Hatch/trunk latch switch repair
08-22-2013, 06:36 PM
#1
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Hatch/trunk latch switch repair
Hi all,
Tired of having to switch the car on and hit the trunk switch inside the car, I repaired the truck lock in my black 968 last night. The switch had gone bad and in the later cars the mechanical latch is no longer connected to the key. The key trips a microswitch that activates the power latch. The switch is about $40 from Porsche but you can substitute a common part. I got one from ebay, this was the title:
"TEMCo Micro Limit Switch Lever Arm Subminiature SPDT Snap Action"
You have to get the right size (sub-miniature) so the locating holes match up. I trimmed down the switch lever also. These are known as microswitches or snap action switches and can be found other places like Grainger, Newark, etc.
To install, remove the old switch. It helps to use a mirror to get familiar with the workings. It's really easy once you see what's up.
- Disconnect wiring connector (several inches from the switch)
- Pull out the rubber tube gasket material surrounding the latch to get some working room
- Pop off the chrome spring bail holding the switch to the latch, I used a dental pick hook.
- Remove switch
The new switch will not have the wire harness on it so this will need to be migrated. Ideally, solder the harness wires on at an angle towards the front of the car or it'll be hard to fit into the space provided. My harness was also very short so I extended it to route it better..
As per this thread:
https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...h-release.html
...I soldered on the wires. With the hinge of the lever on the left, the colors on mine were White/Red/Brown left to right. Unlike that photo I suggest soldering on at 90 degrees so the wires stick out away from the latch. Insulate these connections to prevent shorts. Test the switch before installation.
Install in reverse of removal. It can be tricky to keep the bail in place when fitting the switch but a dab of grease can help hold stuff, like hold the switch in place without the bail so you can snap that on later. Put the gasket doughnut back in before connecting the wiring.
Hope this helps,
-Joel.
Tired of having to switch the car on and hit the trunk switch inside the car, I repaired the truck lock in my black 968 last night. The switch had gone bad and in the later cars the mechanical latch is no longer connected to the key. The key trips a microswitch that activates the power latch. The switch is about $40 from Porsche but you can substitute a common part. I got one from ebay, this was the title:
"TEMCo Micro Limit Switch Lever Arm Subminiature SPDT Snap Action"
You have to get the right size (sub-miniature) so the locating holes match up. I trimmed down the switch lever also. These are known as microswitches or snap action switches and can be found other places like Grainger, Newark, etc.
To install, remove the old switch. It helps to use a mirror to get familiar with the workings. It's really easy once you see what's up.
- Disconnect wiring connector (several inches from the switch)
- Pull out the rubber tube gasket material surrounding the latch to get some working room
- Pop off the chrome spring bail holding the switch to the latch, I used a dental pick hook.
- Remove switch
The new switch will not have the wire harness on it so this will need to be migrated. Ideally, solder the harness wires on at an angle towards the front of the car or it'll be hard to fit into the space provided. My harness was also very short so I extended it to route it better..
As per this thread:
https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...h-release.html
...I soldered on the wires. With the hinge of the lever on the left, the colors on mine were White/Red/Brown left to right. Unlike that photo I suggest soldering on at 90 degrees so the wires stick out away from the latch. Insulate these connections to prevent shorts. Test the switch before installation.
Install in reverse of removal. It can be tricky to keep the bail in place when fitting the switch but a dab of grease can help hold stuff, like hold the switch in place without the bail so you can snap that on later. Put the gasket doughnut back in before connecting the wiring.
Hope this helps,
-Joel.
01-20-2018, 05:40 AM
#2
Track Day
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Orange County CA
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Bumping up this thread as it’s a very good DIY that I didn’t see when I was replacing my micro switch last week.
First after noticing my rear trunk couldn’t open from the key and being really nervous that my drivers footwell button might fail, I ordered a new switch from 944online. ($29.99)
After doing the above steps, I noticed that my lock, as well as the black metal housing plate were filthy so I gave it all a good cleaning and wipe down. I also sprayed and wiped down my old micro switch and plugged it in just to test and it worked fine. So now I have a backup switch in case it really fails.
When replacing the black gasket doughnut I made sure to clean/wipe it down and apply some auto product to bring back the soft feeling. Installing it was a breeze.
I guess my point is before you spend any money, check if your switch is truly dead by doing a good cleaning first.
First after noticing my rear trunk couldn’t open from the key and being really nervous that my drivers footwell button might fail, I ordered a new switch from 944online. ($29.99)
After doing the above steps, I noticed that my lock, as well as the black metal housing plate were filthy so I gave it all a good cleaning and wipe down. I also sprayed and wiped down my old micro switch and plugged it in just to test and it worked fine. So now I have a backup switch in case it really fails.
When replacing the black gasket doughnut I made sure to clean/wipe it down and apply some auto product to bring back the soft feeling. Installing it was a breeze.
I guess my point is before you spend any money, check if your switch is truly dead by doing a good cleaning first.
