You're my new favorite RUclips Guru. I have owned Boxster forever ten years and never knew A) The window with the door key and B) Changing a headlight bulb. Subscribed THANKS!
Holy shit, the headlight removal is awesomely simple :o Sure beats screwing around with certain cars where you need to remove the bumper and some other stuff to replace the light.
Another excellent video! Really appreciate the care and time you've put into these and I'm sure I'm not the only one who would enjoy more. The Porsche 986's are beautiful cars that will no doubt be viewed as must have classics over time. The one thing I absolutely hate about the earlier 986's is the need to get out of the car when putting the roof down to do the "Boxster Chop" to ensure the plastic rear window folds properly. I'd consider replacing the top with one that has a glass rear window instead.
Thanks for you comment! I do update periodically on the Boxster as I do more work on it. The latest is the front hood strut replacement. Oh lol! I laughed at that one because I had to do the Boxster Chop plenty of times. If you don't then it puts a dent in the plastic. I even had the plastic get a hole in it after the repair shop opened it without folding it properly as it was a bit brittle at the time.
Just purchased a 2003 Boxster S. Great information and I'm sure I'll be needing information from you going forward. I will be doing a lot of maintenance work myself but the real technical things will have to go to my mechanic. Thanks for the light and key info, good stuff! Greatly appreciate it!
I just accepted delivery of my '04 S. Pete did a great job telling me things I would did not know. He speaks well and does not act like an actor, but rather a teacher.
Yeah, that worried me too .... scratches !!! (I was thinking I should get a plastic panel removal tool (cheap at Harbor Freight) in case I needed to remove the plug. But now I'll just use your technique.
Came here to get to know where the toolkit was and got enlightened on that + that great part on how to switch a bulb. 10/10 video. Probably the best spent 4 minutes today.
The headlight unit & bulb removal sequence was particularly useful, especially as I didn't know the dipped and hi-beam bulbs could be interchanged in an emergency. Thanks!
OMG, I didn't know about those features. I have a 2001 Boxster that is spitting out white smoke. I found your channel, saw your post, and am going to replace my AOS. I am so glad you are making these videos, please make more. I would love to know more about my car. Thank You.
+Lewis Paul A ha h ah a! Awesome! I was almost thinking people already knew most of these. =D Yup, I certainly will be making more vids about this car. Btw. I think I broke my AOS from flooring it several times. Did you floor it a few times before it broke? Lol.
Thanks for sharing, when I press the button on the remote on my BMW convertible the windows and roof go down together, I assume the Porsche does the same without sticking a metal key in the door as my BMW doesn't have the metal key bit
That was really useful. I've only had my Boxter for a few weeks and I'm still finding out new stuff about it. I WAS wondering what that tool was for. I can't believe how easy changing the bulbs is.
Those are AAA towing instructions at least. It makes some sense I guess due to the height. If you tow this thing by dragging it, it could bottom if you hit a bump.
hey buddy thanks for the video. But can I ask you one question? My headlight and brake light on my passenger side of my 2001 Porsche Boxster S went out simultaneously. I change both headlights and brake lights and still the passenger headlight and the passenger brake light still out.. all the other lights on the card work fine..
Whoa, that sounds like a terrible problem to have. Maybe something shorted? You might want to check the fuse box and see if the fuses went out. Keep in mind that sometimes, replacing the fuse enough enough because if the problem is still there, you'll just blow the fuse again.
When the headlights go out and other strange electrical failures happen in the drivers compartment, try wiggling the ignition switch when the switch is in the run position. If your problem goes away, it is the ignition switch failing.You need to replace the switch.It will happen again. Had this happen twice on my 1998.
There’s also a feature that no one really has covered that I accidentally discovered when the AC was off by pressing the recirculation button when you press the recirculation button when the AC is off the AC turns on and goes instantly to highest fan speed automatically
I own a 2001 Porsche Boxster S. I loved your video and will save it. I knew most of the things you discussed but I had no idea how to change the headlights. Can the lights be upgraded the same way? There is a little wire thing inside the front bumper opening. What is that?
If you are upgrading the bulbs only then yes. Depending on what you are upgrading to you might need to install a ballast for the new bulbs. You can also upgrade the whole assembly which will be more costly. The little wire thing inside the front bumper is just there to hold on to the cap in case it falls off on its own.
pretty cool. I have a problem, the windows came down like the convertible was going down but i was not home, and it rained hard, so now the car won't start?
Ouch. Sounds like electrical short and the fuses blew. You might want to dry everything out. Check all fuses and replace if broken. Make sure the battery is not drained. And try again.
THANK YOU for using a tripod with the camera! I am so sick of hand-held cameras I usually shut off the video in the first 10 seconds. I've seen video done with phone cameras in one hand while doing a how-to with the other. This is one of the best recorded videos I've ever seen produced by a non-professional. I have actually done 1-4 but never 5. And I have a parking light bulb out. Now I know how to do it. And yes, I've used the tow hook more times than I care to mention. Bought a new 2004 S Special Edition and it is approaching 150,000 miles. Thanks again.
Lol. =D All in a day's work! =D Thanks for your kind words. You mentioned parking light bulb? I think I only showed the headlamp and not the rear although that's pretty easy to get to as well. Ahh. When I talked to the tow truck guy that has towed the Boxster, they're often really impressed I know about the hook as most people have no idea. Mine's at 153k, yay! Pretty similar in mileage cool!
Holy shit, didn't know it had the hex head needed for the headlights in the tool kit. I spent 15 minutes looking around my 30-40 pole barn for that fucker. Ended up finding it on top of the car that was on the lift at the time. Didn't think I'd actually learn anything from one of these kinds of videos. You get a plus, sir
Great video; clear and informative; just traded my boxster for a Cayman and some of this may still apply. Thanks for taking the trouble to put this together.
