996 Cluster Upgrade

[nosnow4pc]

I was testing the used 996 Cluster I purchased and everything worked, but the ABS and Brake Fluid warning lights would not turn off. I put my old cluster back in with no issues.

The car is a 99 Boxster 5-speed. I had not put in the oil pressure wire yet but I can't imagine that is the issue.

Any ideas why these two warning lights stay on? Do I need to clear the errors with a durametric?

[nosnow4pc]

The answer to this is the cluster was programed for PSM and my car does not have PSM. Reprogrammed to turn PSM off and turn ABS on. All warning lights turned off and cluster works as it is suppose to.

[KevinH1990]

Thanks for sharing that information. A 996 cluster swap is on my wish list, and knowing all the potential problems is helpful.

Do you mind saying where you obtained your cluster and how much you paid?

[nosnow4pc]

I watched ebay like a hawk and scored a cluster for 250.00. I was not able to modify the pod to my satisfaction so I ended up spending another 100.00 on a 996 pod. The total upgrade including pressure gauge and wires were around 400.00.

If you call around to junkyards you might be able to pick one up cheap. You have to becareful as there are many damaged clusters people sell as good.

[Hatzenbach]

similar story for me:
found a cluster on eBay for $250, which then turned out to have "a few flaws"
+ $100 for 996 surround (didn't want to cut my 986 one)
+ $60 for 996 hazard switch
+ $150 to get the mileage adjusted
+ $150 for repairs
+ $60 for 996 oil pressure sensor

Total: close to $800, having a 996 cluster in your 986: priceless

[nosnow4pc]

Once you do this you realize how quickly your high mileage Boxster can suddenly become a low mileage garage queen. It will make you always require a PPI computer validation that the DME and odometer match.

[KevinH1990]

Thanks for the "real world" experiences.

Is there a way to test a cluster to see if it is bad, or did you just have to plug it in?

[Hatzenbach]

You can of course eyeball the cluster and look for the obvious, but at the end you need to plug it in and see if it works.
For example: the cluster I bought was advertised as perfect condition and in all fairness had only less than 10k miles on it
Nevertheless the following things turned out to be broken:
* clock LCD didn't work (turned out to be a loose connection)
* the voltmeter needle would go wild the first 5 seconds after you started the car and then would finally work
* the button to adjust the time was broken

The whole story can be found here:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/boxster-cayman-forum/606338-problem-996-cluster-install-986-a.html

And of course first read Wayne's book to narrow down the 996 clusters which can actually be used in a 986....

[nosnow4pc]

I found this company and they supposedly can fix the 986 and 996 clusters. I'm waiting to see if they can repair my original 986 cluster. I may have them adjust the mileage and rebuild my 996 cluster to fix some scratches the cost of repair for my 986 was 275 and has a lifetime warranty.

BBA Reman Inc
300 Myles Standish Blvd
Taunton, MA 02780

Contact Us
Toll Free: (866) 573-2740
Local: (508) 822-4490
Fax: (508) 822-4491

BBA reman. ABS, ecu's, throttle bodies, air mass meters, and catalytic converters

[KevinH1990]

Hatzenbach - I've read Wayne's article and found it helpful. Wayne probably has more resources for modifying a Porsche than the average owner, so it is helpful to see what regular owners encountered during the process.

nosnow4pc - Let us know how that works out. It might make buying a less than perfect cluster practical.

I guess I need to be patient and find the right cluster. It took me few months to find my hard top and that worked out well in the end.

[gus969]

I switched clusters using a 2001 c2 996 cluster in my 1997 Boxster.

Everything works but the like the person before, my Brake Fluid light and ABS light are on.

How do I reprogram to turn off PSM and turn on ABS -like mentioned before?

Can I do it with Durametric?

[nosnow4pc]

It has to be programmed with the Porsche tool. You will probably have to find a local independant shop as I doubt the dealer will touch it.

[nosnow4pc]

One last note, I've found the gas gauge to be pretty inaccurate so watch your mileage. For instance at a quarter tank I almost ran out of gas.

[Hatzenbach]

that means that you'll probably have the cluster from a C4
They have a 20 gallon tank while Boxster only have 16 gallon
I have the same problem and I know that the 1/4 mark means I have only 1 gallon left

[gus969]

So Far all is good except the two lights. I'll check out an independent shop I deal with.-Thanks!

I even had the mileage corrected by Palo Alto -they did a great job!