Hello everyone, I was driving back from a client appointment this morning, usual 80mph, open highway, the car felt like it shuddered and threw a CEL, although it could have been the road (Northern State Parkway, LI NY). I don't remember exactly what the CEL read as I was driving to get the car off the road and was watching my rearview mirror for others who were not paying attention. This is what I recall: POWER LOSS, CONSULT A WORKSHOP. I don't recall if it said driving permitted, I think it did but the power loss was immediate and got worse, I put my hazards on and pulled over as soon as possible. I turned the car off, for about 1 minute, started it up, CEL was gone, car felt fine. I went to Indy shop, he couldn't find a HARD CEL, and the car is fine.

2017 Base C2, Manual, Softronic tune, SOUL Sport Cats & Headers.

 

Get the usual suspects out of the way -- how old are the coil packs and spark plugs? How recently did you refuel? Could have been a misfire that triggered a limp/safety mode, though that seems like a radical response to a single misfire event. I had a consistent misfire on one cylinder from a broken spark plug and it didn't pop anything on the MFD, just threw a CEL code for misfire cyl #whatever.

 

Bought the car new, 4 1/2 years old, about 29K miles , plugs replaced April 2021 at 4YR service. Coil packs are original. I'm planning on 4 HPDE events starting end of July at WGI, do you think I should replace and/or have the coil packs checked? The car gets a real workout at these events. Yellow group hoping to advance to Blue this year.

 

Take it for a drive and get it to max boost to rule out a boost leak at higher PSI levels.

 

I was on it after my Indy visit, no issues. Going out later today, I'll get on it again and see how she goes. Thanks for the response, both you & asellus.

 

If it was coils, you would more than likely have a stored code. My bet is bad gas...run out the tank and fill her up and then drive that one out and see if it comes back.

 

Thanks, filled up yesterday, about 3/4 tank (before I read this), I try to use Mobil & Sunoco exclusively. Ran it hard , boost maxed at 15psi, that's as far as my gauge goes, and so far no problems.

 

Get a cheap OBD reader and keep it in the car. Not enough info to make a good guess at this point.

 

Hello Ox,

Any update on cause of this limp mode event?

Curious minds need to know!

Thanks.

 

Hello GT3FZS,

Car was fine, until 2 weeks ago, threw a different CEL, throttle body, covered under extended warranty, would have been $1,200. Seemed expensive.

Previous CEL never returned through 2 DEs this year, WGI & NJMP, finally bumped up to Blue group for Summit Point next week.

 

Never thought about it in my 991 and maybe it is there but in my Acura RDX, codes & warnings are stored in one of the menu displays. From what I remember, you can even read and delete codes.

Something Porsche and other manufacturers should implement.

 

My Indy told me Hard CELs are stored and can be read. He couldn't find/read this one after it cleared on its own, concluded that it wasn't "serious".

I keep procrastinating on an OBD reader, really should get one.

 

Well that is a tough call because the best one I have found is a Ross-Tech VCDS. You could do just about everything with it...coding, etc. Unfortunately, it was for the VW group cars: Audi, Skoda, Seat and VW and it was a steal at under $300, and when I bought it, unlimited VINs.

I have a slew of other diagnostic scanners from the ultra cheap and old (and my first) INNOVA 3030, then a LAUNCH 129E, as well as a recently purchased iCarsoft CR MAX and the Porsche dedicated Durametric PRO. I look for units that give me free updates since I am not in business running a shop.

There are others like an AUTEL and LAUNCH in the $1000 range; the upper end models. The more you pay, the more it is capable of...usually.

 

Looking at iCarSoft , looks like we're up to version 3.0