jbdmd

I read in the September issue of Excellence that RMS failures are possibly higher than imagined.

A quote from Excellence Porsche Market Update Boxter and 996:
"But the number one leak for all 996's and Boxsters continues to be rear main seal(RMS). Depending on who you ask the problem seems to affect between 50 and 100% of the cars."

I remeber a guy trying to make a case for a class action suit or a demanded recall through Porsche on this forum a few years back. If these numbers can be believed how can Porsche not do a recall?

cdodkin

It's the 300 lbs gorilla in the room...

No Porsche magazine wants to take it on, and risk having their ad revenue cut

No dealership will take it on

If the Porsche community take it on, and win, there goes your resale value down the pan!

I did hear of one German newspaper taking up the fight - but that's gone very quiet of late.

Chris.

vjd3

Both the 996 cars I've owned had RMS failures. That's 100 percent ;-)

I think just about everyone I've talked to who owns a 996 has gone through it. Which is not to say that everyone who owns a 993 hasn't had a failed AC fan resistor, or everyone who owns a 911SC hasn't dealt with at least one broken head stud, and so forth. Every 911 has it's weak points. The RMS is it for the 996.

jbdmd

Perhaps if we, as a group 'expect more' porsche will 'give us more!'

bnewport

I think it's pathetic. My Porsche quality perception is shattered now that I've had a tranny and 3.4 engine fail on my 99 996 and there seems little point in upgrading and the 3.6s have the same problem. I don't mind them breaking, the problem is you can't fix em without a complete very expensive replacement.

Riad

What's to prevent a dealer from getting your car on a lift and saying you need to have your RMS replaced?

If it's under warranty who's going to say no? Revenue for the dealer because Porsche pays them for work under warranty... no conspiracy theory, I'm just saying.

s14roller

This may be a bit OT but my understanding is although RMS is a oil leak, it's doesnt affect the reliability of the car correct? I guess as long as you keep on top of the oil levels?

cdodkin

But don't you think you're paying for all that FREE warranty work every time you buy Porsche from the dealer, or have any other non warranty work done...

Porsche have to recover their costs somewhere - and that get's reflected in the prices we all end up paying.

Chris.

cdodkin

Correct - there is a very very small chance you could get oil contamination on the clutch, but you rarely see that.

It's really a confidence issue, and an oil on my garage floor issue, and a need to keep an eye on the oil level issue.

People like to believe their Porsches should be bullet proof, and when they are proved to be just as prone to mechanical issues as other brands, people loose faith.

RMS is often associated with 'the sky is falling' type posts on forums.

Realistically, people live with RMS for tens of thousands of miles, use an oil tray in their garage, and top up their oil when needed, and never have it get any worse.

Chris.

villajoe

My car is CPO and my independent mentioned a slightly leaking cam cover. The dealer replaced both sides AND the RMS. I saw no oil on the garage floor....so I was thinking was Riad was saying...easy money for the dealer from Porsche.

Toreador

I've had my car for 4+ years now.
45K+ miles.
City driving in L.A. + track now and again.
Supercharger

... No RMS

evansaero

2 months and 2 rms

cdodkin

Yep and my buddies 98 Boxster had 98k miles on it before he had RMS issues - there's no simple equation to work out if/when it may happen.

It's called real life!

Chris.

jbdmd

no doubt

you could just put a drip pan under the car and top off more freuqently but damn! Is this the best that Porsche can do?

RMS leaks are from a design flaw which has, as yet, not been addressed rather patched by Porsche! A design flaw which is quite wide spread.

Imagine if Porsche advertised..."Porsche there is no substitute and oh by the way 50% of you will have oil leaking on your garage floor" The cars would not sell at all!!! and then they would fix the problem for real!

Chris 996

At 59,103Miles The clutch 1 996-116-911-02 repair kit $575, they Flywheel Assembly 999-073-0920-02 $850.00, and the OIL SEAL 999-113-490-40 was replaced.

Now at 74,500 miles, the rms is leaking again. That is only 15k Miles.

Is this the latest oil seal fix? OIL SEAL 999-113-490-40 or is there an improved one out there? Work was done August 30 Year 2004.