mat59

Hi all,

My 2002 996tt is giving me an error message on the dash when I go above 125kmph (75mph). The spoiler is functioning as it is going up, but when I slow below 70 KMPH the spoiler won't come back down. When I press the button to manually lower the spoiler it doesn't come down straight away, but after pressing it a couple more times it does. There are no leaks. The car was parked up at my specialist getting some work done for 6 weeks, so it may be that something needs freeing up or could be the start of an issue. I've had a look at a number of threads but most seem to be a solution to a leak or fixing the spoiler so it's permanently up.

Any ideas, guys?

Many thanks,

Matt

rmc1148

There are micro-switches that go bad or come out of adjustment. I have never fooled with mine but if you use search some good info will come up.

Macster

The behavior suggests a relay -- the one that controls the lowering behavior -- is acting up.

If you are feeling frisky you can unplug this relay and then insert it again in case surface corrosion may be playing a role. While you are there you can do the same thing to the other spoiler relay. The same goes for the wiring connectors at the various sensors just in case surface corrosion is affecting the sensor signal. (The lack of use for the 6 weeks or so the car was at the shop may have allowed some bit of corrosion to develop.)

If the two relays are the same and I think they are but you need to confirm this at the fuse/relay box you can try swapping relays to see if the raising behavior is affected by the swapping of relays.

Kevinmacd

I don't think its a relay, since the hydraulic pump uses internal valves for left and right. The relays only energizes the pump for up and down. Should have no bearing on uneven retraction Your hydraulic pump may have an internal failure or your fluid needs bleeding. Just to be sure pull the black caps of each hydraulic ram and see if you see any fluid or wetness in it! If you do you have a leaking ram and the ram will have to be replaced or the system needs to be rebuilt or replaced. Some have had good luck using power steering fluid with stop leak and has fixed issues. I did not.

Macster

Well, there are two relays. IIRC the techs told me when my spoiler was acting up it might be a relay but of course it wasn't. It was the hydraulics.

Absent a fluid leak, I'd try to eliminate the relays before digging deeper.

"02996ttx50

before anything you must confirm the fluid levels are adequate and equal on both sides.

mat59

Thanks guys,

How would I do that?

If it is the early onset of an issue with it I'm not averse to having it permanently set to the "up" position. Hoping it's just due to some corroded contacts or something needing to be cleaned up and lubricated. I'll get my specialist to check it whilst I'm having the heat shields welded up to stop it rattling.

rmc1148

I believe people are thinking it comes down unevenly/crooked. I read it as delayed in coming down when pushing button, which is it? If your going to have your specialist look at it I'm sure he will direct you.

Kevinmacd

rmc1148 - good point

Macster

AFAIK the hydraulic system is not field serviceable. There is no way to check the fluid level.

If the system is not exhibiting any fluid leak the hydraulic fluid level is probably ok and the problematic behavior is more likely due to an electrical problem: switch or relay.

Uneven raising or lowering which appeared in the later stages of my Turbo's spoiler problem was accompanied by signs of fluid leakage.

You should not just raise the spoiler as this subjects the hydraulic system to considerable pressure (30 bar when deployed/extended) and will likely hasten a failure of the hydraulic system.

At this point you will need to do something as the Pentosin is not a nice fluid to have leaking into the engine compartment.

"02996ttx50

the following posts clarified that which i did not. namely that uneven deployment can down have more to do with unequal fluid levels in each of the rams, although that has never been my experience at all. a "simple re-bleed of the hydraulics ( using the term VERY loosely ) will * usually* remedy the issue. most use a 50/50 mix of lucas stop leak and pentosin ( the original fill fluid )

they fail over time due to low fluid level(s) primarily but then there are the seals that can dry out, as all as the micro switches failing, but the mechanical failures seem more instantly recognizable as such ( suddenly nothing works! ) VS slow and intermittent inconsistent deployment up/down.

which is why i suggest you should first ( if you DIY? ) check your fluid levels FIRST. it's the easiests thing to repair ( DIY ) and also the most common point and cause of failure, in my experience.

dont forget to periodically check/tighten the banjo bolts from where the fluid tends to leak!.. good luck w it.

"02996ttx50

it is "field serviceable" if you call a work bench and a 12v power source field like? lol. your experience with these type of things are lacking not owing to a lack of knowledge per se, but rather you take your car to the dealership for EVERYthing. so that can't help anyone that is trying to find fixes other than shop repairs at shop repair prices. just saying. beyond that, you're one of the most knowledgeable folks i read here. but you need to know there are workarounds of which you have little or no experience with that will repair things on these cars so that you'd never have known there had been a problem.

case in point. four years ago i re-bled my system with 50 cents of stop leak and a cpl hours visually checking/rechecking the fluid level until they were equal L/R. and it continues to work flawlessly, and i see it deploy daily.

Macster

If the behavior was due to a fluid level problem there would be signs of fluid leak and in that case then the OP would be probably interested in ways to fix the leaks and at this point then he could avail himself of what you did.

Absent any fluid leak sign, since there is no open a cap and look at the tell-tale fluid residue on the dip stick way to check the fluid level, removing the system and bench testing it for proper operating and fluid level is a bit much.

If there is no signs of a fluid leak I see no reason to worry about the fluid level. The stuff just doesn't evaporate. And as such I'm reluctant to suggest the OP remove the system and bench test it and open up what is essentially a sealed system to check the fluid level.

As I mentioned in another post the fluid pressure when the spoiler is deployed is quite high and to have this much pressure in a hydraulic system on a bench in front of someone risks serious injury if the system is not handled properly and if the person doesn't take proper safety precautions. I wonder how many of you bench spoiler rebuilders wore a full face shield with safety glasses on underneath while you were working on the thing? I think that all you spoiler DIY'ers are damned lucky to not have the system spring a leak and squirt Pentosin on you, maybe in your eyes.

"02996ttx50

he still could, and the mere absence of an obvious and visual leak doesn't mean that one didn't occur!, leaving an insufficient level in the rams for the spoiler to go up/down as intended. you'll have to take my word for that i suppose. or not!

again, a leak of the fluid could well have occurred with how knows how many previous owners not having noticed. it happens.

oh cmon man. it's not pressurized when your filling the system, you're pouring i should say "dribbling" minuscule amounts of stop leak/pentosin and i would venture that hundreds of folks have done this all without injury ( sheesh ) but yes, he COULD be the first reported injury of a diy spoiler re-bleed lol should such a portentous and seemingly unexpected event occur. but would probably be due to a 8.0 earthquake that occurred JUST as he began to refill the rams.

again, i genuinely believe that your obvious bias against ANY diy of this ( or perhaps any?! ) stems from your utter reliance upon porsche dealerships to do EVERYthing and i do mean EVERY thing to your car. which is fine, but certainly would explain your obvious bias. nothing wrong in it, but there are other ways to skin a spoiler is/was and continues to be my point! and now that i think back on it, didn't you well document in here your purchase of an entirely NEW spoiler system for 3K$+ .. at their recommendation of course?