Cayman has a much more luxorious feel and it's of course quieter on the road. My Boxster came out to play when the sun was shining. I wanted the Cayman because I wanted to drive in all sorts of weather. So far it's met my expectations and it seems to be a car I'd be comfortable driving cross country . . . probably wouldn't have done that with the Boxster.
Serious? I guess I don't know much about the Cayman, I thought the only difference was the hard vs soft top. I drive my Boxster all year round though, lol. No babying it.
@@BeatTheBush Well, I know this comment was 5 years ago but I have to say that I never drive my 2000 with the top up. A Boxster was created to have the top down. The top is only for emergencies !!! LOL
You Rock dude! I didn't get the owners manual with the car and I didn't know how to activate the spoiler and what button was for. Now I have to watch your videos again lol.
Cools tips. About to order some spare bulbs. BTW, if you hold down the door lock button on the keyfob, the windows will move all the way back up. VW's and Audi's do the same as I recall. Same Bosch system. I tested that today after I forgot to raise the windows after putting the roof back up.
great video tx being a recent owner of a 2001 Boxster S the ease in which that headlight pops out is awesome. Question...I bypassed the rear cats thinking i would get a throatier sound but its hardly noticable, so I have to change rear muffler, any recommendations on rear muffler only? too quiet for a roadster...
I would tend to want to leave the cats in since it helps with oxidizing the unburnt hydrocarbons and better for the air. You probably see I still have a stock one so I actually have no experience with an aftermarket muffler. I think if I were in your market I would want to hear the brand of muffler first hand so I might find some boxster club where there is a high concentration of them so I can spy on some from others just to hear it in person.
Thank you for posting this video. I just changed the position bulbs (aka bulbs for parking lights) in my 996 in about 20 minutes. Lights are still out as I cleaned the housings / around the rail area and I'm letting drip-dry but I've tested to satisfaction. Nice work! (Would you believe the dealer charged > C$25 per bulb? ugh.. Zero in labour, though. haha.)
Good stuff.. What do you recommend when your remote key fob stops working... the battery is good and the little red light blinks to indicate functionality, but neither the door locks nor the trunk release work?
Yeah, my 1999 986 is just a great great great car. It's fairly easy to work on, in some ways super simple like with the headlights. The 97-99 years have a dual row bearing in the engine too that rarely fails. I see a lot more videos on here evey day from people discovering this awesome, affordable, very capable Porsche.
Thanks for mentioning the triangular amber trim on the headlight. I broke mine lifting the headlight shell out by it. It is very fragile and costs $110 AUD but easy to fix. So lift by the inside front and rear section of the shell.
There are hidden spots to pull at the cables like under the driver side wheel wells but I forgot exactly where they are. If you battery is dead, you can just connect an external battery to temporarily power it.
The battery in my car died with the alarm activated. That being the case, a steel locking plate rotates into place, locking the levers. On my ‘99, I loosened the three Allen bolts as shown here, lifted the mechanism out of the rocker, and turned the locking cam with a small screwdriver. I could then open the trunk to get at the battery. Took maybe 30min. You can’t use a long Allen wrench, one of the folding sets is perfect. www.renntech.org/forums/topic/2751-how-do-i-release-hood-with-no-battery/?do=findComment&comment=12912
DON'T keep it in the front trunk. If the battery is dead you won't be able to use it for the tow truck since you can't open the front trunk with a dead battery. Keep it behind the passenger seat.
How about how to get out of a attacker situation when you are reversing through a narrow street and you need to do a U-turn right after you get to the main street to escape them?
Yes, you just power the battery externally with a tab near the fuse box. Then you use the button. Alternatively you'll have to open the front wheel well on the driver's side and there is a cable you can pull manually.
2014 911 I sure hope 1 of these secret pull cords are a feature, Im stuck in underground parking with 0 outlets to open hood with a dead battery@@BeatTheBush ...holy tips.... thanks for all the money saving do it yourself hints
There is one you forgot, the heated seats. If you install the switches for the optional heated seats they will work. From what I heard, Porsche had all Recarro seats equipped with the wiring, just didn't install the switches if you didn't order the option for them.
Hmmm, I have those. I thought they all have it lol. Except my driver seat heaters got damaged so they no longer work. So I guess because I had the buttons, I didn't think it was 'hidden'. The other stuff isn't hidden either but it's not obvious unless you comb the user manual.
Bobster986 that is great! Did you actually do it or is it an urban legend? Really want to do this.. Is it simple plug and play? Any further information you can provide would be greatly appreciated
Michael P. Smith I too got coned by the dealer and ordered them as an option. It wasn't until I became friendly with a machanic that I found this out but never confined it. I would suggest talking with one or remove a (4 bolts) seat and see if the wire plug is there, but not connected into the harness. Good luck and keep us posted.
One other thing. I think the optional footwell light are the same. If you didn't order them, then they didn't connect it install just the lamp in its place.
Thanks for the video, I had no idea 🙈 can you do a video on changing the taillight? I have one that randomly gets brighter than the other. How do I fix it?
+Alex Molina Thanks! Not sure as I bought the car used and it came like that. =D I think stock replaces the clear part with yellow and a small clear window?
Back up cam? Huh... I might look at the fuse box area and see where the fuse is there. You might be able to tap off there or you can just tap off the wire right at the light.
How great it is to suddenly get all these new features! Hmmm, there were the top once but there are certainly a few more. Will see about that in a future vid.
