cajerseyboy

I wanted to share my GTSs pain with you all so you could avoid a similar issue with your 991.

I recently noticed my A/C was not blowing any cold air. Just outside temp air. Same with the ventilated seats. Thinking this was a warranty issue I took it into a local dealer Stead Porsche and not my usual dealer, Sonnen, about twice the distance away.

Turns out that the A/C condenser is on the left side of the car (when looking at the front) and exposed as seen in the first picture. Of course my Rennline grilles had not been installed yet to protect the area.

The dealer determined "road debris" was the cause of the damage even though there is no sign of a major hit in photo they provided. And since "road debris" was the cause in their minds its not covered under warranty.

When I tried to pick it up and get a second opinion by Sonnen the dealer said they needed to charge me $500 for the diagnostics and to put the car back together. although that only means putting the wheel back on according to the pics. Also no pre authorization for a $500 fee if I decided to not move forward with the repair.

Point of the story is that regardless of the cause of the A/C failing the grilles are a good idea and not just beneficial in keeping that intake area clean. They may also prevent a costly repair. Stealer is trying to charge 2k to fix it. I would also say that if you have a dealer you trust, regardless of the situation, take it to them.

For me, my dealer is Sonnen. I'm bringing it there once Stead waives the $500 fee. I am hopeful to see if they can offer a different solution.

Also, notice the perm marker circle they drew on the area that supposedly has a hole.

STG

Is it me, or do they just look plugged up with dust/debris??

I see no damage at all. Few small bent fins. What gives???

A hole?? From what???

AtlantaPerimeter

Sometimes a damaged AC condenser can have a very small hole and hard to see with the naked eye. To properly diagnose the issue, they probably had to drain the remaining refrigerant, recharge the system and then it would make itself known. You cannot find a leak with an empty system.

cajerseyboy

It's a poor design to have the A/C condenser so exposed if it only takes a minor strike to damage the entire system. They have fixed the issue by installing grilles on the new models.

STG

The new .2 cars have shutters that open and close, so no way for a mesh upgrade there.

I'm pretty sure they're closed at lower speeds, and open at higher ones. Not a very attractive look when closed.

I'm not 100% on how they function.

Not doing some sort of mesh on the 991 originally is a mistake on their part IMO.

CSK 911 C4S

^^ I'm to slow tonight

New models also do not have screens unfortunately.

AtlantaPerimeter

It also has to operate properly. That's why they are "exposed". They need a lot of fresh air, at speed to work properly.

The active shutters do more for warming the engine up quicker (closed) then open when they need cooler air at higher speeds. The quicker the engine gets up to temperature by not letting cold air in, the quicker the cats can begin to work so the fuel can be limited and emission requirements met more quickly. It isn't about protecting the condenser, radiators, etc.

AtlantaPerimeter

It sucks that it happened to you, I agree. It's one of those things that do happen, just not often. A little bit of the risk of driving a world renowned sports car on modern roads with excessive traffic. Road debris will not be covered under warranty, but possibly by your insurance company depending on company, policy, and many other factors. If the cost exceeds your deductible and is covered, maybe that's the correct route.
Hope this helps in some way. -Gene

cajerseyboy

makes sense but still frustrating since mesh grilles would have allowed for the condenser to function and be better protected. Hope some can learn from my mistake.

Same thing happened to this guy. https://rennlist.com/forums/991/7932...ondensers.html

wishman44

Same thing happened on my 997.2 GTS. When I received the 991 GTS, had the rennline grills already delivered and ready to install.

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...ompressor.html
(Ignore title - confused condenser and compressor)

griffiths

Sad to hear.

But ya gotta move forward.

New condenser, drier, evacuate, charge and test, and call it a day.

cajerseyboy

What struck me on your thread from 2012 was that the dealer said it happens "many times".

LexVan

That's what insurance is for. This is a Comprehensive Claim, since your car struck a moving object on the road. If the object was stationary, it would be a Collision Claim. FYI.

Alan Smithee

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Here is a thread I started 9 years ago...

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...n-my-dime.html

cajerseyboy

Well I had quite the turn around today. Michael Stead Porsche has agreed to pay for the repair in Full. They really came through.