reduced engine power

[nickf]

Recently my car has been a bit moody when being started, its not used too often and I think its as a result of the battery losing charge. Quite often on forst start after a break it will go into "safe transmission mode", I tend to switch off then back on again and all is normal.
Today, having not used it for 2 weeks (and seeing the ipod was still attached) it failed to catch as I started it, tried it again and still failed to get going. 3rd time it did start, this time very lumpy and with some unusual ticking noises from over my left shoulder. Lots of spluttering and some dirty smoke out of the exhaust. A couple of moments later I get the message Reduced Engine Power. As I have nosed into my drive I select reverse on the PDK, car splutters back a few yards and I decide to switch off. Next time I turn on the engine it splutters again, same message but this time I cant get the car to move.

I call the AA and they attach a sensor to read the diagnostics, their device returns a message as unknown fault. We disconnect the battery for 5 minutes to see if this will reset the sysyem. It doesnt do any good, the engine fails to start at all.

We attach the towing eye to drag the beast onto the truck, this time when I turn on the ignition just to select neutral the message in the dash suggests PASM has failed.

Itsa bank holiday tomorrow so no one at the OPC will look at the car till Tuesday, Im panicking a bit cos Im off to France on a PCGB trip on Wednesday

Is it likely the low battery is the culprit here, Im clutching at straws not least because the car is 4 months out of warranty!

Anybody had similar experience like this.?

 

[tscaptain]

I hate to say this but it sounds like more than just a dodgy battery. Once you have the car started, assuming the alternator is ok, then all should be sweetness and light. The spluttering and dirty smoke could just be a result of a the previous aborted starts but the "safe transmission mode" (I thought this was to protect against overheating) and "reduced engine power" (this could be a coil pack failure or High pressure fuel pump failure) seem very unusual - certainly not something I've read about on this forum. If you have a charger/conditioner then I would give it a go but sounds like a trip to the doctor's is called for........[&:] The fuel pump failure could be the problem as this would give reduced power and rough running - see here http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/997/228309-997-2-check-engine-light-reduced-engine-power.html Hope you get it sorted for your trip!

 

[pboldmonts]

I had a very similar problem with my C2S Cabrio with PDK (03/09). I was driving normally about 7-8 miles from home when the "reduced engine power" light came on. I checked the manual and it said to take it to a dealer. I got home OK and, like you, I had a very slow drive home but by taking it easy I managed it. I called the OPC Solihull and they said that the engine management system defaults to a recovery mode to protect the engine. Under their advice I drove it from home to the OPC the following day (a Saturday) and they put it on the diagnostic, which showed an "unknown error", which they cleared. The car started Ok and the "reduced engine power" light had gone off. However, as they reversed the car off the ramp it came back on again. They could do no more and said they would need the car for a few days to check it over and speak to Porsche GB. They had not had a similar problem before and nothing was showing on their computers. I drove back home again very slowly but OK. I live about 60 miles from the dealer. I booked the car in for the following Tuesday and drove it back to Solihull OK, but slowly. They ran further diagnostics and Porsche GB got them to carry out a number of tests to eliminate problems but they suspected the High Pressure Fuel Pump. Porsche would not authorise replacement until Solihull were absolutely sure the HPFP was the problem. If Solihull changed it and it did not correct matters then Porsche would not refund Solihull for the parts and labour costs. Eventually it proved to be the problem and was replaced under warranty. The part alone was around £500 from memory and it was expensive on labour too as it is "buried deep within the engine"! Since that date I have had no problems. The bonus - my PDK has been a lot smoother since the change of pump. It is believed that the pump had an internal leak since manufacture and had a momentary gap before lifting the pressure to the right level and therefore there was a very short but noticeable "hesitation" when pulling away. It felt like a new car when I got it back and it has been marvellous ever since. I have now done nearly 28k miles and it drives beautifully. As a result of this I did not hesitate to take the extended warranty when the car reached its second birthday. This may be your problem as it sounds very similar to my issue when it first started. Hope this helps. I did post about this when it happened. I am sure one of our more adept "searchers" will be able to locate it. Hope you get it sorted but I'm sorry to say that I doubt, based on my experience, it will be done in less than 4 or 5 days but fingers crossed for you.

 

[tscaptain]

Sounding familiar then.......there is this http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=524316&mpage=1&key=&#524316 and this http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=560409&mpage=1&key=&#560559 Hope we're wrong but the HPFP sounds favourite at the moment.

 

[nickf]

Thanks for the assistance, you were entirely correct in your diagnosis and it was very helpful for me when talking to the OPC to have some prior knowledge of the possible scenario. Thet have assured me the car will be fixed by teatime.

 

[Lancerlot]

Items for the 997 Technical forum archive, do you think? [8|]

ORIGINAL: tscaptain Sounding familiar then.......there is this http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=524316&mpage=1&key=򀀜 and this http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=560409&mpage=1&key=򈶯 Hope we're wrong but the HPFP sounds favourite at the moment.

 

[tscaptain]

ORIGINAL: nickf Thanks for the assistance, you were entirely correct in your diagnosis and it was very helpful for me when talking to the OPC to have some prior knowledge of the possible scenario. Thet have assured me the car will be fixed by teatime.

Pleased to be of help. Let us know when you have it back and running sweetly again! Clive - Yes, will put the links together in a new thread in the tech section

 

[nickf]

To be honest I think the failing HPFP seems to be pretty common in 08 09 911s.I would have been pleased to be given a heads up prior the car going out of warranty. Definitely a good idea to cross post this and other similar cases on the tech forum.

 

[tscaptain]

There is now a thread in the Tech section. I don't know how common Nick but certainly a few reported on here. Best colour, btw![]

 

[pboldmonts]

Delighted it will be sorted for you - much quicker than my experience and therefore shows the great value of this forum. Shame I have to disagree re the colour!!!!