Hi beat the bush you got the best videos on boxes so far I'm new to the Porsche Boxster world as of last week got a few little issues with my Boxster but thanks to your video so far I got everything working properly only thing now is I need to change the MAF sensor and clean the throttle body and AC needs looking into any tips would be highly appreciated
No idea. My seat is electronic but not programmable. I assume you do it like any other programmable seat, you change it until you like it, then you hold down the seat selector for couple seconds or perhaps until it beeps. Then boom, programmed.
I think you'll have to check since I only got mine to compare with. Mine has some sort of sport package so one or more of those features might be part of it.
Just remembered another tip you can video. Just behind the drivers side door, by the top of the door pillar, there should be a pull cable visible, Pulling it will manually open the bonnet. Why? Well if you get a flat battery, or a deadlock situation due to a flat battery, you will need to know this tip! My first Boxster had this hidden behind the passenger side wheel arch, but you had to remove the plastic inner liner to get to it. I had dropped a umbrella down the passenger seat by the door, and it had dropped onto the electric switch for tilting the back of the seat. it ran off the motor gear and flattened the battery. When I got back from a flight I had a deadlocked car and had no idea how to open the front bonnet!
I remember reading about that one in the user manual and thought wow, I really need to know this or else I'll be in a huge pinch if the battery runs down. The other way they tell you is to hook up a battery to that tab to temporarily power everything to open the hood.
I have a 2003 S and the solenoid on the front trunk was sticking, I found the wire behind the driver tire, it was a pain to both find and pull. I since replaced the solenoid assembly but I'll go look for the cable on the pillar. I was going to say that this is something everyone with a Boxster should know since it's really important.
I've never been able to find my emergency trunk cable. I finally learned that the best thing to do is to get a patch cable that fits the OBDll plug-in and attach a battery. I had tried everything else and nothing worked but my mechanic had a jumper battery box which had a OBDll connector. I plugged it in and the latch popped the hood open easily. I then purchased a small Lithium jumper box and a cable to attach it to the OBDll plug from Amazon and keep it behind the passenger seat along with the tow eye bolt in case I need to tow and can't open the trunk.
@@boyracer3477 that’s a sure workaround. Made me laugh out loud when I thought about how poorly someone had designed that setup. I saw a guy the other day outside Waitrose Shell recharge with a I-pace being trailered away. Looks like his 12V DC battery had packed in. Locked out. Many new EV cars have this setup!?
@@knowledgebyte Yes, a rare Porsche engineering mistake. Kind of like the IMS bearing debacle I guess. Of course, if you daily drive your Boxster the battery is unlikely to drain but a lot of us have our Boxsters for weekend fun and if we miss a couple of weekends driving, the vampire electrical drain screw us. I keep a maintainer on mine now. (which has an ability to remove sulfates from the battery plates).
I have a Boxtser S 2003 . After I changed a light bulb I noticed the headlight beams on both sides were too high. A motor on the back of the headlights seems to automatically adjust the height according to the level of the car. If I put the headlights on and turn the ignition key on the light beams will move down from the high position (whether full beam or not) but then immediately move back up to too high! When they reach the low correct position I can hear what seems like a locking mechanism trying from inside the headlights beam adjusting motor, to hold the "cog" in place but it doesn't and makes a ratcheting noise. Any ideas?
You posted this more than a year ago so hopefully you still get this. Do you know a way to make the headlights have a greater intensity? My Boxster emits light about three car lengths, which is very short if on the highway. (The brights are fine but I don't like to use with oncoming traffic, ie most of the time.)
You lights are probably too fogged up. Clear them up with this process: ruclips.net/video/Tpcd-5fd9nY/видео.html It's on a DVD but the plastic works the same, sand down, buff with the compound.
Are your auto leveller's working ? Turn your lights on with the ignition off. Then turn the ignition on. You should see the lights move up and down and level out. My 996 lights weren't leveling so they pointed much too low and felt too dim. Fixed now.
Great video! I was in the process of replacing the emergency hood release wire and the hood latch release cable. I pulled the wire release and it came out of the body! This video helped save an hour or two! Thanks!
+E Gonzales There is a locking mechanism that locks when you lock your door and that might be stuck. If it isn't locked, you just push on the right side.
Thank you for your videos. I need to know how to unlock the wheel so that I can do my own brakes. I tried to Take my wheel off to change my brakes and I can’t even budge the nuts on the wheels so I feel like they must be locked but I don’t know how to unlock them can you help me a video and that would be awesome I’m a woman I’m 59 and I’m taking care of my own Porsche are trying to in your videos help me a lot thank you
hi, Thank you for video - i own a Boxter S 2004 - i parked on a covered home garage and covered with 1 soft cloth and then 2 polyethylene-pad cover from Porsche in 2009 because going out in a business trips. The car has about 10 Kilometers as i remember. With this said, i just returned to the garage and it is 2018!.... of course battery dead, etc. I leaving again so i will not even try to turn it on, etc. However, i was able to release the hang-break. My other goal is to remove the gas cap. Can i open the cover lid to remove the gas cap without a battery? is there a way? thanks - Nasri
Why would you want to remove the gas cap? Are you replacing it? You need it there so gas fumes will not leak out. You can attach an external battery through the fuse box 12V post and the metal hoop at the door for ground.
