kevin930s

I might be getting a 02 or 03 996 next week

What is the warranty of a 03 996? Is it transferable?
Will a ppi find evidence if theres a RMS problem?

houldsworth1

Don't worry - it's perfectly normal in an air conditioned car. All that humidity it takes out has to go somewhere.

As for the ladies enjoying things - my wife will most definately be getting regular use so no problems on that front.

All the best!

Barry

RobynC

But the compressor is in the front of the car, isn't it not?

David in LA

If you are serious about trying to get PCNA or PAG to step up on the RMS issue, you may want to search the old threads on the 993 boards so see how the wiring harness issue was ultimately acknowledge by Porsche.

For those unfamiliar with the issue, early 993s (in the US and worldwide) had faulty engine wiring harnesses due to a substandard component. This caused the harness to become brittle and cause all sorts of electrical gremlins, and in some cases caused engine fires. Porsche at first denied any defect issues and owners were required to pay out of their own pocket...in many cases the replacement harnesses were also defective and the electrical gremlins continued. After a very long time and thanks to the efforts of a E.J., a Rennlister, (including contacting US state and federal consumer agencies) Porsche finally did acknowledge the problem and issued a notice in the US and worldwide a few months afterwards. The notice listed the VIN and build dates of the cars covered and Porsche replaced the wiring harness under warranty and reimbursed the costs of repairs that owner had previously paid for. Even now, if you buy an early 993 with the old wiring harness, Porsche will replace the harness under warranty.

For any headway here, the 996 community will need an E.J. type to step up and take the lead.

Scouser

Good one David. All I can say is I am trying. But I am on the wrong side
of the pond. Someone in the US needs to take this up, maybe work with me. Certainly the US market is the most important one for any car manufacturer so the bitchin has to be done that end.
But that info of E.J's work is a testament of what can be achieved.
So who's up for this?
Cheers,

Tool Pants

A defective wiring harness that causes an electrical fire is a safety issue. So the government can force the manufacturer to do a recall if the company will not do it on their own.

An oil leak is not a safety issue. Now, if the oil were to catch on fire....

Stevo'99

Just a question on the RMS issue - are these leaks heavy? Or just heavy enough to ruin the clutch? Or just a few spots on the garage floor? I've never seen one. My '99 I just bought is a Tip and has never had a leak anywhere. I've been concerned reading a lot of this stuff on the RMS, but since I don't have to worry about a clutch (if it were to rear it's ugly head), all I really need to worry about is spots on the garage floor, right?

Scouser

Typically just a drip or two per week max. But over time this can (rarely)build up in the bell housing and get on to your clutch.

BTW both my Porsche dealer engineer and Phil Hindley at tech9 Motorsport said that the RMS leaking is NOT something you should be generally concerned about.......Apparently, it don;t mean the engine will blow up or something drastic is about to happen.....just the seal is leaking...... Hmmm... yeah but I don;t know about you guys but on a car that costs as much as these do I don't like to see any oil drippin from my engine.

Regarding the clutch:
I have read that the clutch is expected to last about 24,000 miles on a 996 but mine is still the same original factory fitted clutch and I am just hitting 38000 miles. Also, I might add that my gearbox has been out 4 times! to replace 4 fault RMS seals. For each RMS replacement I asked the engineer to inspect the clutch and if it needs replacing then go ahead. They haven't replaced it so far so I assume it still looks like there is plenty of meat on it

What I am saying is, with 5 RMS seals gone, and 38k miles my clutch is still (fingers crossed) OK.

Rob in WA

No, the TT and GT3/2 are not affected.

CLL ACAB

Scouser,

I noticed that you have a 2000 911. As you are approaching the end of your warranty, have you had any discussions with your dealer as to what is going to happen when you have a leak outside the warranty period.

Based upon the number of leaks that you have had, I would guess that if they were using the measurement tool that's used here, you would have had a new engine already.

Tool Pants

At our work on cars days we can get up to 20 cars. And we have had it every few weeks for several years. Come by and I will show you what it looks like and you can meet people with mulpitle seal and engine replacements. If we are working at Henry's house, he has a nice clean new concrete driveway and we chase away the leakers.

