Had cause to call Porsche assistance today. Brought the car out to keep the battery charged today, I've not been using it much due to very bad back but I try to give it a run once a week, not ideal but it's the best I can do. It started without a problem, felt as good as ever and I took it out with the intention of doing about an hour, with a bit of hard driving. Drove for 30 minutes and stopped to run a quick errand. Got back to the car, turned the key and got nothing. All the warning lights remain on and that final twist produces nothing, not a peep, just opens the front boot. Called Porsche assist and got a quick response from the RAC, with drained battery being the main suspect. It was a bit down, 12.05 instead of 12.5 apparently, but a boost didn't help. RAC guy tried disconnecting the battery. Nothing doing. So at the moment, my car is in a tow company's compound, waiting to go to OPC on Monday. I wanted to try my backup key, just in case the key is the problem, but it wasn't possible to get it. The key I have seems fine, and works all the locks and is recognised by the car. Anyway, has anyone had this happen to them? It seems so odd, as one minute it was perfect and the next completely dead. I'm hoping it's something simple and if not the extended warranty will cover it, touch wood.
I think I'm glad I got the extended warranty
- Thread starter jw2015
- Start date
StephenWicks
New member
Sounds like a similar experience I had with a 986 a couple of years ago.
My place of work was only five miles away, so the battery was not being replenished as it should have been.
I noticed that starting was getting to be a bit of struggle, so I asked the OPC to check the battery which I thought was on the way out.
They said, all that was needed was a battery conditioner, which I duly purchased.
Two weeks later, in the car park at work, I turned the key, there was a clunk from the solenoid and then nothing.
Porche Assistance (aka RAC) jump started the car and followed me to the OPC.
A new battery was fitted, but I was told, because of the low mileage, the extended warranty did not cover the replacement. So I had to fork out nearly 200 quid.
Since then, I always use the battery conditioner. Shame the OPC hadn't given me that advice a bit sooner!
Hope you have more success than I did, good luck!
My place of work was only five miles away, so the battery was not being replenished as it should have been.
I noticed that starting was getting to be a bit of struggle, so I asked the OPC to check the battery which I thought was on the way out.
They said, all that was needed was a battery conditioner, which I duly purchased.
Two weeks later, in the car park at work, I turned the key, there was a clunk from the solenoid and then nothing.
Porche Assistance (aka RAC) jump started the car and followed me to the OPC.
A new battery was fitted, but I was told, because of the low mileage, the extended warranty did not cover the replacement. So I had to fork out nearly 200 quid.
Since then, I always use the battery conditioner. Shame the OPC hadn't given me that advice a bit sooner!
Hope you have more success than I did, good luck!
BoxsterBox
Member
I think it may simply be a case of fitting a new battery. Unfortunately, my car is also being used very infrequently at the moment and was on a trickle charger. Recently, we drove it to the local garage for its MOT and despite it starting with no problem just a few minutes after disconnecting the charger my wife stalled it on the way to the garage and all we got was the clicking from the sol - all warning lights etc functioned normally. I couldn't complain as it was the original battery (8 years old) and the car hasn't beem used much for the last 3 years. New Exide battery - cost £81 from the local non-chain tyre/exhaust MOT centre did the trick. [
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Good luck.
Simon
986 AS/MB/MB
][][]Good luck.
Simon
986 AS/MB/MB
Gordon Attar
New member
Very strange
I suggest you tell them to plug the computers in as the problem should be recoreded in the vehicles meory bank unless the fault wiped it out which again should tell them there is a problem!!
OPC's you just luv them
I suggest you tell them to plug the computers in as the problem should be recoreded in the vehicles meory bank unless the fault wiped it out which again should tell them there is a problem!!
OPC's you just luv them
unfortunately no errors reported, they have no clue what happened. They checked the battery and it seems fine, not highly charged but not too low either. I probably will invest in a solar-powered trickle charger now, just in case. I tend to try and drive it once a week minimum but sometimes these days my dodgy back won't even allow me to get into the car.
Perhaps it was to do with my key, it does seem to work fine though, still opens the locks from a reasonable distance. I may just change it's battery just in case. It's a bit of a worry. Where I'll be next time it happens. I was planning a trip to Ireland in the near future but now I'm not so keen.