hi - thank you for response. It might be late now....no surprises....but i want to remove the gas cap so the tank and attached pipes do not get damage more - if not already damaged - regarding the fumes, it is a standalone garage with flutes so fumes can go out. I was hoping to remove the gas cap perhaps reducing the pressure build-in due to temperature changes - i do not recall how much gas is in there - i know it is 93 and probably near full. Fuel might be flat but concern with the pressure build-in. i was hoping there is not need to bring a battery to open the door so i can remove the cap - thank you for any leads
Okay, my view on this is completely different. You shouldn't be removing the gas cap and release gasoline fumes into the air as that is directly causing airborne pollution. Your gas tank is meant to hold in the pressure so there shouldn't be worries of leaving the gas cap on. With it removed, your gas will evaporate and eventually have nothing in the tank. To keep the car durable and long, run it every 3 days at least. To keep the battery and not completely drain it, put a battery keeper on there, it is simply a low energy battery maintainer you plug in. You're biggest concern will be condensation that does not get burnt off from running the car. It sits at the bottom and rusts things. Also the lubrication will run down and will cause a large amount of friction when you next start the car, causing a bit of high wear right at the beginning.
i understand your point -and really hope you are right - there is no need to remove the gas cap. Now, the gas might be flat by now. I am looking to towing the thing to Porsche for all fluids purge and refill. ....but still if you happen to know, i am still curios to know if i can open the lid without using the battery... thank you ...
You're my new favorite RUclips Guru. I have owned Boxster forever ten years and never knew A) The window with the door key and B) Changing a headlight bulb. Subscribed THANKS!
Thanks! =D Btw, all future Boxster vids will be uploaded to BeatTheBush DIY: ruclips.net/user/BeatTheBushDIY
Holy shit, the headlight removal is awesomely simple :o Sure beats screwing around with certain cars where you need to remove the bumper and some other stuff to replace the light.
Yeah... some cars you just pop the hood and unscrew the light. I guess it depends on which car you compare it to.
exactly.. in others it's just a single rod that pulls out to release the headlight..
My Volvo S40 is like that!
Rawad El-Debs yea Volvos love that design. It's very effective and easy.
Replacing the engine takes 10minutes.
(Joke) But it demonstrates they wanted to make things easier for servicing.
Another excellent video! Really appreciate the care and time you've put into these and I'm sure I'm not the only one who would enjoy more. The Porsche 986's are beautiful cars that will no doubt be viewed as must have classics over time. The one thing I absolutely hate about the earlier 986's is the need to get out of the car when putting the roof down to do the "Boxster Chop" to ensure the plastic rear window folds properly. I'd consider replacing the top with one that has a glass rear window instead.
Thanks for you comment! I do update periodically on the Boxster as I do more work on it. The latest is the front hood strut replacement. Oh lol! I laughed at that one because I had to do the Boxster Chop plenty of times. If you don't then it puts a dent in the plastic. I even had the plastic get a hole in it after the repair shop opened it without folding it properly as it was a bit brittle at the time.
just got a 986S a few weeks ago and can't wait to drive it everyday. bargain of the century. great videos!
+Rod Salvador it really is :D thanks much!
Just purchased a 2003 Boxster S. Great information and I'm sure I'll be needing information from you going forward. I will be doing a lot of maintenance work myself but the real technical things will have to go to my mechanic. Thanks for the light and key info, good stuff! Greatly appreciate it!
I just accepted delivery of my '04 S. Pete did a great job telling me things I would did not know. He speaks well and does not act like an actor, but rather a teacher.
=D It's great to get a quick run down on the often looked over features. Of course, unless you want to read the 250 page manual.
Great instructional video and I liked your split screen editing~very nice! Thanks a lot for producing such a good video to maintain our Boxsters!
Thanks! I didn't know how else to show that button working. You know when you push the button yourself, you can never see it move! Ha!
Don't use a screwdriver to take out the tow eye plug!! :-o Just push it with your finger at the bottom and the top pivots out ;)
Ahhhh lol. Good point. I almost never need to remove that plug but I'll try that the next time. =D
@@BeatTheBush yay for kind humble response
Yeah, that worried me too .... scratches !!! (I was thinking I should get a plastic panel removal tool (cheap at Harbor Freight) in case I needed to remove the plug. But now I'll just use your technique.
clear,good pace,not boring and informative!!
Thanks! =D
I just bought my boxster. This video was very helpful. Thank you so much.
There are videos here on you tube about this. You may be able to save some money!
Came here to get to know where the toolkit was and got enlightened on that + that great part on how to switch a bulb. 10/10 video. Probably the best spent 4 minutes today.
Thanks!
drivers side window stopped moving down when the door is opened. Thanks for the tip now I use the key to open the window until it gets fixed.
+Bishop Cherry Coke Might be the cable at the junction? When it's opened, it bends the wires to not connect due to wear and tear.
+BeatTheBush maybe, that makes sense
same happened here! now i can close the window when it rains haha
IscleGaming | ZefaCraft very nice. =D
Cool window feature! Wonder if it works for Nissan, Toyota cars etc? :D
The headlight unit & bulb removal sequence was particularly useful, especially as I didn't know the dipped and hi-beam bulbs could be interchanged in an emergency. Thanks!
Sort of good to know and hopefully never really need to use it. I actually never had both lights go off in short duration but I can see it happening.
OMG, I didn't know about those features. I have a 2001 Boxster that is spitting out white smoke. I found your channel, saw your post, and am going to replace my AOS. I am so glad you are making these videos, please make more. I would love to know more about my car. Thank You.
+Lewis Paul A ha h ah a! Awesome! I was almost thinking people already knew most of these. =D Yup, I certainly will be making more vids about this car. Btw. I think I broke my AOS from flooring it several times. Did you floor it a few times before it broke? Lol.
Thanks again
Thanks for sharing, when I press the button on the remote on my BMW convertible the windows and roof go down together, I assume the Porsche does the same without sticking a metal key in the door as my BMW doesn't have the metal key bit
Any idea in how to get into the front trunk. No power in the battery at all. Can't find the emergency cable.
