GVWR: Class 1B: 3,001 - 4,000 lb (1,360 - 1,814 kg)
Make: PORSCHE
Manufacturer: DR. ING. H.C.F. PORSCHE AG
Manufacturer Id: 13510
Model: Boxster
Model Year: 2003
Note: GVWR: 3,527 - 3,649 lbs
Other Restraint System Info: Restraint System: Passive
Plant City: Uusikaupunki
Plant Company Name: Valmet
Plant Country: Finland
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
1998
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE 1998 PORSCHE BOXSTER, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AND HAVE DISCOVERED A LATENT DEFECT WHICH PCNA DESIGNATES A305, AND NTSB HAS ADDITIONAL RECALLS RELATING TO THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART ON THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR INVOLVING THE IGNITION SWITCH AND ATTACHED IGNITION ASSEMBLY. THE LATENT HAZARD IS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH IS DAMAGED WITHIN THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL FAILURES AND RESULTANT FIRES. I HAVE DETERMINED THROUGH PCNA AND PORSCHE THAT THE ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY WAS REDESIGNED DUE TO INHERENT (DESIGN) DEFECT TO CORRECT THE FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT THE NEWLY DESIGNED REPLACEMENT PART (REDESIGNED ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY WAS NOT REPLACED IN MY CAR OR OTHER NUMEROUS CARS. SEVERAL BOXSTER OWNERS HAVE PAID FOR THE NEW PART AND LABOR TOTALING IN EXCESS OF $400.00 BUT PCNA (PORSCHE) HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE EXISTING DEFECTIVE SWITCH'S AND ASSEMBLY. THIS IS A PART THAT REPEATEDLY FAILS AND REMAINS A SERIOUS LATENT DEFECT UNDRESSED BY PORSCHE. ON MY CAR THE ONLY THING CORRECTED WAS UNDER CAMPAIGN NO A305; THAT WAS DONE IN 2003 ACCORDING TO PCNA. THE REPAIR THEY DID DOES NOT ADDRESS THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH AND SWITCH ASSEMBLY. A 305 INVOLVES THE SAME ASSEMBLY BUT INVOLVED TIGHTENING A CABLE SO THE CAR DOES NOT RUN WHILE IN PARK AND THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILS TO INTERFACE WITH THE IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM. PLEASE INDICATE IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED REGARDING MY CAR AND THE PROBLEM I HAVE EXPERIENCED. *JB
2003
SEATS
A STRANGE THING HAPPENED AS MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT IN OUR '03 BOXSTER. THE SEATBACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MYSTERIOUSLY BEGAN ROTATING FORWARD, ALL EFFORTS TO STOP IT USING BODY FORCE FAILED. MY WIFE WAS CRUSHED INTO THE GLOVE BOX BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND STOP. SHE COULD NOT REACH THE DOOR HANDLE AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO EXTRICATE HERSELF AFTER I OPENED THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE SEAT MOTOR HAD ROTATED THE SEATBACK FORWARD TO A POSITION OF APPROXIMATELY 45° PAST VERTICAL BY THE TIME IT STOPPED. WE LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE SHEEPSKIN SEAT COVER HAD SNAGGED THE PROTRUDING SWITCH ON THE SIDE OF THE SEAT AND HELD IT, CAUSING THE SEAT BACK TO ROTATE. THE POINT I NEED TO MAKE IS THIS; WHAT IF THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE? THE DRIVER WOULD BE CRUSHED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL AND UNABLE TO STOP. A CRASH WOULD BE INEVITABLE, AND THE DRIVER WOULD SUSTAIN SERIOUS INJURY SINCE THE SPACE BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND WHEEL IS SO SMALL. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO NEED FOR THE SEAT MOTOR TO BE ABLE TO ROTATE THE SEATBACK FORWARD TO SUCH A HUGE ANGLE FROM VERTICAL, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MECHANICAL LEVER AT THE TOP OF THE SEAT MAY BE USED IF SEAT ROTATION IS REQUIRED. I STRONGLY URGE PORSCHE TO CONSIDER INSTALLING A LIMIT SWITCH ON THE SEAT MOTOR TO PREVENT EVEN THE REMOTEST POSSIBILITY OF THIS EVENT OCCURRING. THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMEONE PLACING AN ITEM IN A POSITION TO SNAG THE PROTRUDING SWITCH AND ACTIVATE THE SEAT ROTATION IS TOO REAL TO IGNORE, AND RAISES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. NOTE THAT THE SHEEPSKIN SEAT COVERS I USE ARE CUSTOM MADE FOR THE BOXSTER SEAT AND HAVE CUTOUTS AROUND THE SEAT SWITCHES; EVEN SO THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. *TR