Not starting

[slowery]

MY 2000 ,base 83K miles

Symptoms - turning key, lights go on nothing happening.

After driving 30 miles I stopped to pick something up at the store, when I got back in I turned the key and lights went on but nothing happened. I tried push-starting with no avail. Had it towed home. I swapped batteries, purchased/replaced the ignition switch, even checked and bypassed the clutch switch but still it does not engage the starter or work when push-started. No engine codes when I use my Acutron but that only shows stuff off the OBCII.

Anyone ever have this happen to them? Any ideas where to start looking? Acts like maybe it is the immobilizer..

Thanks (tried posting this on a couple other forums with no avail so thought I give this a shot

[ronster]

Originally Posted by slowery

MY 2000 ,base 83K miles

Symptoms - turning key, lights go on nothing happening.

After driving 30 miles I stopped to pick something up at the store, when I got back in I turned the key and lights went on but nothing happened. I tried push-starting with no avail. Had it towed home. I swapped batteries, purchased/replaced the ignition switch, even checked and bypassed the clutch switch but still it does not engage the starter or work when push-started. No engine codes when I use my Acutron but that only shows stuff off the OBCII.

Anyone ever have this happen to them? Any ideas where to start looking? Acts like maybe it is the immobilizer..

Thanks (tried posting this on a couple other forums with no avail so thought I give this a shot

Same thing happened to me it was a corroded connector on the immobilizer under the driver's seat.

[slowery]

Will check that out right now. what was the "fix"? Replace it or just clean it properly?

Just looked at the ground strap and that appears perfectly fine.

[slowery]

No luck, pulled the seat, checked the connectors and they looked new and shiny. The 15A fuse was also intact. The doors lock/unlock, the key works fine with regard to the tumbler and turning the ignition. I hear something in the cabin click on time each time I turn it to "start" position.

[Wayne 962]

Yup, this is what happens when water gets into that module under the driver's seat. Check it out and see how it looks?

-Wayne

[slowery]

Just took it apart, it looked brand new and shiny inside. This car has been in San Diego garaged most of its life so unless he spilled lots of water on the car I don't think it is due to water damage.

I am REALLY hoping someone comes up with some insight here as I'd hate to have to take it to a dealer to get screwed. There's an excellent independent place downtown but not sure if they can properly diagnose and resolve immobilizers without the Porsche system.

[Wayne 962]

Starter switch and then immobilizer would be my two guesses. Could also be that your key is damaged or not working properly, you might want to try the backup key?

-Wayne

[slowery]

Thanks for your kind input Wayne. I shot an email to a very competent local Indi and he believes it's the immobilizer... said that he recommends my bringing it to the local Porsche dealership as they have the PEWIS tester to tell what's up with the electronics. He thinks that it is possible that i could be "flashed" versus having to buy a new unit for several hundred dollars. I'll keep everyone informed here.

Being a serious DIY'er it kills me to have to bring it to a stealership to have them remedy it.

[slowlude]

Did you ever figure out the issue? I'm having a very similar problem.

[slowery]

Negative but will know shortly as it is at Porsche now.

Most common problems that cause this are:
Ignition switch - I bought one for $14 shipped from Amazon but that wasn't it
Clutch switch - checked mine with an ohms meter and also bypassed the switch by connecting both the wires via alligator clips and a wire.
Battery - it checks fine with 12.5v, swapped it out with my other car same result
Immobilizer (located under driver's seat) - both connectors looked very clean, even took it apart checking for possible water damage/corrosion, etc but that looked brand new inside... there is also a 15A fuse on the outside of it but that looked fine too.

I checked with a great indi Porsche place here in San Diego and they said that only Porsche has the tester to diagnose issues regarding the immobilizer so off it went on a tow truck. They called yesterday with some silly questions but nothing helpful yet. Later today there should be word as to what is wrong... God I hope it is something that I can do myself!

What's left is a couple things:
Immobilizer is bad requiring replacement - expensive!
Immobilizer can be "flashed" by Porsche software - cheap and easy
Long-shot that the clutch switch wiring is damaged at a point other than the connectors
Ignition switch is bad, just purchased it.

[slowery]

San Diego Porsche called me yesterday said they have 2 1/2 hours into trying to troubleshoot this. So far they've found that the immobilizer (pn# 996.618.260.07 control unit is the proper name...) does not recognize any keys (not mine, not the valet, not any of there's lying around). He didn't think "flashing" it would help. After a long strange call he wanted to charge me another $160 atop my $140 to try to figure this out... I don't like the idea of paying someone who doesn't know what they are doing to learn on my dime so I declined. This morning called them to tell him that it made little sense to me to spend additional money when it is pretty clear the immobilizer is the issue and that I can purchase it elsewhere (Sunset) for under $300 so why pay more than half that to find out mine is bad and that they'd then like to charge me list + for the new part? He said he would talk to the service manager and another tech then get back with me. This is why I was so reluctant to go to a stealership in the first place. Stay tuned...

Now my questions are:
Will they hold to their word that my diagnosis fee can be applied to the repair?
Will they gouge me on the price of the replacement control unit? (Sunset is only $283)

I might as well go ahead and have a second key purchased and programmed being I'm this far in, that will only cost me the head ($117 @ Sunset), the key blank (eBay $10 shipped) and laser cutting ($40 at local locksmith). This is looking like a $700 endeavor

[slowery]

To wrap this one up - tuns out the issue was a pinched wire I damaged last time I took the stereo out to reconnect a wire. Pinching it damaged the insulation thus it was shorting out against the aluminum tray that holds the stereo thus messing up the ground loom for the CLU (central locking unit/alarm module under drovers seat). They had ordered a new CLU but it was not necessary so no charge.

Picking it up in a few minutes. Total charge is $510 which includes them giving me a new key (only had one when I got the car). Funny, when all this started I mentally figured this ordeal would run me $500 remedy