That was really useful. I've only had my Boxter for a few weeks and I'm still finding out new stuff about it. I WAS wondering what that tool was for. I can't believe how easy changing the bulbs is.
nice video. why do you note the car can only be towed by a flatbed truck? because the nose is low?
Those are AAA towing instructions at least. It makes some sense I guess due to the height. If you tow this thing by dragging it, it could bottom if you hit a bump.
hey buddy thanks for the video. But can I ask you one question? My headlight and brake light on my passenger side of my 2001 Porsche Boxster S went out simultaneously. I change both headlights and brake lights and still the passenger headlight and the passenger brake light still out..
all the other lights on the card work fine..
Whoa, that sounds like a terrible problem to have. Maybe something shorted? You might want to check the fuse box and see if the fuses went out. Keep in mind that sometimes, replacing the fuse enough enough because if the problem is still there, you'll just blow the fuse again.
When the headlights go out and other strange electrical failures happen in the drivers compartment, try wiggling the ignition switch when the switch is in the run position. If your problem goes away, it is the ignition switch failing.You need to replace the switch.It will happen again. Had this happen twice on my 1998.
There’s also a feature that no one really has covered that I accidentally discovered when the AC was off by pressing the recirculation button when you press the recirculation button when the AC is off the AC turns on and goes instantly to highest fan speed automatically
I own a 2001 Porsche Boxster S. I loved your video and will save it. I knew most of the things you discussed but I had no idea how to change the headlights. Can the lights be upgraded the same way? There is a little wire thing inside the front bumper opening. What is that?
If you are upgrading the bulbs only then yes. Depending on what you are upgrading to you might need to install a ballast for the new bulbs. You can also upgrade the whole assembly which will be more costly. The little wire thing inside the front bumper is just there to hold on to the cap in case it falls off on its own.
pretty cool.
I have a problem, the windows came down like the convertible was going down but i was not home, and it rained hard, so now the car won't start?
Ouch. Sounds like electrical short and the fuses blew. You might want to dry everything out. Check all fuses
and replace if broken. Make sure the battery is not drained. And try again.
THANK YOU for using a tripod with the camera! I am so sick of hand-held cameras I usually shut off the video in the first 10 seconds. I've seen video done with phone cameras in one hand while doing a how-to with the other.
This is one of the best recorded videos I've ever seen produced by a non-professional.
I have actually done 1-4 but never 5. And I have a parking light bulb out. Now I know how to do it.
And yes, I've used the tow hook more times than I care to mention. Bought a new 2004 S Special Edition and it is approaching 150,000 miles.
Thanks again.
Lol. =D All in a day's work! =D Thanks for your kind words.
You mentioned parking light bulb? I think I only showed the headlamp and not the rear although that's pretty easy to get to as well.
Ahh. When I talked to the tow truck guy that has towed the Boxster, they're often really impressed I know about the hook as most people have no idea. Mine's at 153k, yay! Pretty similar in mileage cool!
Holy shit, didn't know it had the hex head needed for the headlights in the tool kit. I spent 15 minutes looking around my 30-40 pole barn for that fucker.
Ended up finding it on top of the car that was on the lift at the time. Didn't think I'd actually learn anything from one of these kinds of videos.
You get a plus, sir
+MisterAether Lol, I see that happening to myself. Wow you got a lift and a barn to work on your car? Must be really nice to lay everything out.
Great video; clear and informative; just traded my boxster for a Cayman and some of this may still apply. Thanks for taking the trouble to put this together.
Thanks! I think I wouldn't mind a Cayman either since I only put the top down once a year myself.
Cayman has a much more luxorious feel and it's of course quieter on the road. My Boxster came out to play when the sun was shining. I wanted the Cayman because I wanted to drive in all sorts of weather. So far it's met my expectations and it seems to be a car I'd be comfortable driving cross country . . . probably wouldn't have done that with the Boxster.
Serious? I guess I don't know much about the Cayman, I thought the only difference was the hard vs soft top. I drive my Boxster all year round though, lol. No babying it.
@@BeatTheBush Well, I know this comment was 5 years ago but I have to say that I never drive my 2000 with the top up. A Boxster was created to have the top down. The top is only for emergencies !!! LOL
You Rock dude! I didn't get the owners manual with the car and I didn't know how to activate the spoiler and what button was for. Now I have to watch your videos again lol.
Cools tips. About to order some spare bulbs. BTW, if you hold down the door lock button on the keyfob, the windows will move all the way back up. VW's and Audi's do the same as I recall. Same Bosch system. I tested that today after I forgot to raise the windows after putting the roof back up.
Nice one if you forget to close your windows. Beats getting back in just to close them. =D
Great videos--dense, helpful information in a short time. Well done.
Thanks!
great video tx being a recent owner of a 2001 Boxster S the ease in which that headlight pops out is awesome. Question...I bypassed the rear cats thinking i would get a throatier sound but its hardly noticable, so I have to change rear muffler, any recommendations on rear muffler only? too quiet for a roadster...
I would tend to want to leave the cats in since it helps with oxidizing the unburnt hydrocarbons and better for the air. You probably see I still have a stock one so I actually have no experience with an aftermarket muffler. I think if I were in your market I would want to hear the brand of muffler first hand so I might find some boxster club where there is a high concentration of them so I can spy on some from others just to hear it in person.
Cheers, brilliant, finally a video that's nice and quick instead of loads of pointless talking to get to the point, is your Boxster a 986?
Thank you!
Thank you for posting this video. I just changed the position bulbs (aka bulbs for parking lights) in my 996 in about 20 minutes. Lights are still out as I cleaned the housings / around the rail area and I'm letting drip-dry but I've tested to satisfaction.
