Tiptronic Gearbox Problems?

[bryno]

I had a call from the owner of a 2004 Tiptronic Boxster asking about problems with these gearboxes.Having trawled the forum fortunately these gearboxes seem relatively trouble free? The caller and new club member has had the car from new and 18 months ago suffered a "problem" at the same time as a tiptronic warning light came up. His local PC (Belfast) changed what I presume was the "transmission gear position switch" which cured his problems. Today he has his "Tiptronic warning light" up and the car is either stuck in fourth or wont go into 5th he suspects the switch again.I suggested the obvious like checking fluid level which doesn't look easy.
Does this model have a specific gearbox warning light, I thought that for tiptronics gearbox faults were indicated by the 4th gear light flashing?
Also any of our NI colleagues recommend an independent or gearbox specialist in Northern Ireland?
When I speak to this owner (he dos not have internet access I'll forward the R27 RO's number

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

You are correct that if the 4th gear light flashes then this indicates a tiptronic fault. On later 996's it is combined with a message in the OBC display, but I'm not sure about 986's. It sounds like his car has gone into the emergency program

He really needs to get a diagnostic check done, as this should show up the fault. It could be anything - control module, solenoid valve, multifunction switch. The fault codes should help track down the cause.

 

[piperboxster]

In the process of researching my website I found that Boxster and 996 transmissions in some cases are failing with more frequency.

It seems that the long service interval on the transmission could be to blame, as the manufacturers of both types of transmission in both cars, as well as the manufacturers of the fluids used both recommend servicing the transmissions every 60k miles at most. Talking to some tiptronic specialists it seems that they agree that the fluid begins to break down around 40k miles and is very tired at 60k

I am no help with a tiptronic specialist in NI, but there are some good ones in England.

Having said all this, I suspect its just the switch also!