As part of preparing for a full brake job on all four corners, I ordered some pad wear sensors and when I received them, one was the correct PN (996.612.365.00) for my 03 C4S, while the other three were for the rear pads of a Boxster (986.612.365.00.) Given the physical differences between the two, I am assuming that I can not use the 986 sensors with my 996, but wanted to check here first to see if anyone had done so successfully.

I'm not in a hurry to do the brake job so, other than the hassle factor, sending them back and getting the right ones wouldn't be a big deal.

 

Where did you get them from? It's just so we can avoid the place in the future. They obviously sent the wrong stuff. They would have mentioned that they had ran out of stock but would have said "these are the same and will fit your car" etc ...
I sent away about 2 years ago when I got a red light saying the brake sensor was on. It Does not tell you which pad was activated. I sent away for pads all round plus sensors. Found the culprit on the rear and changed pads and sensors. Went to the front and they had lots of wear left in them so I didn't do them. I still have the new sensors and pads from the front but dammed if I can remember did they look the same as the back. I know the pads look different, but the sensors ??????????????? don't know sorry. I have the C2 so it wouldn't help you anyway.

 

986 S and 996 have the same brakes

 

996 Carrera C4S shares braks with the turbo, and they are larger than the 986 Boxster S brakes.

 

I was looking on pelican and they are showing the sensors as being the same for the boxster through 996TT .

 

Interesting. I wonder if they are the same part from the factory.

 

Those sensors will work on your C4S. The sensors are shared over Boxster/S '97-'04, 996 '99-'04, C4S '99-'05 & Turbo '99-'05.

Mark/Pelican Parts

 

From the online/eBay arm of a parts company with near flawless rep, (and I know some people who have bought from them and had no issues) so I'm more than willing to chalk the wrong parts being sent up to an honest mistake.

 

Checked out pelican as well (actually built out the project parts list thanks to them), and from the looks of it, the 996's sensors are cross compatible with the 986's front sensors, but the 986's rear sensors are physically different (the other three I received are the rear sensors) and that's why I was concerned they wouldn't work on my 996.

 

Hey Mark,

Thanks for chiming in on this. As I mentioned in the above post, given the difference in physical appearance I was figuring they wouldn't work with my car. Good to know I won't have to deal with the hassle of sending them back for refund/exchange.

FYI, this will be my first mechanical DIY project since buying, and pelican is definitely getting some business from me on this project (and, I'm sure, on many going forward)

 

Pelican is one of the better online parts dealers , suncoast is good and Vertex also . I will be doing my motor mounts and plugs this weekend on C2 cab ,have fun with your brakes they are a good DIY project .

 

When you are doing your plugs, you will find them easier to get too with the muffler off the car and the back wheels off the car. Two large clamps across the back near the back sill. And three small set screw bolts set in a triangle near the heat shield. There is NO NEED for you to remove the two long bolts as they come off attached to the muffler. Jiggle the muffler out of the rear clamps and forward and down. remove the heat shield which is easy and away you go. I am not the only person to have left a plug wrench on the new plug last inserted doing this job. So check that the actual plug wrench comes out with the extension before putting back the coil. I struggled for 2 hours to put a coil back until I realized that the plug wrench was not on the end of the extension DUH hahaha. hit the 10 bolts with PB blaster 24 hours before you attempt the job. If the ones in the back clamps will not move then snap them off with a torque bar and get new bolts from any hardware store. That's what I had to do. Save one of the snapped ones before shopping for the 4 new ones. Don't snap any of the 3 in the triangle. Mine came out very easily. The back ones did not as they were rusty. 63lbs/foot on the back ones and a stiff guess on the others with a smaller wrench. Put the heat shield back on. Smooth sailing time 3 hours per side. Mine.....a day a side hahaha

 

I need to correct myself and suggest you confirm with the vendor that the parts will apply as they should. I read right through the fact that 3 are physically different from the other and I'd hate to have you embark on your DIY with parts that don't quite apply.

Mark/Pelican Parts

 

The sensors are the same. The two vehicles share a lot of parts and parts lists for the 996 frequently start with 996 as the same part for 986 start with...986. That's why your two parts share the same number except for the model designation.

 

So, the "housing"—for lack of a better term—on the 986's rear cable won't cause any clearance/fitment issues? (Which was my only concern with using them...didn't want to have everything all apart only to find they would fit.) Excellent!


Out of curiosity, does anyone know what, if anything, that housing actually does. Tried unsuccessfully digging around online a bit to find out as it seemed strange to me that the front sensors would be the same across 996 and 986, but the 986 would have different rears for no reason. I was hoping that, if it doesn't actually do anything and causes any fitment issues, I could just hack it off.