Nice work!
(Would you believe the dealer charged > C$25 per bulb? ugh.. Zero in labour, though. haha.)
Huh $25 canadian? Oh my, the bulb is what? $5? Yes, please never ever go to the dealer.
Will you do a video on how to drive manual and give other useful tips
Sure, that's a great idea actually. I'll keep that one in mind. Thanks for the idea.
what is your annual maintenance cost? how reliable is your porsche?
+Will D Cassani About $1000 a year. It's pretty darn reliable at almost 150k miles now.
Good stuff.. What do you recommend when your remote key fob stops working... the battery is good and the little red light blinks to indicate functionality, but neither the door locks nor the trunk release work?
Yeah, my 1999 986 is just a great great great car. It's fairly easy to work on, in some ways super simple like with the headlights. The 97-99 years have a dual row bearing in the engine too that rarely fails. I see a lot more videos on here evey day from people discovering this awesome, affordable, very capable Porsche.
Ahhh yes... it does last if you happen to get the dual row bearing which I hear is a pain to even find out for sure.
Thanks for mentioning the triangular amber trim on the headlight. I broke mine lifting the headlight shell out by it. It is very fragile and costs $110 AUD but easy to fix. So lift by the inside front and rear section of the shell.
Yah... I broke mine but ended up gluing back on, lol.
Any suggestions on how to open the two trunks latches? They are both locked.
There are hidden spots to pull at the cables like under the driver side wheel wells but I forgot exactly where they are. If you battery is dead, you can just connect an external battery to temporarily power it.
The battery in my car died with the alarm activated. That being the case, a steel locking plate rotates into place, locking the levers. On my ‘99, I loosened the three Allen bolts as shown here, lifted the mechanism out of the rocker, and turned the locking cam with a small screwdriver. I could then open the trunk to get at the battery. Took maybe 30min. You can’t use a long Allen wrench, one of the folding sets is perfect. www.renntech.org/forums/topic/2751-how-do-i-release-hood-with-no-battery/?do=findComment&comment=12912
yes I'm interested I have just bought a Porsche Boxster 986 S and would like to know the tips about the vehicle
Interested in what? More tips?
this is fantastic! the eye bolt for towing blew my mind!
DON'T keep it in the front trunk. If the battery is dead you won't be able to use it for the tow truck since you can't open the front trunk with a dead battery. Keep it behind the passenger seat.
Hello I've a question how to pair the key after change battery on my 97 boxster. The key remote doesn't work after battery changed. Thanks.
Hmmm, I never had to do that before. I can change the battery and it won’t come unpaired.
Thank you good job. Need more tricks to know about the Boxster!!
How about how to get out of a attacker situation when you are reversing through a narrow street and you need to do a U-turn right after you get to the main street to escape them?
Is there a way to open the front trunk lid in the event of a dead battery (2003 Porsche Boxster)
Yes, you just power the battery externally with a tab near the fuse box. Then you use the button. Alternatively you'll have to open the front wheel well on the driver's side and there is a cable you can pull manually.
2014 911 I sure hope 1 of these secret pull cords are a feature, Im stuck in underground parking with 0 outlets to open hood with a dead battery@@BeatTheBush ...holy tips.... thanks for all the money saving do it yourself hints
This was an outstanding video making so many simple things that we may not have known avalable.... Thank you for posting!
Nice! Glad you liked it or found something new if you have this car. =D
There is one you forgot, the heated seats. If you install the switches for the optional heated seats they will work. From what I heard, Porsche had all Recarro seats equipped with the wiring, just didn't install the switches if you didn't order the option for them.
Hmmm, I have those. I thought they all have it lol. Except my driver seat heaters got damaged so they no longer work. So I guess because I had the buttons, I didn't think it was 'hidden'. The other stuff isn't hidden either but it's not obvious unless you comb the user manual.
Bobster986 that is great! Did you actually do it or is it an urban legend? Really want to do this.. Is it simple plug and play? Any further information you can provide would be greatly appreciated
Michael P. Smith I too got coned by the dealer and ordered them as an option. It wasn't until I became friendly with a machanic that I found this out but never confined it. I would suggest talking with one or remove a (4 bolts) seat and see if the wire plug is there, but not connected into the harness. Good luck and keep us posted.
One other thing. I think the optional footwell light are the same. If you didn't order them, then they didn't connect it install just the lamp in its place.
Thanks for the video, I had no idea 🙈 can you do a video on changing the taillight? I have one that randomly gets brighter than the other. How do I fix it?
Oh.. taillight? You have a point. It's easy but not for your first time I guess.
Where did you buy those rear headlights? They look awesome!
+Alex Molina Thanks! Not sure as I bought the car used and it came like that. =D I think stock replaces the clear part with yellow and a small clear window?
+BeatTheBush oh nice cause i have the same car but mine are a bit more stock ugly
Alex Molina At least you don't have to look at it most the time. =D
i need to replace the black plastic grill that is in the back of the seat, where can i buy it
Hmm, pick and pull that has this car?
Like your video! Try to install a backup camera. Do you happen to know how to do it, especially where I can find the wire to reverse light? Thanks.
Back up cam? Huh... I might look at the fuse box area and see where the fuse is there. You might be able to tap off there or you can just tap off the wire right at the light.
Thanks for the video, didn't know most of the stuff you showed there! Great job, any other tips you can think of would be appreciated! Again thanks!
How great it is to suddenly get all these new features! Hmmm, there were the top once but there are certainly a few more. Will see about that in a future vid.
Hello nice videos :) How do I open the hood if the hood/trunk switch is broken?
