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Coupes & Convertibles Porsche 911 Porsche 911
2048 messages, Last post on Aug 31, 2009 at 9:15 AM
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Replying to: tagman (Nov 02, 2007 10:58 am) And don't feel bad about the process...we have to utilize the same proccedure... |
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It kills me to have to post this, but if you think you had problems due to a low battery... ..Don't leave your Porsche out in the rain! My car is completely dead, has been at the dealership for over a week and all they can tell me is that the controller unit is "red ordered" from the factory and hopefully will arrive in another week or two. Apparantly, both the 911 and Boxster are susceptable to clogging of the drains located in the front cowl area, as a result, water building up and leaking INSIDE the car. As soon as that happens, the controller unit located under the driver's seat gets wet and things start to short out and/or fry. The tail lights came on, the spoiler popped up, the alarm went off and could not be deactivated (truned off by itself after 25 minutes), and evenutally, everything goes completely dead. The only thing we could do with the key is mechanically open the drivers door and they the key got locked in the ignition when I tried putting it in to turn the wheels for the flatbed driver. The fuse box in the driver's footwell is also fried out. This all happened after we had our first rain in a couple of months in the DC area and I left the 911 outside and uncovered. The dealer suggested I call my insurance company to file a comprehensive claim. I expressed disbelief that this would not be a warranty issue - and pointed out that the car had just been in for a $750 service that was supposed to include a check and cleaning of those drains. The dealer backed off and said they would get back to me after they were able to get a controler and start looking at the full extent of the damages. This is ABSURD, IMO. Apparantly, this is a common enough of an occurance, that whenever we have widespread rain after periods of drought (that supposedly allows dust and particles to buildup), there is a nationwide run on controler units for 911's and Boxsters. I have never had another car in 30+ years that ever had a drop of water leak into it being left outside in the rain. Can anyone say "design flaw"?? The good news is that I was at a school social function Friday night and one of the other dads is a lobbyist/consultant for Porsche. He had just left a BBQ at his house with the senior guys from Stuttgart and Atlanta. So I have an inside track on getting "satisfactory resolution" as he would put it. That might also include getting a Cayenne GTS at employee pricing (below invoice), so I'm going to be polite for at least another week or two. But the idea that the drains are so susceptible to clogging and that could result in "several thousand" dollars worth of damage becasue the car is left out in a medium rain (1") for 2 hours? |
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That is awful, I have never heard about this problem. I assume this is for all 911's and not just the cab, correct?
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Replying to: kennygoodboy (Nov 05, 2007 5:46 am) To add insult to injury, the first towing service that Porsche Roadside Assistance sent out were complete idiots. They claimed they would be out in 1 hour, got there in 3.5 hours and then didn't have the ability to tow the car, since the battery was dead and they couldn't get into the trunk to get to the towing hook. (They were told the battery was dead before they were dispatched). The second company that Porsche called promised to be out within 2 hours, got there in 30 minutes, had their own spare hooks, and the driver was as professional as they come. To Porsche's credit, I got a personal letter of apology in the mail today from the Customer Service Manager, assuring me that the first towing company has been removed from Porsche's call list. |
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Replying to: habitat1 (Nov 05, 2007 1:59 pm) See this thing through with a smile and see what happens. I wonder if there is really a drain "issue" that is inherently a design flaw, as you seem to suggest. I have never heard of it before, and have numbers of friends with the same car, including myself. It is possible that you left a bit too much debris in there that you should have cleaned out... or, if that is clearly not the case, it is always conceivable that your car has an irregularity or workmanship issue associated with it that is not necesarrily the norm. But, whatever the outcome, do NOT let yourself be overly affected... in other words, don't over-react. I would certainly hope that you continue to LOVE your beautiful Porsche, even if it requres a little extra TLC now and then. Truth be told, almost every car has a quirk or small issue nowadays. Do your best to rectify yours, and don't forget... you are the proud owner and driver of a PORSCHE!!! Keep the faith and the appreciation alive! TagMan
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Replying to: tagman (Nov 05, 2007 7:11 pm) As for the drain issue, it appears to be real. Both service managers (selling dealer and servicing dealer) were familiar enough with the issue to be able to each accurately descrivbe, blow by blow, what happened as the water seeped in and affected the controller unit. And when I originally bought the car, I asked the sales manager, a former factory engineer, what to look out for or be careful about. Other than the typical break in instructions, the two things he mentioned were (1) do not stop/reverse the convertible top midway as this stresses the motor gears(either open completely or shut completely) and (2) make sure leaves and debris do not build up around the windshield cowl, as the drains can have a tendency to clog. FWIW, he raised and addressed the issue of the infamous RMS leak up front, before I asked, so I tend to trust his expertise and integrity. I've been very diligent about washing the car at least once every two weeks, often every week. But here in DC, we are in a heavy pollen/seed/leave area and dry leaves and seeds tend to break up into small pieces that may have exacerbated the situation. Fortunately, even though the service indicator did not call for it, I had an early service done last fall at 9,000 miles. And then the regular service 2 months ago at 16,000 miles. That should support this being a warranty issue and not a case of service neglect. Perhaps where you live, the pollen/leaves/dust situation is less severe. But call your service manager sometime and ask about the cowl drains. I'd be curious as to what he says. Thanks again and don't worry, I'm not throwing out the baby with the rain water. 
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Replying to: habitat1 (Nov 06, 2007 4:43 am) I think this series of posts could prove to be helpful for a number of Porsche 911 owners, so that they can be aware of the potential for drain issues associated with the car. Also, I appreciate the heads-up on the convertible top issue that you referred to... specifically about trying not to stop at midpoint during the opening and closing of the top... suggesting that to do so could cause a problem. I had visions of the top being stuck in the half-way position and having to drive it that way! LOL! Anyway, thanks for the valuable information, and I'll follow up with it in the future, and let you know what I find out. Also, based on your post, I am glad to learn that you clearly have your life's priorities in the right order! TagMan |
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Replying to: habitat1 (Nov 06, 2007 4:43 am) Thanks, |
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Replying to: habitat1 (Nov 05, 2007 1:59 pm) As for the issue of the shortage of the black box, your service and parts managers can coordinate with the Porsche field service technical representative to have you one in two days if it is escalated for the field tech to make the repair. If not available in two days, he will cannibalize one for you....... Unfortunately, you have to go through this type experience to learn these things....... You are correct, this is a warranty issue. If you are not satisfied promptly by your dealer, I can give you the correct contact at Porsche USA to get things moving.
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