Scouser

My rear spoiler is giving me problems. I can manually open it and close it with the switch but it fails to open automatically at 75mph and the dash light comes on.

To get around this, I have to pull over, turn the ignition off, re-start the car and then manually open the rear spoiler with switch. But then when I drop the speed below about 50 the spoiler retracts again and I am back to sqare one.

My car has an aerokit fitted so there is a rear spoiler attached to the tail. But I have had the car since new for 3 years no and haven't had any problems before with it.

I wonder if a cable plug has come loose or something but I don't know where to start looking.

Any help appreciated.

Cheers,
Scouser

Loren

I am confused by your post... the aerokit spoiler does not move electronically... Do you have a standard rear spoiler or an aerokit rear spoiler?

SPR

Sounds like he has that little tech art one or soemthing akit that attaches to the stock spoiler. He can manually deploy and detract it but it doesn't do so automatically at speed. Maybe the added spoiler weight and or resistance at speed is more than the limit and it creates too much current draw for the system? dunno.

Scouser

Hi again,
Sorry for the confusion. Yes it's a tech art spoiler attached to the factory retractable spoiler.
But I have had this car for 2 1/2 years now from new and haven't had any problems like this before.
The tech-art kit was fitted at 900 miles.

Also, I can manually manipulate it, so I would suggest the motor is working fine. I just had my wife put some pressure on the tail as I manually lifted it with the switch and it didn't give any problem. So I doubt the extra weight is the cause.

It seems that it does not auto-lift at all. The dashboard light comes on and the tail doesn't even attempt to move at the operating speed.

I read in another board that there is a relay under the passenger dashboard that can cause this and also the microswitch may have gone. But I can't find either relay or switch.

Again, thanks for any help and comments you can give me.

Cheers,
Scouser

SPR

I know there is a tsb about the rear wing but don't know if the symptoms are the same. Loren would know, but the year would probably help also.

Scouser

Hi Thanks heaps for the quick feedback.
It's a Nov 2000 996 Cab in Zenith Blue.
19" Kahn wheels,
Tech-art aerokit
FabSpeed Exhaust.

Scouser

By the way Sean, what is a "tsb" ?

DonW-Cape Cod

A TSB is a "Tech Service Bulletin" that is published by Porsche periodically when a specific situation or problem needs to be addressed. You can see a listing of TSBs for Porsche by going to <a href="http://www.alldata.com" target="_blank">www.alldata.com</a> There is no detail w/o subscribing, but you can see the list of titles.

SPR

whoop there it is.. heh

Loren

There are no TSBs (Technical Service Bulletins) for the spoiler per se. There is one for a miswired purge fan and one for corrosion prevention.

The manual switch uses the same relays as the auto lift so I think the relays are ok. It could be that when they installed the Techart kit they did one of two things - 1. They changed the spoiler wiring harness to the aerokit one which has the spoiler motor not used (I'm not sure on this since I've never hooked this harness to a car with a standard spoiler.) or 2. They disconnected the speed wire triggers from the instrument cluster (or the cluster is bad).

This is a pretty simple circuit and the fact that it works manually means most of it is working. So what is left are the connections to the instrument cluster - that trigger on speed.

Scouser

Thanks for your great info Loren. Is this something I could chance fixing myself?
I am an electronics engineer but not automotive.
But a am generally a dab hand fixing things.
How do I get to the instrument cluster?

Thanks again.

Loren

To disassemble the cluster see this thread <a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/forums/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=003731#000000" target="_blank">Cluster thread</a>.

I sent you an email with more info.