster installed, the OBC can be "turned on" and displayed. For the owners who have MY01-MY04 cars, if you don't have option M659 you don't have factory OBC, but your instrument cluster can still display the OBC in the older, lighted segment format, i.e., Outside Air Temperature, Average Fuel Consumption, Average Speed, Calculated Range Remaining, Digital Trip Odometer and Cruise Speed Over-speed Signal. With the exception of the Outside Air Temperature, all other displays can be reset to zero. In the case of the Over-speed Signal, it can be set to a desired speed or turned completely off. For owners of MY03 Boxsters, there is a chance, for unknown reasons, that the car's type order code was not originally entered onto the DME. If this the case, determined by checking with a PST2/PIWIS, the OBC cannot be turned on. You must first enter the type order code in the DME then proceed to the instrument cluster page on the PST2/PIWIS to actually turn on the OBC. The type order codes are: 986310 Boxster (986311 ROW Boxster), and 986320 Boxster S (986321 ROW Boxster S). There are many threads on this site covering the installation of the four stalk switch unit and the wiring of both the MY97-MY00 cars and the MY01-MY04 cars. In any car there is no need to cut/splice any of the existing wiring. Four wires are added. Bill

The instrument cluster may have been changed without the requesite mileage update. You might try reading the operating hours recorded in the DME (assuming it's the original DME) and multiplying by 30-32 (average) miles per hour to get an approximation of the total miles. That value might be more in line with the Carfax report. On the other hand, it's been said the Carfax report isn't the end all/be all of accurate car historical documents. Bill

Batteries are accumulators; flashlights are torches; fenders are wings; tires are tyres (close enough) Bill former XK-150 and XKE owner

azzar0, Take a look at this thread : www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=5477 It explains how to mount the clips needed to secure the center piece between the rollbars. Bill

Nick, I don't think that is possible. Looking at the PET parts list illustrations, the Boxster and Carrera dashboards are physically different. The instrument clusters are substantially different as well. Bill