Nellis50rennlist

I’ve had a good lesson on taking the interior apart on 911 the past few weeks. The car blows the fuse that protects the interior lighting, power windows and doors locks when starting. I first assumed there was a dead short on the circuit but have found that I can put a fuse back in after starting and it holds. What I also found is the interior lights in the roof console and on the doors stay on after starting and when the car is turned off and key removed. I keep the car on a battery tender and noticed it struggled to start, like a low battery so I guess the lights are dragging the battery down even with a tender. I now wonder if it may simply be a relay or switch on the interior lights? Also, now I’m getting a airbag failure warning that is new. Any electrical guru’s out there that can help me? Thanks, Nat

Carlo_Carrera

I would start by replace the electrical ignition switch. There is info on it here.

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-turb...r-and-diy.html

Tim Wasmer

I would agree with Carlo........ The car does not thing the key is removed per si. It is a cheap fix.

fpb111

The ignition switch could affect the lights it wouldn't cause the fuse(s) to blow.
Does the display indicate "key not removed from ignition" after you take it out? Have some accessories become intermittent? If so the ignition switch is definately suspect.
What aftermarket items have been added to the car?

Macster

See if wiggling the key in the ignition can affect the car's electrical behavior. I don't hold much hope that the behavior is due to a bad ignition switch.

My WAG is a door's door lock controller is bad and doesn't recognize the door is closed/latched and this keeps the lights on. That fuses are blowing suggests the root cause of a bad door lock controller may be water in the door. The best way to determine this is after the car has been exposed to water (rain or wash) to check the door bottoms -- the carpeted sections -- for any signs of dampness. While my Turbo's door bottoms remain dry both door bottoms of my Boxster have been found wet and both doors have had the membrane replaced.

I note you have taken the interior apart. If this includes taking the door cards off and working inside the door it is very important you do not loosen or damage the membrane.

If water is getting into the dry side of the door if bad enough it can get in the cabin and the security module is on the cabin floor under I think the driver's seat. Just to be safe you want to be sure this area is *dry*. While you are at it check the body water drains. The ones under the front trunk lid on either side of the battery box can get plugged up with plant litter (leaves, etc) and if bad enough water can collect in the basins and overflow into the cabin.

Nellis50rennlist

thanks for the comments and ideas. The display does not indicate “key not removed” nor does it indicate a door open. There are no displays except it is now saying air bag failure. This is a new development. The car was not showing any problems on the display before I disconnected the door connectors and the security module under the seat. I had a little trouble getting the passenger door connector to plug back together so I may revisit that connection. The door cards are good and the car stays garaged and only gets wet when washed so I don’t think it’s a water issue. Car has aftermarket evolution motor sports 700 or 725 modifications that were done years ago. No other or recent aftermarket additions.

fpb111

sorry double post.

fpb111

Rodents??

The airbag light could be from turning the ignition on when the door, or any, airbags were disconnected also if the passenger door connector is not tight. You will need a Durametric or equivalent tool to turn it off.

Tim Wasmer

Of Unusual Size?

Nellis50rennlist

Yes, I can’t find any sign of rodents. The connections on the door are in place and the screw is in which should have it tight. When I was trying to get it back together I was worried about getting the two sides to match up squarely because of the awkward position at the door jam. I was afraid I could bend the small pins if I didn’t get it started squarely. I am planning to take that apart and verify it’s ok.

NoogaSparrow

how recently did you pick the car up? Asking with the recent flooding (hurricanes), it may have been affected without you knowing causing unknown electrical gremlins...

buzzmobile

I have a 2003 Turbo too. I noticed an interesting difference when letting the car idle 2 minutes in my garage to cool turbos before shutting it off.
If I shut off the engine and then get out and close the door, the lights go off in ~30 secs.
If I get out and close door before shutting off the engine, then reach in through the open window to shut it off, the lights don't go off, even after an hour.
I've tried it both ways several times recently and it consistently behaves this way. It's as if the delayed lights shut-off is only programmed to work in a certain sequence (engine off, open and close door, lights off in 30 secs) or can't be activated by doors while the engine is running. I don't know if this is related to your issue. I assume you have the roof light-switch in the correct position and not the always-on position.

911 Rod

I think this is because the car thinks you are still in it.
With my 86 if you did this is would drain the battery.

Carlo_Carrera

Correct, if you shut the door with car still running the car thinks you are still in it.

Macster

If you leave the key in the ignition this can cause the DME to keep things alive far longer than if you remove the key.

If you remove the key then don't lock the car the DME can keep things alive for some time.

Even though locking the car has the car's electrical draw dropping even sooner it doesn't drop right away. With my Turbo even though I remove the key after turning off the engine and then lock the car the DME still is active, responds to queries for speed/rpm/etc for up to 3 minutes. Maybe longer but my data logger gives up at 3 minutes if speed is zero or flat/stale and if RPMs are below engine on threshold or flat/stale. This is to deal with hybrid cars that shut the engine off at nearly every stop. Some cars can respond with non-zero but flat speed and non-zero but flat RPMs during the time the engine is off.

By way of comparison when I turn off the key in my Boxster the DME stops responding immediately and the data logger/trip logger brings the trip to a close right then. As soon as I lock the car current draw drops drastically.