Stuck in San Francisco... power steering went out, here's what happened
#1
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Thread Starter
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I'm driving down HWY 1, beautiful scenery, and suddenly my battery check indicator goes off on the onboard readout and my steering becomes really difficult.
Roll down the hill straight and park and have it towed to Sonnen Porsche where it currently sits.
The car works, but the steering requires excessive force to turn. Starts, electrics work, etc.
My friend thinks it might be the serpentine belt or I read that it could be the water pump, but I didn't notice any excessive temps... right around 180 IIRC.
I'm trying to assess what might be wrong and the damage to the wallet.
I was on my way back home to Seattle after picking up the car just htis past Friday and driving it around San Fran over the weekend.![Frown](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif)
Best,
Ben
P.S. What's funny is I was in heaven driving that initial part of HWY 1 from San Fran. It is so amazingly beauitful like straight out of a BMW commercial. The vicissitudes of life... and 911 ownership lol I'm hooked. Damn the car drives, sounds, looks so good.
Roll down the hill straight and park and have it towed to Sonnen Porsche where it currently sits.
The car works, but the steering requires excessive force to turn. Starts, electrics work, etc.
My friend thinks it might be the serpentine belt or I read that it could be the water pump, but I didn't notice any excessive temps... right around 180 IIRC.
I'm trying to assess what might be wrong and the damage to the wallet.
I was on my way back home to Seattle after picking up the car just htis past Friday and driving it around San Fran over the weekend.
![Frown](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif)
Best,
Ben
P.S. What's funny is I was in heaven driving that initial part of HWY 1 from San Fran. It is so amazingly beauitful like straight out of a BMW commercial. The vicissitudes of life... and 911 ownership lol I'm hooked. Damn the car drives, sounds, looks so good.
#2
Drifting
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I take it you didn't check the PS fluid or Belt? Or look under the front of the car for signs of fluid leaking? Battery check light maybe a sign that the alternator is not charging indicating a broken belt or one that is much too loose with a tensioner problem.
Good luck with the repair.
Good luck with the repair.
#3
Burning Brakes
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sorry to hear about your problem. I hope you make it back here to Seattle soon. Weather's very nice too here today!
You had a PPI too, didn't you....
Were you planning to take on more of the coastal roads or were you heading back to I-5 soon from Hwy 1? The Lost Coast area apparently has some nice and secluded two-laner highways that if you have the time you could have all to yourself....
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2005/04/2...=all&position=
You had a PPI too, didn't you....
Were you planning to take on more of the coastal roads or were you heading back to I-5 soon from Hwy 1? The Lost Coast area apparently has some nice and secluded two-laner highways that if you have the time you could have all to yourself....
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2005/04/2...=all&position=
#4
Race Car
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Originally Posted by Benjamin Choi
suddenly my battery check indicator goes off on the onboard readout and my steering becomes really difficult.
The next question is, did a component lock up causing the belt failure (water pump, power sterring pump, alternator, idlers)? This is where the money comes in, the belt is only $35 when I bought mine.
#5
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Originally Posted by Tippy
Definitely sounds like your accessory belt came off or busted since power steering and the alternator are driven by the same belt.
The next question is, did a component lock up causing the belt failure (water pump, power sterring pump, alternator, idlers)? This is where the money comes in, the belt is only $35 when I bought mine.
The next question is, did a component lock up causing the belt failure (water pump, power sterring pump, alternator, idlers)? This is where the money comes in, the belt is only $35 when I bought mine.
i'm hoping the belt slipped off or broke and it's a simple $35 + labor. So much for the PPI, but not sure if any expert would've been able to forecast this issue.
![Frown](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif)
i'll find out more in the morning hopefully. this was a big bummer for me as the trip out initially was amazingly sweet.
Last edited by Benjamin Choi; 04-23-2007 at 01:51 AM.
#6
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Originally Posted by nick49
I take it you didn't check the PS fluid or Belt? Or look under the front of the car for signs of fluid leaking? Battery check light maybe a sign that the alternator is not charging indicating a broken belt or one that is much too loose with a tensioner problem.
Good luck with the repair.
Good luck with the repair.
