2001 Boxster S periodic starting problem

[Turd]

3 different times over the past 2 years the 2001 boxster s 93,000 km (60,000 miles) won't start for a few attempts. Usually the engine has been running and is warm, battery is good, all of the dash lights work properly, windows go up and down etc. Engine merely will not turn over or attempt to turn over. It's just dead. I can try it several times with no response except the dash lights doing their start up procedure. It makes me think it's a safety switch on the clutch peddle (is there one?) a fault in the ignition switch? Something in the 'central nervous system programming". My car sits a lot in an outdoor carport in the damp cold westcoast of Canada climate, so it could be a moisture problem in the electronics or corrosion of one or more ground cables. It happens once every 300 starts +/-. More embarrassing than anything. I resolve it by recycling the start up procedure ie take the key out of the ignition, set and reset the handbrake, pump the brake peddle a few times and re-start and away she goes. When it starts afterwards it roars to life, ie no sluggish battery symptoms. I'm just waiting for that Sunday (when the shops are closed) when I'm 200 km away from home and it doesn't respond after numerous tries. Thanks for any theories you might have.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Turd

3 different times over the past 2 years the 2001 boxster s 93,000 km (60,000 miles) won't start for a few attempts. Usually the engine has been running and is warm, battery is good, all of the dash lights work properly, windows go up and down etc. Engine merely will not turn over or attempt to turn over. It's just dead. I can try it several times with no response except the dash lights doing their start up procedure. It makes me think it's a safety switch on the clutch peddle (is there one?) a fault in the ignition switch? Something in the 'central nervous system programming". My car sits a lot in an outdoor carport in the damp cold westcoast of Canada climate, so it could be a moisture problem in the electronics or corrosion of one or more ground cables. It happens once every 300 starts +/-. More embarrassing than anything. I resolve it by recycling the start up procedure ie take the key out of the ignition, set and reset the handbrake, pump the brake peddle a few times and re-start and away she goes. When it starts afterwards it roars to life, ie no sluggish battery symptoms. I'm just waiting for that Sunday (when the shops are closed) when I'm 200 km away from home and it doesn't respond after numerous tries. Thanks for any theories you might have.

Common problem on hot or warm non starts is the crank position sensor.

[Turd]

Thanks. Good call. I recall that I replaced it once in 2014, about 15,000 km ago, but its a likely culprit again.