Oil does funny things when it starts moving and gets flinged around. It can get on a clutch. The cars I have seen in the shop with the transmission and clutch out did not have enough oil thrown around to soak the disc - but there are a lot of cars I have not seen.

Stevo'99

With a Tiptronic, I guess I don't really have much to worry about then if it does happen. Thanks, scouser.

David in LA

Jeff - The govt never forced PCNA on the recall...if you read the progression of the threads you'll note that the gov't case was investigated and dropped....they did not force PCNA to do anything. The arguments that EJ and others initially stood behind was the safety issue as you pointed out...but there was never enough concrete proof (so they were told) that this was a safety issue and to this day PCNA will deny that there is a safety issue. PCNA ultimately did the recall "voluntarily" ( :rollleyes: ) due to the overwhelming evidence/bad publicity/goodwill/stink (pick your choice).

My 1994 993 had the harness replaced by the previous owner in 1997at a cost of apporx US$1500, and that harness was also defective. Porsche sent me a notice about 2 years ago asking me to bring the car in...at the time my car had a few electrical gremlins, esp in heavy rains (intermittant starting, rough idle and acceleration, etc). Problem was found to be a bad harness and cost to me to have fixed was zero.

My point by brining up this example is to show that with the right amount of "pushing" PCNA has in the past done the right thing...not always, but sometimes. Best of luck for all 986/996 owners...I hope this issue gets resolved, never know if I will be a future owner.

TX996

Here is my $.02 on this.


A lot fo manufaturers face this. It is part of making cars I guess

Honda - NSX Snap Ring failure from 91-early 93
BMW - Current VANOS problems
Porsche - RMS

many,many others...

What makes the charachter of a company is how they deal with it.

Fix it, get on with it...

I think the problem I have with Porsche on this is that they cannot/will not address it. I mean WOW ... 1997 for the boxster until today for both the Boxster and the 996 ? Jeez that is 8 years worth of cars that suffer the same problem. I know it may represent a small problem but it is one that can cause engine failure. I am not sure worse.. they choose not to fix it and don't care..as you say .. it is such a small amount it is easier to sweep it under the mat. OR even more horrific is they cannot fix it (It is Porsche and I find this highly unlikely)

Mine has not failed on my MY02 and shows no signs of it at 22k but, and I am trying to be honest here. I feel like I am driving a timebomb sometimes .. I listen for every little sound, question everything the car does. For the money you pay for a Porsche and the reputation I would have hoped they would have addressed this by now. They seem to work with folks when they go wrong, but isn't that like locking the barn door once the animals are out ?

I love mine and will probably be trying to sell it here soon to upgrade to an early 996TT (intrest rates willing while I stash a little more cash to put down to amke the payment manageable). It is a great car with an unfortunate blemish that Porsche is deciding to handle on an "as it happens" basis. If it fails under warranty the dealer makes out on labor.. so Porsche has to throw a new engine here and there. The customers don't seem to know,mind,care... they sure keep buying...

All you can do is vote with your dollars and not buy one, or keep driving it and hope for the best if it does fail and that your delaer will take care of you (hope indeed)

It does seem a shame doesn't it ?

Scouser

CCL ACAB,
Sheeesh! you must be joking. Sadly we only get 2 years warranty here in the UK. I bought extended to 3 yrs then I didn;t extend it again....and it was to my peril...... As maybe 3 weeks out of warranty at 24,000 miles...... oil drip drip drip What a fool I am. But then I also feel a fool for purchasing this car in the first place. Had I known it would have been so unrelaible with engine/gearbox problems at 24000 miles and no
dealer backup I would have told them to go F*ck them selves.
That is the very reason I would "never again" buy a new porker again.

I am a perfect example of how Porsche will loose customers. I am an existing porker owner (this is my 3rd porker). This one bought from new, had it serviced by the book etc. My car is now 4 years old and its time to look for a new one. We know the 997 has the same engine problem, and I know that Porsch UK is an incompetent bunch of no hopers. So what
incentive have I got to buy another. Go figure.