#7
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Thread Starter
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Originally Posted by jimhsu
sorry to hear about your problem. I hope you make it back here to Seattle soon. Weather's very nice too here today!
You had a PPI too, didn't you....
Were you planning to take on more of the coastal roads or were you heading back to I-5 soon from Hwy 1? The Lost Coast area apparently has some nice and secluded two-laner highways that if you have the time you could have all to yourself....
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2005/04/2...=all&position=
You had a PPI too, didn't you....
Were you planning to take on more of the coastal roads or were you heading back to I-5 soon from Hwy 1? The Lost Coast area apparently has some nice and secluded two-laner highways that if you have the time you could have all to yourself....
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2005/04/2...=all&position=
the hwy 1 start from SF is absolutely amazing. it's like hawaii there except you're in the mainland. i experienced it for maybe 10 miles and it was worth all the hassle.
p.s. i've driven a turbo with an aftermarket exahust, but without a doubt as the turbo pulls harder than the c4s, the instanteous thrust and noise of the c4s makes the experience just as special in a diff way.
good luck in your search
Last edited by Benjamin Choi; 04-23-2007 at 01:52 AM.
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#8
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update
nick @ sonnen called me up and let me know one of the tensioner things failed... the bearing failed.
Everything else looks good he says, but he'll know for sure once he gets the part in. Total cost estimated at $414.
I scheduled intercity to transport the c4s to my place.
so that's $1414 out of the pocket to get it home.
nick @ sonnen called me up and let me know one of the tensioner things failed... the bearing failed.
Everything else looks good he says, but he'll know for sure once he gets the part in. Total cost estimated at $414.
I scheduled intercity to transport the c4s to my place.
so that's $1414 out of the pocket to get it home.
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#9
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Sounds pricey.
Kahler's In Dublin charged me about cost for the tensioners (there's 2 of them) and quoted half hour labor. Guessing <$200 total without looking at the invoice.
This was a part of handling other issues like oil separator, coolant tank, yada yada work.
Kahler's In Dublin charged me about cost for the tensioners (there's 2 of them) and quoted half hour labor. Guessing <$200 total without looking at the invoice.
This was a part of handling other issues like oil separator, coolant tank, yada yada work.
#10
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maybe you got some sort of bundle deal
$414 sounds... i have no idea. i was expecting the worst i guess and my mind's been in a whirl since being stranded on hwy 1.
should i just have them replace the belt as well just in case?
![Smilie](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
should i just have them replace the belt as well just in case?
#11
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If I remember right, both tensioners came out to $70ish and 1 hour of labor without the 'bundle' pricing.
I would replace the $36 belt also but asked them to give the old belt back to you as a spare.
Dealers almost always charge more than independant shops.
Hwy 1 is so beautiful, I used to drive it during my lunchtime when I worked in Half Moon Bay. Go up 92 to hwy 35 and then eventually loop back around to hwy 1. And yeah, I was following the unwritten speed limit.
I would replace the $36 belt also but asked them to give the old belt back to you as a spare.
Dealers almost always charge more than independant shops.
Hwy 1 is so beautiful, I used to drive it during my lunchtime when I worked in Half Moon Bay. Go up 92 to hwy 35 and then eventually loop back around to hwy 1. And yeah, I was following the unwritten speed limit.
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#12
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the tensioner is diffrent then the idler, there are 2 idlers only one tensioner, tensioner is about 3 times the price of a idler and it sounds like he also ate the belt
anything less then 600$ is a screaming deal
anything less then 600$ is a screaming deal
#14
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One of my co-worker had the same problem with his Boxster recently, alternator light came on and then lost power steering can was good to drive for another ten minutes.
I pulled the engine cover and the interior access cover off and discovered the tensioner completely came off the car, it was laying on the top of the engine cover. Of course the belt was off.
Since the car was recently serviced by the dealer I made a call to the service manager and they sent a technician out and replaced the tensioner free of charge, but did deny that it was their fault....
I pulled the engine cover and the interior access cover off and discovered the tensioner completely came off the car, it was laying on the top of the engine cover. Of course the belt was off.
Since the car was recently serviced by the dealer I made a call to the service manager and they sent a technician out and replaced the tensioner free of charge, but did deny that it was their fault....