Tiptronic not engaging gear... Any ideas?

[Jack O]

Hi All,

New to the forum, first post! Please be kind :).

My boxster has been running great recently, especially with the recent good weather! However, went to drive it today (note: last driven last night with no issues whatsoever) and it won't engage either reverse or drive. When looking closely, noticed that the gear indicator on the dash is in Neutral, regardless of what position the gear selector is in. Have turned everything off, restarted and nothing...

There's no fluids on the ground, no warning lights on the dash, no noises. The only item that looks wrong is when you turn the ignition on, it shows Neutral on the dash instead of Park (note, you still have to put the car into Park to take the key out of the ignition, however the dash doesn't change)

I took a video of this, hopefully this link works - https://photos.app.goo.gl/mbPKTSXKhVf4qbrJ7

Has anyone experienced this before and know where to start looking to trace the fault? Can't seem to find much when searching on Google... 

Thanks!
Jack.

 

[Paul P]

Welcome. You are amongst friends.  
 

 No 1st hand experience but I understand there are a couple of sets of switches on the gearbox that deal with selection.  One internal one external.  
 

This sounds like one of those may be causing the issue, I am sure there will be someone along soon who has more than sympathy and internet guessing to offer. 
 

good luck 

[Pordave]

Maybe it’s working on the allotment today or the beers tonight but I’d have a Manuel as I’m Tipsytronic! 

[½cwt]

@Pordave, not helpful to a new poster...

@Richard Hamilton ??

[Richard Hamilton]

On the side of the gearbox is the Multifunction switch.  I suspect that either the switch contacts inside it have broken up (a known issue) or the cable/linkage from the selector lever to the MF switch has broken - possibly a ball joint has popped off.

[iborguk]

Welcome and sorry to hear of your issue.

If it is the Multifunction switch it is part 986 325 612 01 , £385 from an OPC before discount.

Good luck getting it sorted.

[Jack O]

2 hours ago, Richard Hamilton said:

On the side of the gearbox is the Multifunction switch.  I suspect that either the switch contacts inside it have broken up (a known issue) or the cable/linkage from the selector lever to the MF switch has broken - possibly a ball joint has popped off.

Thanks, will hopefully take a look at both of these tomorrow

[Nobbie]

22 minutes ago, Jack O said:

Thanks, will hopefully take a look at both of these tomorrow

What year is your car? Mines a 1999 and not sure if it has the multifunction switch on the outside as I looked when I had the bumper off.

[Jack O]

1 hour ago, Nobbie said:

What year is your car? Mines a 1999 and not sure if it has the multifunction switch on the outside as I looked when I had the bumper off.

1999 too

[Nobbie]

1 hour ago, Jack O said:

1999 too

This is what it looks like on the end of the gear cable. It seems to just operate a shaft that goes into the gearbox on mine.

[½cwt]

Just now, Nobbie said:

This is what it looks like on the end of the gear cable. It seems to just operate a shaft that goes into the gearbox on mine.

Looks like a few issues you are working on in there @Nobbie

[TROOPER88]

9 minutes ago, Nobbie said:

This is what it looks like on the end of the gear cable. It seems to just operate a shaft that goes into the gearbox on mine.

Is that part of the Titanic?

[Nobbie]

4 minutes ago, ½cwt said:

Looks like a few issues you are working on in there @Nobbie

That was a couple of years ago when I had a slow coolant leak which turned out to be that fractured pipe going into the coolant valve for the tip. Also needed to replace that metal pipe which was close to failure from rust. All good fun😀. Still have an issue of it not showing ‘P’ on dashboard when lever is in P position, so need to start in neutral, but I can live with that. I though it was the multifunction switch until I couldn’t find one on the car🤣

[S8ked]

Hi, I just posted some information related to this same issue on the Rennlist Forum.  The thread title is "help requested" dated july 22.  I have tired to respond and post the same information on this site but I'm getting a message that the file is too big.

Kevin

[Richard Hamilton]

This is the switch: http://www.richard-hamilton.co.uk/misc/porsche/986_MF_Switch.pdf

[T911UK]

Yep, and not as spendy as above;

https://type911shop.co.uk/epages/de867ca1-377e-432e-84fd-bdccf2206766.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/de867ca1-377e-432e-84fd-bdccf2206766/Products/8561

[the baron]

Wheeler dealers did an episode with an early Boxster tip that wasn’t engaging, might be worth checking it out.

[TROOPER88]

3 minutes ago, the baron said:

Wheeler dealers did an episode with an early Boxster tip that wasn’t engaging, might be worth checking it out.

This was a different issue and an oil and filter change sorted 👍

I have spoken with Jack and am calling over to see him on Wednesday.

I think a linkage rod / ball joint has come adrift under the shifter.

[the baron]

1 minute ago, TROOPER88 said:

This was a different issue and an oil and filter change sorted 👍

I have spoken with Jack and am calling over to see him on Wednesday.

I think a linkage rod / ball joint has come adrift under the shifter.

that’s very kind of you, hope you sort it 👍

[DaveEFI]

I'm not certain, but most autos of this age have a limp home mode that bypasses the electronics. The lever manually engaging D N and R, but doesn't give all the forward gears. So I'd first look for a fault on the gear selector cable. Does the gear lever feel normal, or move easier than once? I had a faulty switch on my Tip, and it merely made gear changes very erratic.

[TROOPER88]

All sorted.

As I suspected, the connectiing rod had come adrift on the box.

[Jack O]

Just to close the loop on this one, as @TROOPER88 said, the connecting rod had disconnected. In the diagram below the end of the cable (5) had popped off the top of 10. It's a one-way push fit with no clip to hold it in place. It was pushed back on and gear selector now working... The connector is replaceable (if it slips easily on etc), parts 17, 18 & 19 are needed.

Haven't replaced the connector as it feels good and solid now, however if it happens again then the fix is now known :). Parts are on Design911, here's the right link https://www.design911.co.uk/pages/diagramsBrowser.aspx?categoryID=7&diagramID=3263.

 

Thanks for the help all!

 

 

[Nobbie]

On 7/25/2021 at 10:17 AM, Richard Hamilton said:

This is the switch: http://www.richard-hamilton.co.uk/misc/porsche/986_MF_Switch.pdf

I notice it says 2001 on the diagram, does this indicate from when the multifunction switch was fitted?

[½cwt]

10 hours ago, Jack O said:

Just to close the loop on this one, as @TROOPER88 said, the connecting rod had disconnected. In the diagram below the end of the cable (5) had popped off the top of 10. It's a one-way push fit with no clip to hold it in place. It was pushed back on and gear selector now working... The connector is replaceable (if it slips easily on etc), parts 17, 18 & 19 are needed.

Haven't replaced the connector as it feels good and solid now, however if it happens again then the fix is now known :). Parts are on Design911, here's the right link https://www.design911.co.uk/pages/diagramsBrowser.aspx?categoryID=7&diagramID=3263.

 

Thanks for the help all!

 

Just remember you local Porsche Centre is most likely cheaper than D911 for original Porsche parts.

[Berni29]

Hi

All the Tip's have a multifunction switch. Take that linkage at the rear apart and lubricate it. They get stiff and then it is more likely you will get the linkage popping off. The multifunction switches are quite fragile, and a right PITA to change. Or at least mine was.

Berni