987 3.2 S Tiptronic issues... possibly?

[Bertie66]

Hi,
our 3.2 S 987 has recently developed an intermittent issue which I THINK is gearbox related... but might not be - hence the request for help...
Symptoms - occasionally there's a dash warning message saying the selector lever is not engaged properly, even though it is. I suspect this is a gearbox selector micro-switch issue - has anyone come across anything similar before?

Also, occasionally when trying to pull away from a junction the car has "bogged down" and seemingly flicked between 1st and 2nd with the revs flaring and dropping as you kangaroo (slowly) down the road. It behaves like an old manual choke car did when cold and you hadn't given it enough choke - just didn't want to go no matter what you did and felt lethargic - and scary! Then as speed increased it cleared and behaved perfectly normally. The car was in D not manual on both occasions this has happened and the car was warm during a long run out.

After the first instance of the selector engagement warning and lethargic kangarooing I had the transmission serviced, fluid and filter replaced and this definitely improved the gear change and how stiff the lever felt, but then last weekend just a few days after the service we had both the kangarooing and selector issues at different stages on the same journey.

I trust the chap that did the work and he said that it had definitely needed doing, had been leaking oil (the amount that went in was greater than what came out!) and the oil was very dark - and although it's made a significant improvement to the gear change, the symptoms have repeated themselves since.

As the revs were affected and the car felt "bogged down" and lethargic I wondered whether it could alternatively be a throttle or fuel related issue and the gearbox was just reacting accordingly? Odd though, that it's only rarely happening and in the lower gears from start-off.

Any ideas, suggestions most welcome...

Thanks,

Andy

 

[Roger Goode]

Soon after buying my 2005 Boxster S in 2015 I had the symptoms you initially describe, a message saying something like gear selector not engaged. I took it to Strasse in Leeds where they made a slight adjustment to the gear selector lever and all was good, no problems since. I didn’t have the other symptoms you describe but if the gearbox ‘brain’ doesn’t know which gear it’s meant to be in it may well do what you describe. Does it drive correctly in manual mode?

I suggest getting an independent Porsche specialist to check the selector mechanism.

Good luck

Roger

 

[Bertie66]

Thanks Roger - it's in being looked at today. It seems to be struggling to pick a gear particularly under full throttle... No idea what that might mean... hopefully just linkage adjustment, worst case scenario - something MUCH more expensive like a new gearbox ecu or valve block. Gulp.

 

[Roger Goode]

I certainly hope it is a simple and inexpensive fix. I’ll be interested to know the result of the investigation and the fix.

I‘m just back from the PCGB Manx Weekend, driving the TT course on Saturday and Sunday starting at 6am. It was well worth getting up early for

Great fun, great company and a great place. I used the Tip box mostly in manual mode and it’s fine with no disappointment at all that it’s not a manual gearbox. I think many of the haters of Tiptronic haven’t driven a Tip equipped car far if at all.

Whereabouts are you based?

 

[Bertie66]

Hi Roger,

Apologies for the delayed response. IoM sounds good!

We took the car to South Wales after the latest investigation and drove some fantastic roads between Llandrindod Wells and Aberdovery - if you haven't driven down there it's Porsche driving heaven. Anyway, the gearbox behaved itself most of the time but on 2 occasions decided to repeat it's errant behaviour. I think it's coinciding with using the steering wheel gear selectors to change down the box when braking with the box in auto mode - on 2 occasions it seemed to not know which gear it was meant to be in and was bogging down and misbehaving when pulling away again.

Heavens knows what that suggests - steering wheel gear selector misbehaving maybe?

We're in Hayfield between Glossop, New Mills and Chapel-en-le-frith. You?

Regards

Andy

 

[Roger Goode]

Hi Andy

The R7 weekend of the year is in that part of the world so I’ll be enjoying some of those roads in a few months. You have some interesting roads in Derbyshire too, some of which I enjoyed a few weeks ago.

I’m in West Yorkshire so I don’t have to go far to find some good driving roads.

Your gearbox problem does sound as though it could be a micro switch issue or that it needs a Ctrl Alt Delete. It certainly should do what it’s doing. Have you posted on any of the Facebook Group pages?

If you’re not a FB user I don’t mind posting the question.

Should you be interested in the R7 North West 100, a touring type event which I organise, this Sunday 9th I can squeeze you in. Another event you may fancy is The Yorkshire Porsche Festival, 4 August at Lotherton Hall near Leeds, 850+ Porsches last year.

I hope a solution for your problem is found soon.

Regards

Roger

 

[Bertie66]

Thanks Roger - I don't do facebook so if you could post something there for me that would be incredibly helpful - thank you.

Re your event on the 9th - sounds interesting - when and where do you start/finish etc? I'll need to check with The Boss!

Andy

 

[Roger Goode]

Hi Andy

I will put a post on FB and advise you as appropriate.

Sunday‘s North West ‘100’ starts from The Smiths Arms, Beckwithshaw HG3 1QW. Doors will open at 9.30 for the purchase of bacon sandwiches, tea/coffee and use of the facilities. The event is free to enter. Cars will leave in small groups between 10.30 and 11.00.