Perhaps it was to do with my key, it does seem to work fine though, still opens the locks from a reasonable distance. I may just change it's battery just in case. It's a bit of a worry. Where I'll be next time it happens. I was planning a trip to Ireland in the near future but now I'm not so keen.
If it's not the battery, have a quick feel of the carpet under the passenger seat, if it's damp, (due to a blockage in one of the roof's drainage channels) the water may be affecting the ECU located under the passenger seat.
That's what happened to my Boxster a while back, and caused the same starting problems as yours.
It's a common fault.
That's what happened to my Boxster a while back, and caused the same starting problems as yours.
It's a common fault.
spot on Rodney, checked the car when I read your post and the carpet under the passenger seat is sopping wet. I couldn't lock the car last night after soaking as much of the water up as possible, it kept unlocking itself. Brought it to the OPC this morning and got the usual crap service. The service manager says that it's probably the door seals or the softtop membrane. He just won't admit the drain hole is clogged and it's an obvious design flaw. He also tells me this is something I need to maintain, even though the bottom of the drain hole is inaccessible. I pointed out that if I can't access something that needs to be cleared on occasion then it's a design problem, besides it's not in the manual that I need to do this.
Really annoyed with his attitude, which is basically that any leaks into the car is not covered by my extended warranty. I've already been on to Porsche UK to complain. This OPC has had this attitude each time I've brought the car in - "sorry mate, that won't be covered under warranty", and each time so far it actually has been. It's really poor customer service, and I'm now very annoyed. This car has been back to the dealer 7 times in 2 years for minor problems that takes this OPC numerous attempts to fix. I'm sick of the attitude.
Rodney, what was the outcome of your water situation, how did the OPC react, did they admit it's a bit of a design problem.
Really annoyed with his attitude, which is basically that any leaks into the car is not covered by my extended warranty. I've already been on to Porsche UK to complain. This OPC has had this attitude each time I've brought the car in - "sorry mate, that won't be covered under warranty", and each time so far it actually has been. It's really poor customer service, and I'm now very annoyed. This car has been back to the dealer 7 times in 2 years for minor problems that takes this OPC numerous attempts to fix. I'm sick of the attitude.
Rodney, what was the outcome of your water situation, how did the OPC react, did they admit it's a bit of a design problem.
JCB..
Non-member
It's not a design problem at all. Water that runs off the hood and clamshell runs down the drainholes and comes out under the car. Any dust, dirt, leaves, twigs or bugs in the flow are heading down there too.
Raise the hood half way and the two drain holes are plain to see and very easy to access.
In this instance I agree with the OPC it's an owners task to check the drain holes or do you call the bloke who built your house to unblock your guttering?
Is this process in the manual? I did read it from start to finish and never noticed anything about having to clear drain holes under the soft top. Besides, there is no debris in the the accessible part of these drains holes, I've always kept an eye on it. From what I can see, it must be possible for sludge to collect within the drain and be completely inaccessible, there is no strainer at the entrance to the drain, to prevent small amounts of debris getting in. If the manual had a section about clearing these drains then I'd understand but I don't recall this being covered as a maintenance process. It may be that the leak isn't due to these drains but neither the soft top or doors are letting in water so my money is on the drains and they are not clogged where you can gain access.
This is probably similar to the way crap can collect in the front air vents and then end up corroding the radiators that are hidden away in there. Again, the manual doesn't mention this and it's not really accessible, so IMO another design flaw.
This is probably similar to the way crap can collect in the front air vents and then end up corroding the radiators that are hidden away in there. Again, the manual doesn't mention this and it's not really accessible, so IMO another design flaw.
Hi John,
Glad you finally worked out what the problem was.
When I took my 986 to the OPC twice, they just tried to start it, and of course it started every time, first time...'Sorry sir no problem, and no error report in the ECU'...3rd time....'Ah sir, we think you're in luck....it MAY be the ECU needs replacing, shall we go ahead with it at aroud £500?'
Needless to say I called an independant, told them the symptoms, and they diagnosed the problem on the phone before I even completed my sentence. It's a very easy fix apparently, but unfortunately I can't advice you myself how it's done.
I wouldn't have thought it would be covered under the warranty, even though it's not in the manual....it's just one of those things....count yourself lucky you shouldn't need to replace the ECU.
It may be worth putting a hose down the drainage channel and forcing high pressure water in to clear the blockage...or just take it to an indi it won't cost you much.