I believe there's a mechanical lever you can pull at the hinge area of the driver's side door.
how long owned?
Hi beat the bush you got the best videos on boxes so far I'm new to the Porsche Boxster world as of last week got a few little issues with my Boxster but thanks to your video so far I got everything working properly only thing now is I need to change the MAF sensor and clean the throttle body and AC needs looking into any tips would be highly appreciated
I have a vid on MAF
We cant get our gas cap open? Is there a hidden button? We never had to do anything but push it open, but it's not budging like its locked.
Very much the same as the 996! We are looking at a 986 so this is a great quick vid for the wife.
Ahh 996... so nice. =D
Until I drove a Boxter S. Both are great... truly! The Boxster and Boxster S are probably the best cars for the money right now!
David Verrecchia I agree completely. I have to, I own one and am very biased.
Didn't know about the tow hook! Thanks
=D Good to know in an emergency because not all tow people know about the car.
BeatTheBush what year is your car
Sticky Radio knob replacement? 2000 Boxster S
I made that video already. :D
ruclips.net/video/Nq0hl7mw6BQ/видео.html
Excellent informational video. I now know more than I did. Much appreciated.
Great little features you don't know about unless you read the manual fully or use the car for a long time.
You are so good at explaining things!
+kathinmaine Thanks! I try... =D
?Hi! Could you tell me how to program the driver seat
No idea. My seat is electronic but not programmable. I assume you do it like any other programmable seat, you change it until you like it, then you hold down the seat selector for couple seconds or perhaps until it beeps. Then boom, programmed.
Needing the radio code for my 99 Boxter. Thank you
Might be written in the manual somewhere.
I have a 2002 Boxster. Will it have all the above features also?
I think you'll have to check since I only got mine to compare with. Mine has some sort of sport package so one or more of those features might be part of it.
Yes, all those features he showed are the same on the 2002 Boxster.
Thanks I just bought one yesterday and it did not come with a booklet.
good videos man...this was done well and informative
=D
Just remembered another tip you can video. Just behind the drivers side door, by the top of the door pillar, there should be a pull cable visible, Pulling it will manually open the bonnet. Why? Well if you get a flat battery, or a deadlock situation due to a flat battery, you will need to know this tip! My first Boxster had this hidden behind the passenger side wheel arch, but you had to remove the plastic inner liner to get to it. I had dropped a umbrella down the passenger seat by the door, and it had dropped onto the electric switch for tilting the back of the seat. it ran off the motor gear and flattened the battery. When I got back from a flight I had a deadlocked car and had no idea how to open the front bonnet!
I remember reading about that one in the user manual and thought wow, I really need to know this or else I'll be in a huge pinch if the battery runs down. The other way they tell you is to hook up a battery to that tab to temporarily power everything to open the hood.
I have a 2003 S and the solenoid on the front trunk was sticking, I found the wire behind the driver tire, it was a pain to both find and pull. I since replaced the solenoid assembly but I'll go look for the cable on the pillar. I was going to say that this is something everyone with a Boxster should know since it's really important.
I've never been able to find my emergency trunk cable. I finally learned that the best thing to do is to get a patch cable that fits the OBDll plug-in and attach a battery. I had tried everything else and nothing worked but my mechanic had a jumper battery box which had a OBDll connector. I plugged it in and the latch popped the hood open easily. I then purchased a small Lithium jumper box and a cable to attach it to the OBDll plug from Amazon and keep it behind the passenger seat along with the tow eye bolt in case I need to tow and can't open the trunk.
@@boyracer3477 that’s a sure workaround. Made me laugh out loud when I thought about how poorly someone had designed that setup.
I saw a guy the other day outside Waitrose Shell recharge with a I-pace being trailered away. Looks like his 12V DC battery had packed in. Locked out. Many new EV cars have this setup!?
@@knowledgebyte Yes, a rare Porsche engineering mistake. Kind of like the IMS bearing debacle I guess. Of course, if you daily drive your Boxster the battery is unlikely to drain but a lot of us have our Boxsters for weekend fun and if we miss a couple of weekends driving, the vampire electrical drain screw us. I keep a maintainer on mine now. (which has an ability to remove sulfates from the battery
plates).
Geez. I've had my boxster for 2 years - I had no idea about the tow hook. Thank you!
Ha! You'll need to know if you get it towed and the tow person does not know about this car.
Super Cool!!! We want more!!!! great editing,also!
I'm on it! I assume more Boxster vids rather than in general right?
how can I change de roof
??
I'm glad you emphasized not to push on the bottom edge of the headlight because I broke mine and had to super glue it back on.
So you watched this after you broke it right? =D
BeatTheBush yes unfortunately
Booo
Great video. I wasn’t aware of any of those hidden secrets.
Glad I could help!
I have a Boxtser S 2003 . After I changed a light bulb I noticed the headlight beams on both sides were too high. A motor on the back of the headlights seems to automatically adjust the height according to the level of the car. If I put the headlights on and turn the ignition key on the light beams will move down from the high position (whether full beam or not) but then immediately move back up to too high! When they reach the low correct position I can hear what seems like a locking mechanism trying from inside the headlights beam adjusting motor, to hold the "cog" in place but it doesn't and makes a ratcheting noise. Any ideas?
No idea, I never had motorized headlights in mine.
You posted this more than a year ago so hopefully you still get this. Do you know a way to make the headlights have a greater intensity? My Boxster emits light about three car lengths, which is very short if on the highway. (The brights are fine but I don't like to use with oncoming traffic, ie most of the time.)
You lights are probably too fogged up. Clear them up with this process: ruclips.net/video/Tpcd-5fd9nY/видео.html It's on a DVD but the plastic works the same, sand down, buff with the compound.
