996 Q&A

  
     
  See the 996 Suspension article featured in the June Panorama. Link to the article on the PCA web site.  
     
Question: What is the difference between standard and sport suspension (M030)? What is the difference between USA and European sport suspension?  
     
Answer: The sport suspension has firmer shocks, stiffer springs, and larger sway bars. The spring rates, shock valving, and sway bar diameters will depend on the model -coupe or cab, and the transmission -6-speed or Tiptronic. The difference between the US and European M030 is the ride height, which is10mm lower in the rear and 20mm lower in the front. The shocks are also different to accommodate the shorter springs. The sway bar diameters are: C2 6-speed coupe, std. 23.1mm frt. / 18.5mm rear, sport 23.6mm frt. / 19.6mm rear. C2 Tiptronic coupe and all C2 Cabriolets, std. and sport 23.6mm frt. / 18.5mm rear. C4 frt., all models, std. 22.5mm, sport 23.6mm. Coupe rear, 6-speed and Tiptronic, std. 19.6mm, sport 20.7mm. Cabriolet, 6-speed and Tiptronic, std. 18.5mm, sport 19.6mm. The C2 and C4 front sway bars are different. The Euro M030 option also includes the under engine protection cover. European standard suspension ride height is the same as USA in the rear, and 10mm lower in the front.  
     
Question: My new 996 Turbo seems a bit too high in the front, what can be done about this?  
     
Answer:

You have two choices. The first choice is the RoW (Rest of the World) suspension package. This includes new front shocks, front springs, rear shocks, rear springs and rear bump stops. This will lower your car approxamatly 20mm in the front and 10mm in the rear. The other big advantage of this conversion is that the North American cars and the RoW cars are tuned very differently. The NA cars are tuned more to understeer and the RoW cars are tuned more nuetral. This gives the car a much more sporty feel and has a better turn in compared to the NA cars, this besides the better appearance of the slightly lower ride height.

Your other option would be the X 73 option. This is available only on RoW cars and will give your car a 30mm lower ride height front and rear. This kit contains front and rear shock and spring assemblies coplete with new strut and shok mouts, bump stops, and bellows. They come completly assembled and reary for installation. The X 73 also includes new rear motor mounts that are firner than the originals. This kit offers the same advantages in handling as the RoW but with a more obvious differance in ride height.

  
     
Question: My airbag light has come on a few times. My dealer repairs it, only to have it come back on several months later. I've heard this complaint from some other 996 and Boxster owners. Any idea's?  
     
Answer: There are quite a few things that can trigger an airbag light, so it is always neccessary to have your dealer perform an airbag system diagnosis to identify the problem. If the problem is a fault in the driver or passenger side belt buckle, the airbag will still deploy in an accident. This has been a problem and it may be what's turning on the warning lamp. The problem seems to be too many grounds at one point, so if any other components like electric seats, interior lights, etc. are also being used, the airbag control unit may see a voltage drop at the belt buckle ground, which may reach the maximum allowable, and turn on the warning lamp. There have been a few different repairs, the latest includes installing new belt buckles with improved connectors, and a reworking of the ground wires.