The finish after 100 miles will be at MacKenzies Yorkshire Smokehouse LS21 2PQ where 50 of us will be having a post run meal. We have a reserve list but it’s unlikely that anyone will pull out at this stage, however, the reserves and yourselves will be able to eat in the cafe/restaurant.

Although the road book has gone to print, if you are joining us please provide the following.

1. Names of driver and navigator

2. Model, year of make and registration of car

3. PCGB membership number

If you are joining us it will be good to meet you. Please avoid Leeds where an A J Bell World Triathlon event resulting in many closed roads. My recommendation is to use M1 A59.

Best regards

Roger

rogergoode47@gmail.com

07541 275 978

 

[Roger Goode]

Lee Michigan from Wokingham has posted the following on Facebook in response to my post in the 987 Boxster group.

”The shifter not engaged properly warning Issue... The selector mechanism can get slightly corroded and cause this issue as I had it on mine. Take it to a decent auto trans specialist and they can check the mechanism. The guys that did mine just stripped the mech cleaned it up and put it back together and it’s been good as gold since. I thought I had all the symptoms of the selector microswitch and nearly bought one before I decided to take it to a trans specialist first.

As for the hesitation it can be that the gearbox TCU and engine ECU are retarding something - that’s more likely MAF related or similar. I’d take the MAF and and spray it with switch cleaner and see if that improves anything.”

 

[Bertie66]

Thanks Roger - one slight problem is that it's no longer displaying the "selector not engaged" message when the fault presents itself - though it did before it was serviced. Now it occurs (sometimes) on pulling away/accelerating and the gearbox seems to enter a state of indecision where it flits between gears and the car feels "bogged down" - like an old manual choke car would when cold without enough choke. It's done it mostly at low road speeds flitting between 1st and 2nd and once at higher speeds under heavy load between the top 2 gears.

Apologies for ignorance - what do MAF and TCU stand for?

I'll email you re Sunday

Regards

Andy

 

[Roger Goode]

Hi Andy

No problem.

The symptoms on mine were similar except that it didn’t bog down. It may do that to prevent over revving when it’s not sure whether it’s in first or second. They normally start off in 2nd in ‘normal’ driving conditions, in my experience. Try driving it in manual mode and if it works ok that way I think it points towards it not recognising when the selector is in the D position. That was the issue with mine which was sorted within an hour by Strasse in Leeds, including a test drive or two.

MAF mass flow sensor is a sensor used to determine the mass flow rate of air entering a fuel-injected engine.

TCU Transmission control unit, the electronic brain.

Regards

Roger

 

[Roger Goode]

John Aldridge from Chester has said

”I had this issue on my 2005 987 S two problems on a long run shifter tightened up and the gear selector light came on the dashboard had to move shifter slightly to fix. Changed transmission oil and filter no difference. Stripped selector leaver no difference. Tip switch was faulty and this fixed the problem. They do corrode to the selector shaft try that first with some grease but my guess is the switch. Once changed car runs great and the transmission shifts correctly. A specialist had tried multiple times with the grease on the selector shaft without success. Good luck”

 

[Bertie66]

Thanks Roger - much to have a go at - I'll get it booked in with my specialist guy again and see if any of these work

Regards

Andy

 

[Mark Girven]

I am a Newby member and found this Very helpful information. I bought a 2006 987 2.7 tiptronic just last week ( first ever Porsche) and only today I got this error message, I fiddled about between the manual and auto gearchange and it cleared but came back again after a few more road bumps and at one stage it seemed To think it was in neutral and just revved before finding a gear. I don’t think my boxter likes all the speed humps around my home. It did however settle down once on rhe main roads.

Jasmine Porsche is my nearest specialist so will take it over there to get looked at.

Thanks

 

[pfowler1]

I apologise in advance if you have all seen the Wheeler Dealer programme featuring the 986 tip Boxster S which had slipping gear issues. Turns out a simple gearbox oil and filter change fixed their car. You will find the programme on YouTube and may be worth a watch.

Just saying.

Hope you all get your problems resolved and enjoy what's left of the sun.

Paul

 

[Bertie66]

An Update:

I had the gearbox serviced, which needed doing, and it has changed gear much more smoothly since, and the gear lever has also been freer and easier to move too...

However, it hasn't fixed the problem which has, helpfully, decided to be intermittent. I've experimented extensively to try to identify common patterns and it appears to present itself either in auto or manual mode when the revs get to c4000 under reasonably heavy load - ie hard acceleration. At that point it decides, sometimes, to enter a state of flux where it doesn't seem to know what it wants to do: the revs hang at the same engine speed and the box tries to shift between gears. As you can imagine, this can be incredibly helpful!

Last time out quite a few weeks ago it was a very hot day - high 20's nudging 30s and the problem was a lot more frequent. On the return journey in the cooler evening it didn't do it once, which my friendly local garage chappie says probably indicates a temperature sensitive MAF problem, so that's the next port of call.

I shall update in due course,

Andy

 

[Blanks]

Hi

Did you manage to sort the gearbox issue. I have exactly the same problem and been told by an independent that it is the gearbox multifunction switch.

Regards

Paul Blanks

Buckleboo1@yahoo.com