Has your 997 or 987 tried to eject a window regulator cable? This nine-year-old Cayman did so on a frustratingly wet day, when its owner was leaving a car park and trying to pass his ticket into the machine controlling the venue's exit barrier. Yikes. Here's how to fix the fault...
Slot the glass into the door guides from the top and push down into the clamps as far forward into the front guide as you can. Pull back slightly (max. 1mm), then tighten the front clamp to 8.5Nm.
Then, slowly close the door until it latches in the first position, checking the door glass clears the rear window glass. The rear of the door glass may have to be raised slightly to bring the edge parallel to the rear window glass.
Once the gap is parallel, tighten the rear clamp bolt to 8.5Nm and slowly close the door until it catches in the first position. The top corner of the door glass should be touching, but not compressing the seal on the door pillar.
Push the door fully closed and check the gap between the door glass and rear window glass has remained parallel.
Ensure all of the clips are in place and that the locking fingers on clips being re-used are in the collapsed position. Then, reconnect the two electrical cables and the door pull cable, and slot the door trim onto the top of the main door frame. Do not press the fastening clips home yet, but loosely fit the two securing screws inside the door pull (see step 10) to allow the door to be pulled closed from the inside. Reconnect the battery lead.
Next, from inside the car with the door closed, cycle the window up and down several times. Stop with the window in the full 'up' position. Open the door slowly and check to make sure the window drops to clear the top seal. Outside the car, close the door fully (the glass should rise as normal) and check the gap between the door glass and rear window is still parallel and correctly gapped.
If you experience problems with leaks (washing your car is a good test) or glass lifting away from its seal at speed, adjusting the position of the lower mountings in the slotted holes at the base of the door should eliminate concerns. Move toward the outside of the door to increase pressure on the seal at the upper rear corner.
If the glass is moving slowly or with a jerky motion, check it works without error when the door is open. If so, the glass may be binding because of excess compression of the rear seal. Adjust the lower mountings inward to release pressure.
If binding when open, the guide rails are not aligned correctly. Remove the front lower mounting nut and operate the window a few times. This should allow the front guide to re-align. With the glass down, re-tighten the nut and re-check.
As the glass slid into the top seal, the motor kept running and a loop of cable was pushed up between the glass and the inner door trim. At least this made diagnosis easy! My local Porsche Centre had a new window regulator assembly in stock — I guess they're familiar with this complaint on 997 and 987 models?! The part cost just under £150, including VAT and club discount.
The steps described here apply specifically to a 987.2 Cayman. The same principles for setting and checking the glass position should work for a Boxster, but may be more challenging depending on the fit of the hood. Before starting, disconnect the battery earth lead to avoid the risk of accidental discharge of the side airbag while working on the door.
You shouldn't have any trouble seeing the screw inside the door handle release cowling. The circular rubber part (pictured left) is the handle bump stop and should be left undisturbed.
Carefully work your way around the door card, removing each screw. It's a good idea to keep each screw separate from others, perhaps labelling them to avoid confusion during reassembly.
When removed, you'll notice the trim has four tangs that slip into metal clips on the main door card assembly. There are two panel securing screws behind this piece of trim.
With each trim panel removed, you can now unscrew the five Torx screws exposed in steps 3 to 10 of this guide to replacing a 997-generation 911 or 987 Boxster/cayman window regulator assembly.
There is a round plastic plug in the lever recess. Push the lower edge of this plug inward. It will rotate easily and lift out, revealing another panel securing screw.
Using a plastic interior trim removal tool, prise the front lower corner of the mirror trim from the inside of the door and push upwards, parallel to the edge of the glass.
You may find it difficult to see the screws. You may also find it difficult to insert your socket into each screw head. A small flashlight may prove useful.
Carefully prise off the trim cover on the door grab handle. It's important to note, some models are fitted with different styles of door trim.
There is a small cover at the top-rear of the door trim panel. Gently prise this off with your trim removal tool to reveal a third panel securing screw.
With the small plastic plug removed, you'll notice it features a small securing tang. This should be positioned at the top during reassembly.
You will have lifted the trim from its securing tab. Doing so will have revealed one of the panel securing screws, which you'll need to remove.
Pull the interior door handle as if you're opening the door. Remove the Torx screw holding the handle in place and slide the handle straight off the lever.
This is the retaining screw behind the previously removed triangular plastic cover hiding the electric door mirror wiring. Unfasten the screw holding the door card to the main door panel.