BeatTheBush Good idea. I just checked out your linked video. The 2500 grit followed by buffing compound should help.
Are your auto leveller's working ? Turn your lights on with the ignition off. Then turn the ignition on. You should see the lights move up and down and level out. My 996 lights weren't leveling so they pointed much too low and felt too dim. Fixed now.
@@Symbouleutic Just ran out to the garage and re-leveled my 996 lights! Learn something every day. Thx
Great video! I was in the process of replacing the emergency hood release wire and the hood latch release cable. I pulled the wire release and it came out of the body! This video helped save an hour or two! Thanks!
You're welcome!
My wife just bought one. The video was very helpful.
=D
Thanks a lot for this !
You're welcome! =D
does anyone know how to release the gas tank?
+E Gonzales There is a locking mechanism that locks when you lock your door and that might be stuck. If it isn't locked, you just push on the right side.
No worries! 😀 Keep up the great work. You're a wonderful young man! 😇
Thanks! Will try. :D
great video ! I just bought a 2002 Boxster S and this is really helpful :)
How’s it been I just got mine yesterday
This is an awesome video thank you! I don't even have a Boxster but I'm looking to get one lol
Great video, what year is your Boxster? cheers
2001 about 150k miles. =D
simple and can hear this video well nice
=D Thank you!
best compliments...nice interesting tips...if j buy one j'll ask you some informations...
Sure thing, I'll be right here. =D
i wish you can do a video for the 981!
I wish that as well! Maybe Porsche is watching and want to give me one so I can make videos about it lol.
Ive own my boxster for 6 years, never knew, never knew... thanks!!!!!
Do you live in the US or Canada or Japan? I want to know so bad cause the variety in your videos is crazy.
+Evan Barker I appreciate you noticing! =D =D =D. I live in the US. In California in particular.
Thank you for your videos. I need to know how to unlock the wheel so that I can do my own brakes. I tried to Take my wheel off to change my brakes and I can’t even budge the nuts on the wheels so I feel like they must be locked but I don’t know how to unlock them can you help me a video and that would be awesome I’m a woman I’m 59 and I’m taking care of my own Porsche are trying to in your videos help me a lot thank you
what year is it
2001
Great video, I appreciate your insights.
hi, Thank you for video - i own a Boxter S 2004 - i parked on a covered home garage and covered with 1 soft cloth and then 2 polyethylene-pad cover from Porsche in 2009 because going out in a business trips. The car has about 10 Kilometers as i remember. With this said, i just returned to the garage and it is 2018!.... of course battery dead, etc. I leaving again so i will not even try to turn it on, etc. However, i was able to release the hang-break. My other goal is to remove the gas cap. Can i open the cover lid to remove the gas cap without a battery? is there a way? thanks - Nasri
Why would you want to remove the gas cap? Are you replacing it? You need it there so gas fumes will not leak out. You can attach an external battery through the fuse box 12V post and the metal hoop at the door for ground.
hi - thank you for response. It might be late now....no surprises....but i want to remove the gas cap so the tank and attached pipes do not get damage more - if not already damaged - regarding the fumes, it is a standalone garage with flutes so fumes can go out. I was hoping to remove the gas cap perhaps reducing the pressure build-in due to temperature changes - i do not recall how much gas is in there - i know it is 93 and probably near full. Fuel might be flat but concern with the pressure build-in. i was hoping there is not need to bring a battery to open the door so i can remove the cap - thank you for any leads
Okay, my view on this is completely different. You shouldn't be removing the gas cap and release gasoline fumes into the air as that is directly causing airborne pollution. Your gas tank is meant to hold in the pressure so there shouldn't be worries of leaving the gas cap on.
With it removed, your gas will evaporate and eventually have nothing in the tank. To keep the car durable and long, run it every 3 days at least. To keep the battery and not completely drain it, put a battery keeper on there, it is simply a low energy battery maintainer you plug in.
You're biggest concern will be condensation that does not get burnt off from running the car. It sits at the bottom and rusts things. Also the lubrication will run down and will cause a large amount of friction when you next start the car, causing a bit of high wear right at the beginning.
i understand your point -and really hope you are right - there is no need to remove the gas cap. Now, the gas might be flat by now. I am looking to towing the thing to Porsche for all fluids purge and refill. ....but still if you happen to know, i am still curios to know if i can open the lid without using the battery... thank you ...
Amazing video- definitely will subscribe
Thank you for the video, love my porsche, confusing gadgets at times
your spare tire tool kit is not suppose to be mounted behind the tire. goes in the pouch on the front of the tire cover
Page 100 of owners manual: Item 9 "Tool kit and jack are located behind the spare wheel (spare wheel must be removed)"
***** Agreed. I quoted the manual so there's no argument unless anyone thinks I made it up. lol.
BeatTheBush thought (above) you said that you didn't read the manual 😉
I use the front pouch on the spare tire cover to carry the front license plate.
Very good tips. Thanks for the video
Another very interesting video! I really enjoy your content.
+DrumsVocalsKeys Thanks! Its actually really fun for me to make these videos. =D
Very nice car. What year? Have you had any major issues since making this video?
2001. Don't remember if the replacement of the water pump was before of after.
Thank you for the helpful video. Headlight information was especially great.
=D
Well done...look forward to more of your well done videos
Thanks! =D
Hold the unlock button on the keys to let the windows go down or lock to make them go up.. letting go will stop them at any position you want.
That's a good one too but it does draw more battery power.
Thanks for the upload!!!! Great work!
Gladly! Thanks!
Please make some more videos
That was an excellent tutorial. Many thanks !!!
You're welcome!