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I have a 2004 C4S Cab. Tonight, as I drove home I noticed that i was getting a fast flashing blinker on the passenger side of the car. Sure enough the front turn signal bulb was out. No big deal, I'll get a new one and replace it this week.
As I locked the car and prepared to walk away, however, I noticed something strange. First, I could see the engine bay light shining through the vents in the spoiler. Then, the alarm beeped once to tell me something was wrong. And, finally, I noticed that the red ambient lighting inside the car was still on even though the other lights were all off. I opened and closed the engine cover a few times just to make sure it was operating correctly and it seemed to be. Eveything inside the car seemed to be operating fine, too. After searching around and testing things a bit, I disconnected the battery. I then reconnected it and the lights stayed off initially...until I tried to rearm the alarm. Then everything went back to wacky. I disconnected the batter one last time before calling it a night.
Any thoughts? Has this happened to any of you? Do I just need to bring it in for service?
Electrical problems suck. At least start with checking battery voltage with a real volt meter, not the cars gauge. Low voltage, bad grounds, moisture, and alarm problems also cause crazy stuff to happen.
The alarm beep is probably your best clue...you have an open zone somewhere, probably the engine lid given that the engine bay light is still on. The alarm system thinks the engine lid is not secure, and the light being on means it thinks it is in the open position. First check the engine lid light switch and electrical connector. You probably won't have to go much further than that.
Thanks -- yeah, electrical problems are, by far, my least favorite. It's been relatively dry here so the car hasn't seen much rain in the past couple of weeks. I had some moisture built up in my headlight but that dried up. I was never able to locate the source of the moisture -- no major visible crack or anything -- but I'll remove the headlight and start from there.
Stuff like this always feels like a bad ground or a short to me neither of which excites me.
The alarm beep is probably your best clue...you have an open zone somewhere, probably the engine lid given that the engine bay light is still on. The alarm system thinks the engine lid is not secure, and the light being on means it thinks it is in the open position. First check the engine lid light switch and electrical connector. You probably won't have to go much further than that.
Initially, I thought I must have somehow popped the engine lid without realizing it. I opened and closed it a number of times to make sure it as latching. I'll take a better look at it today and see what I can find. What really threw me for a loop though was the ambient lighting inside the car. Why would the little red LEDs inside the car stay on because the engine lid was open?
I'm sorry....what little red LED's? The alarm light is center on the dash. It flashes depending on the state of the alarm. If it is the ambient lighting like from the center roof console and door panels that stays on then it is something like a door micro-switch but I didn't want to go there first. I would check out the engine lid switch first. If that clears up the alarm beep then maybe do a system reset by disconnecting the negative terminal on the battery for 10-15 minutes, reconnect and see how things go from there.
Another thought - the ambient lights stay on for a short period of time even after the doors are closed. Do they never go out? Have you tried locking the car and seeing if the lights go dim then out?
Also just throwing it out there - a lot of strange electrical problems center on the electrical part of the ignition switch. Did not want to go there first but just throwing it in here maybe for later if you don't discover the problem.
I'm sorry....what little red LED's? The alarm light is center on the dash. It flashes depending on the state of the alarm. If it is the ambient lighting like from the center roof console and door panels that stays on then it is something like a door micro-switch but I didn't want to go there first. I would check out the engine lid switch first. If that clears up the alarm beep then maybe do a system reset by disconnecting the negative terminal on the battery for 10-15 minutes, reconnect and see how things go from there.
The LEDs I'm referring to (at least I've always thought they were LEDs) are the ambient red interior lighting...yes, the lights from the center roof console and doors; but not the white map/dome lights on the ceiling. The white map/dome lights inside the car DO go out. The red lights are so dim I actually didn't notice that they were on until I looked inside the car. They did NOT go out. They just stayed on.
Based on my feedback I'm guessing you might be thinking it's one of the micro switches...but could a failing micro switch on the interior really cause the engine lid light to stay on? I know the answer is yes because electronics were made to frustrate me. lol
Originally Posted by DBJoe996
Another thought - the ambient lights stay on for a short period of time even after the doors are closed. Do they never go out? Have you tried locking the car and seeing if the lights go dim then out?
