2002 Boxster S Tach, Speedometer, Fuel gauges erratic
#1
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Hi,
About 6 months ago I had some work done to my 2002 Boxster S. The car ran great but I ended up garaging it because I got into off-roading.
I'm ashamed to say I garaged the Boxster for about 6 months, without starting it.. :-( In any case I decided I wanted to sell the Boxster (getting a new one in a couple of years). The battery was dead so I replaced it and started the car.
It idled rough for a few minutes, which is to be expected after sitting for so long. The idle smoothed out and the engine sounds fine but I got a warning about not being able to read the temperature sensor. Then the fuel, tach, and speedometer became erratic. They would work fine and then drop to 0. And then just randomly start working again. The whole time the oil temp gauge is at 0.
The check engine light came on (solid, not blinking) after a couple of minutes idling. It does not appear to be a general electrical problem because the radio and other accessories work without a problem.
I disconnected the battery and reconnected it after a few miles on the road to hopefully reset the computer but it's still having the same issue.
I did an oil check and it's two bars from full (no oil warnings) so that seems ok. Either way I'm going to get an oil change this week.
I'm planning to sell the car but was hoping there might be a quick (and cheap) fix to this. Otherwise I'll sell it in its current state.
Thoughts?
About 6 months ago I had some work done to my 2002 Boxster S. The car ran great but I ended up garaging it because I got into off-roading.
I'm ashamed to say I garaged the Boxster for about 6 months, without starting it.. :-( In any case I decided I wanted to sell the Boxster (getting a new one in a couple of years). The battery was dead so I replaced it and started the car.
It idled rough for a few minutes, which is to be expected after sitting for so long. The idle smoothed out and the engine sounds fine but I got a warning about not being able to read the temperature sensor. Then the fuel, tach, and speedometer became erratic. They would work fine and then drop to 0. And then just randomly start working again. The whole time the oil temp gauge is at 0.
The check engine light came on (solid, not blinking) after a couple of minutes idling. It does not appear to be a general electrical problem because the radio and other accessories work without a problem.
I disconnected the battery and reconnected it after a few miles on the road to hopefully reset the computer but it's still having the same issue.
I did an oil check and it's two bars from full (no oil warnings) so that seems ok. Either way I'm going to get an oil change this week.
I'm planning to sell the car but was hoping there might be a quick (and cheap) fix to this. Otherwise I'll sell it in its current state.
Thoughts?
#2
Race Director
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Hi,
About 6 months ago I had some work done to my 2002 Boxster S. The car ran great but I ended up garaging it because I got into off-roading.
I'm ashamed to say I garaged the Boxster for about 6 months, without starting it.. :-( In any case I decided I wanted to sell the Boxster (getting a new one in a couple of years). The battery was dead so I replaced it and started the car.
It idled rough for a few minutes, which is to be expected after sitting for so long. The idle smoothed out and the engine sounds fine but I got a warning about not being able to read the temperature sensor. Then the fuel, tach, and speedometer became erratic. They would work fine and then drop to 0. And then just randomly start working again. The whole time the oil temp gauge is at 0.
The check engine light came on (solid, not blinking) after a couple of minutes idling. It does not appear to be a general electrical problem because the radio and other accessories work without a problem.
I disconnected the battery and reconnected it after a few miles on the road to hopefully reset the computer but it's still having the same issue.
I did an oil check and it's two bars from full (no oil warnings) so that seems ok. Either way I'm going to get an oil change this week.
I'm planning to sell the car but was hoping there might be a quick (and cheap) fix to this. Otherwise I'll sell it in its current state.
Thoughts?
About 6 months ago I had some work done to my 2002 Boxster S. The car ran great but I ended up garaging it because I got into off-roading.
I'm ashamed to say I garaged the Boxster for about 6 months, without starting it.. :-( In any case I decided I wanted to sell the Boxster (getting a new one in a couple of years). The battery was dead so I replaced it and started the car.
It idled rough for a few minutes, which is to be expected after sitting for so long. The idle smoothed out and the engine sounds fine but I got a warning about not being able to read the temperature sensor. Then the fuel, tach, and speedometer became erratic. They would work fine and then drop to 0. And then just randomly start working again. The whole time the oil temp gauge is at 0.
The check engine light came on (solid, not blinking) after a couple of minutes idling. It does not appear to be a general electrical problem because the radio and other accessories work without a problem.
I disconnected the battery and reconnected it after a few miles on the road to hopefully reset the computer but it's still having the same issue.
I did an oil check and it's two bars from full (no oil warnings) so that seems ok. Either way I'm going to get an oil change this week.
I'm planning to sell the car but was hoping there might be a quick (and cheap) fix to this. Otherwise I'll sell it in its current state.
Thoughts?
You need to expose the engine and look carefully for mice sign. Look on top of the plastic panels under the car. The mice use these for traveling about under the car and the panels get littered with mice trash.
If you find mice have been at the car this can be a very expensive repair. Often -- every time so far in fact -- I have come upon a car damaged by rodents (thankfully not my cars) the owner has had to turn this over to his homeowners insurance.