Hi
I have a 12 year old Porsche Boxster . Today I just got home and hot water was spewing out from underneath the car . Slightly pinkish in colour . Lately the warning message 'gear selector not engaged ' has been coming on too . Anyone have any ideas what's wrong and rough idea of cost to fix ?
Thanks
Alex

 

Probably the coolant tank if you tell me the coolant was gushing out just ahead of the right rear tire.

The coolant tank develops a crack/split at the bottom seam and only leaks a bit if at all until one time the engine is shut off really hot -- as in the radiator fans were just switched on due to an elevated coolant temperature -- and the hot engine raises the coolant temperature and pressure and the coolant tank now soft from the heat opens up the crack/split and the hot coolant gushes out.

'course, it doesn't have to be a coolant tank. It could be a radiator hose, or even a water pump.

Regardless you will have to get the car flat bedded to a qualified shop and the source of the coolant leak ID'd to know for sure.

As for the cost I can't recall now what a new coolant tank for my 2002 Boxster cost nor can I recall what I paid to have the water pump/T-stat replaced when the water pump got noisy.

Before you call the tow truck you'll just have to call around to shops that specialize in the Porsche Boxster and get a quote for say a new coolant tank -- though it may be something else -- so you have some idea of what you at looking at spending.

Oh, regarding the gear selector not engaged that's probably a switch somewhere in the console or at the transmission (Tip I suspect). Ask the shop about this error message. If the shop is where you should be taking the car it should have come upon this before and should be able to advise you regarding what's wrong and how much to fix. If you get told the transmission needs to be rebuilt you may be at the wrong shop.

 

Hi

Thanks for your help . The leak was just a small pool for a couple of days then a big gush when I got back from a long trip .
Also the error message does coincide with the car appearing to be unable to select the right gear . It only happens intermittently though. So is this likely to be a transmission rebuild rather than just an electrical fault do you think ?
Rgds
Alexis

 

The big gush is indicative of a failed coolant tank. As I mentioned before the tank is ok until the car is parked with the engine really hot. The heat load increases the coolant temperature and pressure and the now very warm and pliable coolant tank lets loose with a big gush of hot coolant. When my 2002 Boxster did this -- after I purposely ran the engine at around 1500 RPMs until the radiator fans came on then shut off the engine -- the hot coolant just gushed out after a few minutes of the car sitting. But believe it or not after the car sat overnight the next morning I refilled the coolant tank with distilled water -- a gallon at least -- and started the engine and observed no leak. I drove the car a couple of miles to the dealer and still there was no leak sign but I had the tech replace the coolant tank and the system has been coolant tight ever since.

My interpretation was the right gear was being selected this just wasn't being reflected on the dash display. This then would suggest an electrical fault, well, more a sensor/linkage problem.

However, not actually selecting the right gear suggests a possible deeper problem but I am not qualified to diagnose the cause of that behavior.

You will need to seek out a reputable transmission shop and get its input.

You might start with a Porsche dealer service department if you have one handy that has a good rep. While the shop may not repair the transmission in these cases -- the techs I talk too tell me often the customer will rely upon them to remove the transmission and then it is sent out to be repaired/rebuilt by a shop that specializes in these transmssions then returned and the techs install the transmission back in the car -- the techs see a fair share of transmission issues and can possibly advise you what the behavior means and if it means "rebuild" where's the best place to take the transmission.