They never went out. When I lock the car, initially everything (but the ambient lighting) goes out. Then the alarm beeps and all of the interior lights go on. After a while the white lights will fade but the ambient lighting will stay on. And so, too, does the light in the engine lid. It never goes out.
Originally Posted by DBJoe996
Also just throwing it out there - a lot of strange electrical problems center on the electrical part of the ignition switch. Did not want to go there first but just throwing it in here maybe for later if you don't discover the problem.
All good thoughts. It might sound crazy but do you think it's possible that the dead turn signal bulb could somehow be causing this? I'm not sure whether it's a coincidence all of this started happening when my bulb went out or whether my bulb went out as a result of all of this other stuff. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar...unless it's an electronic cigar, in which case all bets are off and anything can happen.
Huh. Ahhhh...maybe the "red led's" you are referring to are the interior infrared detectors. I've never noticed them glow before. It seems you have an alarm issue. First, the beep means an open zone somewhere. Maybe the engine lid since the engine compartment light stays on. Second, to disable the interior infrared detectors, double lock the car. See if the red led's you refer to go out. I do not think that the replacement of the turn signal bulb has anything to do with any of this.
I did a little self diagnosis last night (not much time mind you) but no matter what I did, I couldn't get the engine lid light to go off or find the source of the problem. I disconnected a number of electrical connectors and fuses but nothing cleared the issue. I'm sure I just need to spend more time with it -- I was in too much of a rush. Also, from what I could tell the ambient lights stayed on.
Unfortunately, when I was done, like a bonehead, I disconnected the battery (not the bonehead part) and shut the frunk (completely -- yeah, that's the bonehead part) before walking away. So, now I've got to get juice to the switch through the fuse panel just to open it again. What a pain in the butt. lol
At this rate, it won't be long before I throw my hands in the air and bring it to a local shop. I hate to do it but there's a good shop nearby and they work on Porsches so it might be worth the trip just to get the issue out of my hair (or what's left of it).
Hmmm, electrical gremlins in a 996. What part that goes out often commonly causes electrical gremlins?
Might not be it, but it costs you $12 bucks and 20 minutes of time to find out.
Okay, so what is that a picture of? I'm game for trying anything that will help me fix it and avoid a shop! lol I'm definitely going to replace the turn signal bulb, too. I know it won't be that but I've been shocked by stranger things.
-Eric
Originally Posted by kcattorney
Could also be related to the alarm control module under the driver's seat. Any chance it got wet? Spilled cup of soda or something?
Supposedly a problem with the alarm should result in two chirps/beeps/whatevers from the alarm system rather than one.
As for a spill, no chance. And since it hasn't seen rain in a while, it's not even like the water could have come in from the outside recently and I didn't wash it last weekend either. Out of curiosity, I felt around behind the backseat in case water might be getting stuck in from a clogged drain -- nothing.
The alarm definitely thinks there's an open zone somewhere. The manual lists like 10 zones that could be impacting it from the trunk, doors and roof to the center console and door cubbies. But, what's really throwing me for the biggest loop is the fact that when I pop the engine lid from inside the car, the light on the dash illuminates showing that the lid is open. When I close the lid, the light shuts off...BUT the light inside the engine bay on the deck lid stays on. I wonder if the light unit itself is bad. Hmmm...but that wouldn't explain the ambient lighting inside the car staying on...although, who knows, if that's what's shorting out and throwing things into a tizzy.
Okay, so I haven't had any issues with the keys sticking or being hard to turn...but from the little I've read, it almost sounds like that might not matter. Is this something I should be able to pick up at a local NAPA or other part store or do an OE part?
I did a quick search for the part and noticed that some sites say the replacement parts are not for models with "99634701707 updated lock housing." Do I have to open up my car to see if my switch has this part number or is there another way to know?
08-04-2015, 11:59 PM
I hate electrical stuff...help needed!