Glad you finally worked out what the problem was.
When I took my 986 to the OPC twice, they just tried to start it, and of course it started every time, first time...'Sorry sir no problem, and no error report in the ECU'...3rd time....'Ah sir, we think you're in luck....it MAY be the ECU needs replacing, shall we go ahead with it at aroud £500?'
Needless to say I called an independant, told them the symptoms, and they diagnosed the problem on the phone before I even completed my sentence. It's a very easy fix apparently, but unfortunately I can't advice you myself how it's done.
I wouldn't have thought it would be covered under the warranty, even though it's not in the manual....it's just one of those things....count yourself lucky you shouldn't need to replace the ECU.
It may be worth putting a hose down the drainage channel and forcing high pressure water in to clear the blockage...or just take it to an indi it won't cost you much.
thanks Rodney. We shall see what happens but, in my opinion, if the warranty doesn't warn you that you can have catastrophic failure of your car if you don't clear some of sight drains then I can't see how it can be my problem.
I'm a systems designer and this would fall into the category of design fault in my world. If there is any possibility that a hidden drain can block and let water at the ECU then either you fix the drainage problem or you put the ECU somewhere else.
I'm a systems designer and this would fall into the category of design fault in my world. If there is any possibility that a hidden drain can block and let water at the ECU then either you fix the drainage problem or you put the ECU somewhere else.
John I totally agree with you, it's just that so many items are not covered in the extended warranty, that I'm not surprised they told you that.....I mean even the RMS wasn't covered until last year, and that has clearly been a known design fault for years.
The coolant tank (which tends to crack) is another item not covered, and that is clearly another design fault....in fact I was told by my OPC, that unless a part needs to be replaced it won't be covered under warranty (that rules out a whole host of problems, including yours, and my currently dislodged fuel sender)[]
The coolant tank (which tends to crack) is another item not covered, and that is clearly another design fault....in fact I was told by my OPC, that unless a part needs to be replaced it won't be covered under warranty (that rules out a whole host of problems, including yours, and my currently dislodged fuel sender)[
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JCB..
Non-member
ORIGINAL: Rodney Naghar
John I totally agree with you, it's just that so many items are not covered in the extended warranty, that I'm not surprised they told you that.....I mean even the RMS wasn't covered until last year, and that has clearly been a known design fault for years.
The coolant tank (which tends to crack) is another item not covered, and that is clearly another design fault....in fact I was told by my OPC, that unless a part needs to be replaced it won't be covered under warranty (that rules out a whole host of problems, including yours, and my currently dislodged fuel sender)[
I also agree that the RMS and the coolant tank are clearly design faults but you guys can't be serious to suggest that a drain channel that can be blocked is a design fault.
where do we stand legally when we can't get any info about what is and isn't covered. I've got an 3rd party warranty on my family car and it came with a booklet which was pretty damn specific about what is and isn't covered, with a long list for each. I can't get anything like this for my extemely expensive Porsche warranty. I would think that legally they haven't a leg to stand on unless they specifically exclude these items on paper.
BTW, it also took 3 attempts to get my new warranty in place anyway, 2 attempts by the OPC, no documentation or cards forwarded to me until I complained, and then I find the Porsche Assistance don't know me. I also then called Porsche UK who said they'd sort it out immediately and send me the documentation, which I still haven't received, 2 months after buying the warranty. Needless to say it only took the OPC one attempt to extract £725 from my bank account. I'm seriously p1ssed off with Porsche customer service at this stage, as you might have gathered.
BTW, it also took 3 attempts to get my new warranty in place anyway, 2 attempts by the OPC, no documentation or cards forwarded to me until I complained, and then I find the Porsche Assistance don't know me. I also then called Porsche UK who said they'd sort it out immediately and send me the documentation, which I still haven't received, 2 months after buying the warranty. Needless to say it only took the OPC one attempt to extract £725 from my bank account. I'm seriously p1ssed off with Porsche customer service at this stage, as you might have gathered.
As far as I'm concerned the only real way to know if something is really covered is to post it up on a forum and find out if others have had the work covered by the extended warranty. I'm not about to consult with my solicitor every time I spot a fault that the OPC says is not covered.That would end up costing me more than the warranty! I would say though that the warranty booklet is very vague.
Having said that I think the PEW is actually good value for money compared to others car manufacturers, especially as it includes Porsche Assist.
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