Towing a PDK 992 Locked in Park
12-16-2023, 01:08 AM
#16
Track Day
I had this happen today, quite awful experience. Early morning cold start car started fine leaving home, had the car also trickle charging overnight with Porsche charge-o-mat in the garage. After couple of hours at the gym, when leaving it struggled to start and got what appears to be 'p not available' warning, I can't recall but may have gotten also 'engine control error' too then eventually lost power.
Called Porsche Roadside Assistance (PRA) to jump start the car, briefly regained power, was able to pop the trunk, but wouldn't start got the same error then lost power. Driver window half down, door handle wouldn't even go back in. Called PRA for towing, I came across this post and your post on 'how to engage neutral' then requested a flatbed operator with skates or a dolly since the car couldn't be engaged to neutral.
Every towing company PRA assigned cancelled after 1.5 hour of wait, four were assigned in total and not a single one was equipped or willing to undertake the task.
I finally called my insurance (Geico) and after explaining my situation was able to get a towing company who could properly place skates on the rear wheels and slide my 992 C2S Cab on to the flatbed. Made it to the dealer right before they closed, since they were about to close and the window is partially down and door handle out, they plugged a mini jump starter to the outlet under the driver's console to see if enough power can be triggered to close the window and lock the car and it appeared battery had some power not dead. They taped up the window as that was the only thing they can do and now waiting diagnostic from the dealer when they can examine it more thoroughly...
What baffles me was the PRA experience, you would think since it's Porsche Roadside Assistance they would be contracted with towing companies that can properly handle these scenarios, looks like they're third party service providers and per OP pretty much rolling the dice with towing company dispatchers; not acceptable in my opinion.
992 is 2020 low mileage under 10k, driven 3-4 max a week short distance. Thinking this is also a ground bolt cable issue or engine ground connection ? Wiring ? Very frustrating.
Called Porsche Roadside Assistance (PRA) to jump start the car, briefly regained power, was able to pop the trunk, but wouldn't start got the same error then lost power. Driver window half down, door handle wouldn't even go back in. Called PRA for towing, I came across this post and your post on 'how to engage neutral' then requested a flatbed operator with skates or a dolly since the car couldn't be engaged to neutral.
Every towing company PRA assigned cancelled after 1.5 hour of wait, four were assigned in total and not a single one was equipped or willing to undertake the task.
I finally called my insurance (Geico) and after explaining my situation was able to get a towing company who could properly place skates on the rear wheels and slide my 992 C2S Cab on to the flatbed. Made it to the dealer right before they closed, since they were about to close and the window is partially down and door handle out, they plugged a mini jump starter to the outlet under the driver's console to see if enough power can be triggered to close the window and lock the car and it appeared battery had some power not dead. They taped up the window as that was the only thing they can do and now waiting diagnostic from the dealer when they can examine it more thoroughly...
What baffles me was the PRA experience, you would think since it's Porsche Roadside Assistance they would be contracted with towing companies that can properly handle these scenarios, looks like they're third party service providers and per OP pretty much rolling the dice with towing company dispatchers; not acceptable in my opinion.
992 is 2020 low mileage under 10k, driven 3-4 max a week short distance. Thinking this is also a ground bolt cable issue or engine ground connection ? Wiring ? Very frustrating.
Last edited by kenjis992; 12-16-2023 at 01:46 AM.
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Bluehighways (12-16-2023)
12-16-2023, 06:34 PM
#17
Instructor
Yup, we had a guy with a busted oil pan on the back of a truck, trying to offload it without turning on the engine proved impossible.
Until the oil got onto the tires and the poor car slide down the ramp like a sad red slug lol
I asked my techs if there is a way to force the transmission into neutral like we can on the cayennes without turning on the power and he didn't know of any trick or tool as well.
Until the oil got onto the tires and the poor car slide down the ramp like a sad red slug lol
I asked my techs if there is a way to force the transmission into neutral like we can on the cayennes without turning on the power and he didn't know of any trick or tool as well.
12-17-2023, 02:55 PM
#18
Drifting
From other brand forums, that service bolt that puts the car in neutral has been eliminated in recent years on the ZF boxes as well. Very poor design choice, to include the PDK, you wonder what the engineers were thinking.