noofus

When I go to start the car (997.2S) I have to really push SUPER hard down to the floor to engage the switch that allows the car to start.

Is that something I can fix? There are times the car simply won’t start even though I can feel the steering wheel lock disengage and the other startup things happen. But it will still tell me I need to depress the clutch to start, and I have it down to the floor

the Clutch itself is in fine shape. It’s not a mechanical issue. I think it’s whatever is used to tell the car it’s safe to start. Any ideas?

preelude

Sounds like either the clutch pedal switch is going bad or is loose (located at the top of the clutch pedal). Cheap and easy fix if it's that.

8x57IRS

As others wrote, easy.
Either connect the circeled wires, or disassemble the switch and bend the spring back further in the hope that it will help.

frybear

so...I replaced my clutch switch and it was a pain in the *** for me! trying to contort myself under the dash, while holding a flashlight (finally got a headband light) and finding the tiniest torx driver to get it off finally done. made no difference for me as that wasn't my issue after all

997.2GTS

This is one of the fastest tests you can do on your car.
1. get a paperclip.
2. pull off both spade lugs from the microswitch as shown in the photo above.
3. join the two lugs with a paperclip inserted.

If the switch is the intermittent fault, this will remedy it immediately. The switch is around $40 USD.

bheit1

That clutch switch is a common problem in .2s. Fortunately mine went while the car was still under CPO warranty.

I think they got the youngest, newest tech to do the job - it took some turning and twisting to get under there.

noofus

Just following up on this - it was indeed the grey switch. I popped the wires off of it, and jumpered them together and voila, it starts perfectly without mashing the pedal down. I made a permanent fix by connecting two spade connectors with a short wire, plugging those into the wires in the car, and tucking that up and out of the way. Easiest and fastest fix for anything that ever has gone wrong on a car to me. Start to finish was less than 5 minutes!

Maybe I'll replace the switch one day, but it won't be on the top of my list of things to worry about.

Carreralicious

So technically, you can start the car now without pushing in the clutch at all, right? Just gotta remember to be careful when someone else drives the car and it’s in gear before it is started or it will lurch.

noofus

True - I don't need to push the clutch to start the car now. I know I personally would never do that, nor would either of the only two people I might consider allowing drive it. Perhaps an unfamiliar tech might... but in general this isn't something I would worry about. I also never personally leave it in gear when I am parked unless it's on a hill. (I know that is hotly debated).

Basically, to me this isn't a worry even though I know there is some very small risk of someone screwing up

Carreralicious

You should fine then. Back when I used to own an E30 BMW, the car didn’t have such a feature in those days, and I remember I would inadvertently start the car without pressing in the clutch and it would lurch hard right into the car parked in front of me. LOL. The car had steel impact bumpers in those days so I never had an issue with having to cosmetically fix anything.