Remove the door mirror's electrical connector block. This is tricky and the part is fragile, so take care. It may be easier to remove the mirror (three screws) and unplug the block from outside the car.
The fastening clips holding the connector block in place go brittle with age. Try not to be too heavy handed and you should be able to complete removal without any breakages.
Unclip the outer sleeve of the door release cable from the support and disconnect the inner cable from the lever. Earlier models have a different arrangement, but the principle is the same.
Work along the bottom and up. With all the clips free (trim clip locations are highlighted with red circles in this photograph), lift the door card off the top of the door frame to access the connections behind.
Apply masking tape around the edge of the door card. Prise out the front lower corner of the part with your interior trim removal tool. Once prised out a little, a hard pull will release the clip.
A large plug is connected to the power window motor. Remove this electrical connector by swinging the orange lever out and down, following the direction of the red arrow in this picture.
Carefully release the electrical connector located at the bottom of the door (the connector is shown released). No tools are needed, other than a steady hand. The door card can now be removed.
Note the long-nose pliers in this photo. Use the tool to compress the legs on the pictured tang and push it in slightly. This is attached to the power window regulator assembly we are replacing.
Moving back to the door, remove the three Torx screws securing the power window motor to the door subframe and pull it away. Support the motor assembly as you unfasten the final screw.
Carefully put the door card to one side. Now is an excellent time to check the condition of all exposed wiring, electrical connectors and speakers.
With the motor removed, we can that some of the power window cable has wound itself round the exposed spindle. Fortunately, no damage done.
Two rubber grommets can be seen feeding wiring through the door card. Push the grommets (which are protecting the door release cable and electrical cables) through the holes they're occupying.
The grommets may try to resist your efforts. Of course, you don't want to be too forceful, but you shouldn't be afraid of applying increasing amounts of pressure to achieve the desired result.
If the glass is down, the clamping bolts will be easily accessible. If the glass is fully raised, the bolts can be seen through the holes circled in red in the previous image.
Support the panel to avoid subjecting front and rear cables to potentially damaging weight. As you can see, small planks of wood or similar are good for steadying the panel without causing damage.
Safely store the glass on a flat surface until it is required for reassembly. Now is a good time to clean the window — it's surprising how much dirt can build up over time!
Get on the floor and take a look beneath the door. You will find four rubber grommets. The two nearest the inner face of the door hide the lower end securing nuts for the regulator guides.
Fit the new regulator to the door and tighten the nuts in the original positions to 10Nm. Make sure the bolts for the glass clamps are accessible through the holes in the door frame.
The new assembly had the glass carriers in the open position. Wind the carriers up until the white caps (A) are approximately 15mm from the upper stops (B). Note the clip with pull extension (C).
These mounting holes are slotted. Mark the position of the nuts so the new regulator can be refitted in the same position. With the lower nuts unfastened, the old regulator assembly is easily removed.
Next, remove the nine Torx bolts securing the metal subframe to the door. There are still cables at the front of the door, feeding out to the A-pillar.
Slacken off the bolts and remove the glass. If the bolts aren't visible, push the glass down until they become accessible in the large opening.
Using a 10mm socket, remove the nuts securing the upper ends of the window guides.
This diagram shows window engagement depth. If not within these ranges, remove trim and grommets in the door subframe to access the clamping bolts and adjust the position of the glass.
Measure the width of the gap and compare with the opposite door. If required, slacken the glass clamping bolts and adjust the gaps to match. If all is well, refit the door subframe.
Ensuring the pull extension on the central cable support clip is fed into the correct hole in the subframe, torque the mounting bolts to 10Nm and refit the power window motor.
Apply masking tape to the top of the door glass in the positions shown. Fold the tape over the top edge of the glass to avoid it rolling back when the window is closing.
Use the cable clip pull extension to firmly pull the central cable support clip into the subframe, then examine and replace any damaged door trim fastening clips.
Refit the electrical connection for the mirror, the grommets covering the lower mounting nuts for the regulator and all trim previously removed. Go for a test drive to check for wind noise or draughts.
Once the glass is adjusted correctly, refit the door card and torque the five fixing screws to 10Nm. Snap in the door card securing clips. Check none have dropped out.
As a reminder, this image shows the position of the clamping bolts you can adjust until you're satisfied the window is sitting exactly where the manufacturer intended.
Run a sharp pencil to mark the extent the glass engages above the outer lip of the upper seal.