You'll need a foxwell or durametric to read the fault, check it mechanically and then clear the code within the CPU. There may be some parts stores that will read it for you. If you're going to keep the car and be a hobbyist I'd buy one. I've had the durametric ten years, it has paid for itself over and over. If you buy a foxwell and reset it yourself you are already significantly ahead financially in place of service at any dealer or indy of course that assumes that all it needs is to be reset which given your description of how it's running is hopefully the case, good luck.

 

Great advice from Boris.. the Foxwell is the value leader IMHO. The Durametric used to be the only thing out there, it is no longer and the competition is offering more capabilities for less $$$. The Foxwell is particularly capable with the 987 series.

And when you have a chance - visit: New Member Introductions - and introduce yourself and brag on your car a bit (pics ARE expected!)..

Meanwhile, welcome to Planet-9, the Friendly Porsche Forum!

 

Great advice from Boris.. the Foxwell is the value leader IMHO. The Durametric used to be the only thing out there, it is no longer and the competition is offering more capabilities for less $$$. The Foxwell is particularly capable with the 987 series.

And when you have a chance - visit: New Member Introductions - and introduce yourself and brag on your car a bit (pics ARE expected!)..

Meanwhile, welcome to Planet-9, the Friendly Porsche Forum!

So quick search for foxwell pops up readers from $69 to $759. that's a pretty big range. Assume the $69 will be lacking in capabilities and that the $759 reader is probably overkill for what I would use it for. I have a 987.2 Boxster and am reasonably handy with tools to do basic DIY stuff (oil, brakes, etc), but will probably use the shop for stuff beyond that. Would like to be able to read a CEL to tell if it is something I can take care of, something I can drive to the shop for them to take care of, or if I need to call a flatbed to pick it up do not do any further damage. what is the recommendation for a good level reader?

 

NT530, with the Porsche module. This gives you programmability for various functions, deeper reading capability on Porsches (and other brands if you wanted to buy additional brand modules), and basic OBD2 capabilities of course.

This is the one I got: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XQJG3NB

Note, Foxwell has other models, but higher numbers don't always give you more capability, so don't fall for that. They used to have a comparison chart on their website, but they have restructured it so I'm not sure if they still have that page. In there, you'd see that the 530 is the ideal one for coding things in the car, whereas other models won't do that.

 

thanks!

 

Also check out the PIWIS 2 solution here on the forum if you're computer savvy. Works really well for me.

 

Thanks for the ideas... I'll look into those units. Yep I'm quite computer savvy.

 

I picked up a Foxwell NT530. The code I'm getting is C127. I reset and re-ran diags... it came back... I reset again - reran diags and it's clean. Can't take the car for a ride... I'm blocked into my garage due to contractors doing work... so will drive it tomorrow... and see.

 

If you do a search, there are a few hits here and on other sites. Apparently this is a known issue on that year-range of Boxster/Caymans. The front control module gets annoyed with static, particularly when polishing the headlights.

A few examples:

Waxing Killed My Car

This has to be a first.. and something that I am taking endless ribbing on. :) I'm wordering if anyone else may have heard of this. Yesterday morning I waxed my 2005 C2S in the driveway. Right after finishing I wanted to drive to lunch. Got in the car and fired it up, and all of a sudden there we...

www.renntech.org

https://********.com/forums/997-forum/233930-system-fault-fixed.html

'06 987S intermittent system fault

Thanks in advance. I did a search here and at ******** for the following problem: 2 days of "system fault - return to workshop" with no other lights or problems. Comes on after engine start. Goes away when I change light switch position OR when I activate the turn signal. Comes back on again 5...

www.planet-9.com

 

Yep - Been seeing a lot of posts regarding this issue. I'm hoping I get off easy on this one... also - this is a first "for me" if it's really static from buffing the front of the car causing the control module failure. I have a background is electronics and I understand the ESD threat to circuits... but this one is is bit out there... if true.

 

Agreed, seems crazy that ESD from the body/exterior should cause such issues... certainly a design flaw IMO. A few threads said that a "new" module solves the problem as they have potentially fixed the flaw. Of course, if you have to pay for that, it would suck... but it might be a "final" solution.

In the future, I might suggest removing the headlights from the car before polishing them... my 987.2 headlights come out pretty easily, but I don't know if your model year works the same way.

Good luck, and hopefully you do get out of it as you stated!

 

Took the Boxster out today… and all seems ok. Put about 25 miles on it… several on/off cycles. We’ll see!