987/997 Depress Clutch Fault 30-Second Starting Trick
Discussion
Thought I'd share this as it might save someone an RAC call or the inconvenience of having their Porsche recovered, or the faff of getting to the switch.
My Cayman R has developed the familiar clutch interlock switch issue, where the dashboard displays 'Depress clutch pedal' despite the clutch being fully depressed. Turn the ignition key and absolutely nothing happens. The starter motor doesn't even engage.
I'd read about a rather unusual workaround involving holding the ignition key in the START position for approximately 30 seconds.
So I tried it.
The procedure:
Turn the ignition key fully clockwise to the START position.
Keep holding the key against the spring pressure, even though nothing happens initially.
After approximately 30 seconds, the starter motor suddenly engages and the engine starts normally.
Release the key immediately once the engine starts.
I repeated the experiment to rule out a fluke.
First attempt using the 30-second method: SUCCESS.
Second attempt using the conventional starting procedure: FAILED.
Third attempt using the 30-second method: SUCCESS again.
On each successful outcome, the starter remained completely silent until the same amount of time, then engaged and started the engine normally.
This makes me wonder whether Porsche incorporated a timed override into the starting system. I haven't found official documentation confirming this, so that's speculation rather than an established fact.
Obviously, this isn't a repair for the faulty switch, which I'll be having replaced. But if you're stranded with the dreaded 'Depress clutch' warning, it could be a very useful way of getting the car running and driving it to a specialist.
Would be interested to hear whether anyone else has replicated it, particularly on other 987 or 997 models.
My Cayman R has developed the familiar clutch interlock switch issue, where the dashboard displays 'Depress clutch pedal' despite the clutch being fully depressed. Turn the ignition key and absolutely nothing happens. The starter motor doesn't even engage.
I'd read about a rather unusual workaround involving holding the ignition key in the START position for approximately 30 seconds.
So I tried it.
The procedure:
Turn the ignition key fully clockwise to the START position.
Keep holding the key against the spring pressure, even though nothing happens initially.
After approximately 30 seconds, the starter motor suddenly engages and the engine starts normally.
Release the key immediately once the engine starts.
I repeated the experiment to rule out a fluke.
First attempt using the 30-second method: SUCCESS.
Second attempt using the conventional starting procedure: FAILED.
Third attempt using the 30-second method: SUCCESS again.
On each successful outcome, the starter remained completely silent until the same amount of time, then engaged and started the engine normally.
This makes me wonder whether Porsche incorporated a timed override into the starting system. I haven't found official documentation confirming this, so that's speculation rather than an established fact.
Obviously, this isn't a repair for the faulty switch, which I'll be having replaced. But if you're stranded with the dreaded 'Depress clutch' warning, it could be a very useful way of getting the car running and driving it to a specialist.
Would be interested to hear whether anyone else has replicated it, particularly on other 987 or 997 models.
Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff