Check Engine Warning Light x 3!!!

Don · Sep 30, 2003

Have any of you Boxster and S owners had the problem of the Engine Check Warning light illuminating. It has done so now for the third time on my car necessitating it being recovered to my OPC for repair. Thankfully this is under warranty but it is slowly but surely shattering my faith in the car and, so help me, I'm on the point of chopping it in for something reliable!

On the last two occasions I was told the light has come on due to an O2 sensor being stuffed and the EMS illuminated the light due to this sensor failure. Well if they tell me this again it'll be the third in a row.

I have told both Porsche GB and my OPC that this is now a recurring fault and I expect it to be fixed and me to be provided with a complete explanation as to what the underlying problem is and why it was causing sensor failures.

On top of this is there anything I should be doing or saying to Porsche? I love the car but I have now test driven some lovely Jaguars, Mercedes and BMWs at Porsche's expense that shared one thing in common - they were working whilst my Porsche was not!

I'm at my wits end. Anyone else with a similar experience? How did you resolvce it without resorting to BMW ownership...

daro911 · Sep 30, 2003

As annoying.com as your problem is I can't see why you would want to have your beast put to sleep!

You are driving the "Best Sports Car In The World" and the pleasure you get from the drive right down to say pride of ownership can't be worth sacrificing over a minor but annoying.com fault...surely [

]

Give the car another chance, imagine switching to a BMW or Merc only to have an even more serious defect rear it's ugly head [

] It could happen

Don · Oct 3, 2003

Four days now and no news. Whatever is wrong is clearly a problem to diagnose. Still its their rental car I'm driving and I'd rather they took their time and fixed the problem properly than just handed it back with a new sensor hoping the problem goes away...

If it goes wrong again after this Porsche and I will be having a serious discussion about how we remain friends. If they can't fix it we'll obviously be having the same discussion.

But you're right daro...I have looked at the competition and I really don't want any of them. I just want my Porsche. Working...

Helen Goff · Oct 3, 2003

insist they get an expert from the factory to take a look.

Sutton coldfield did this for me when my soft top let the rain in, after several attempts they admitted defeat and called in an expert from porsche who sorted it all out in a day and it's never leaked since.

eek hope im not tempting fate by saying that[:-]

daro911 · Oct 3, 2003

Hi Don

Hang in there I am sure you will get a result in the end and who knows maybe some compensation like a free service [

]

If they fail to give a reasonable explanation or fix the problem then go to PCGB direct and involve there in-house trouble shooters who are employed to sort these sort of annoyances.

Keep us posted and good luck ..Robert

JCB.. · Oct 3, 2003

Don

Surely this particular indication of sensor failure doesn't stop your car from working?

JCB..

Don · Oct 29, 2003

Thanks for the reponses one and all.

JCB...no it doesn't stop the car. But AFN always err on the side of safety and recover the vehicle. It has been very inconvenient...but...

They've replaced the O2 sensor. Its now on its fourth. In addition, they tell me, they've replaced some of the exhaust system. Oh and they swear it won't go wrong again.

Let us hope so.

The car has now had its first service and running beautfully. Completely wonderful to drive....and (fingers crossed) hopefully I've seen the last of the problem. Who can tell...but I'm not going to let it worry me.

Thanks again..

daro911 · Oct 29, 2003

ORIGINAL: Don

They've replaced the O2 sensor. Its now on its fourth. In addition, they tell me, they've replaced some of the exhaust system. Oh and they swear it won't go wrong again.

Let us hope so.

Don I hope you now get as much pleasure from your Boxster as I have had with all my past 4 cars which included a very reliable early 1997 example.

If AFN swear it won't go wrong again it's probably because they have finally found the minor electrical gremlin which probably cost 50p and took 30 seconds to fix hence there new found confidence [

] Sorry the Scorpion inside of me took over then [

] Enjoy your car .. Robert

JCB.. · Oct 30, 2003

Don

I hope that it works out ok.

I know it's difficult but don't let this tarnish your image of the car. Many others have had many thousands of miles of trouble free thrills.

Regards

JCB..

Richard Knight · Nov 8, 2003

The problem is, that when the check light comes on it could be a minor or a very major problem it's detecting!
After having my engine mods the 3.4L lump illuminated the check light twice. Both times it was due to a slightly loose spark plug, this caused unburnt gases to trigger one of the sensors in the exhaust. It was a real b*stard to isolate because the diagnostic computor that Porsche use only tells you what sensor has been triggered, not why it was triggered. In the end the whole engine was removed, dismantled and put back together again. Just because some idiot put a cold spark plug into a warm engine!!
Then after installing the 3.6L lump the car was in Germany after a road test by a tunning mag and the light came on again. This time it was very major. A main bearing had failed on the crank shaft and as they drove back to the work shop,,,,, bang! The flat six resembled a coke can full of broken metal,,very nasty! This time it was put down to Porsche supplying an engine that had'nt been reasembled correctly after dyno testing and the crank casing had'nt been properly aligned causing friction to build up in the bearing that subsequentley failed. Ouch!
The good news is as I sit here today my car is with a Porsche specialist in Barcelona (7500kms on the new 3.6L engine). The light came on , on wednesday as I was driving to work, "mild cardiac arrest" . We don't know what the problem is this time as I didn't have the program codes for the new 996 ECU fitted to my car. I now have them but will have to wait untill monday for the garage to reopen. Fingers crossed its only an air intake sensor, but the not knowing is terrible! Not a good weekend to give up valium and vodka!
My advice. If the engine check light comes on, get your car to Porsche asap and pray to the automotive Gods!!

Cheer Richard.

PS. They have fitted Pagid RS42 "blue" pads front and rear plus DOT 5 brake fluid and I can't even take her out for a spin to bed them in, right where's that Vodka!

daro911 · Nov 8, 2003

ORIGINAL: Richard Knight

The good news is as I sit here today my car is with a Porsche specialist in Barcelona (7500kms on the new 3.6L engine). The light came on , on wednesday as I was driving to work, "mild cardiac arrest" . We don't know what the problem is this time as I didn't have the program codes for the new 996 ECU fitted to my car. I now have them but will have to wait untill monday for the garage to reopen. Fingers crossed its only an air intake sensor, but the not knowing is terrible! Not a good weekend to give up valium and vodka!
My advice. If the engine check light comes on, get your car to Porsche asap and pray to the automotive Gods!!

Cheer Richard.

*****************************************************************
[8D]Hi Richard sorry to hear your 3.6 is off road again!
You say the car is with a Porsche Specialist so I take it
maintenance and repairs don't need the attention of Roock Technicians
and can be undertaken by any Porsche outift official or otherwise.

I think of you everytime I am tuned into my Roock sports exhaust []

Hope it's good news come Monday

Best regards .. Robert