Have a 2002 Targa manual, 105kmiles, run 98 gas, change oil and filters regularly, car runs fine, goes really well, not any tik tik on startup, oil filter always free of metal and plastic, sump clean, so it's a good one.
Yesterday whilst on a 200 mile drive in about 95deg midday temp with air on and doiny 70 mph staedy the CEL come on, shut down, coast to a stop, look at water in tank, all ok, engine oil on dipstick all clean, nothing leaking, looks good.

But the spoiler still deployed? Never seen that before , always goes down by itsself.

Start up, running fine, drive on, no problems.

Check the codes today -- no error codes at all.

Apart from servicing the car has had plugs, all belts and a water pump as preventitive maint' and an oil pressure sender because it sent the dash guage flickering, that was 20k ago.

Any suggestions what is/was wrong?

All thoughts/ideas appreciated.

Thanks,

Michael, Australia

 

I think you did a rather complete checklist. I'd say you're good to go if there was no CEL code.

 

Thanks Barn,

Yes I think I will be okay, but I'm puzzled as to why I got a CEL but then did not see an error code.

Is it possible for the computer to cancel its own error codes?

Or to put my question another way, I thought the idea of the codes was to first help you identify something that has failed and second tell you something that is intermittently causing a problem so you can intervene before it fails totally

Any comment on those questions?

 

It is not clear but if after you shut off then restarted the engine and if the CEL was dark there was no error code. The error condition corrected itself, or at least was not present upon engine restart.

I would hazard a guess the spoiler is a separate issue.

Although... a marginal battery can sometimes result in rather strange behavior from the car and a CEL then no CEL and the spoiler being up qualifies as strange behavior.

Or in your trouble shooting you inadvertently deployed the spoiler.

The only time my Boxster's spoiler stayed up when it was deployed automatically the spoiler warning light was on. And that occurred some few weeks or less time after the first and last time I washed the engine...

Keep an eye out for the CEL and if it appears again and if the engine is otherwise running ok and the CEL is not flashing and there are no other warning lights on read the codes *before* you turn off the engine. And be sure you keep your fingers away from the spoiler button.