Bigfish

Well hopefully someone can learn from this in the future. I've been searching but can't get much non-conflicting info.

I just bought a 997 last weekend and drove it 600 miles home. Since, I have been out of town for a week for work. It's been in my garage and not started up in a week. Go out today to start it and it's totally dead. I was pretty meticulous in making sure nothing was left on, iPod was disconnected, etc. but something must have got past me. Doesn't really matter. Fun new ownership experience!

I am locked out and the manual key is not doing anything. It just turns both directions but nothing in the mechanism moves.

Battery is completely dead.

My sunroof is open but I am not sure if I am able to hook the handle, if it will open?

Any other ideas are appreciated.

devioustrap

Hook the handle from the sunroof, it'll open. You will need to pull twice.

The manual key should work. I had the same issue with my 996. You'll need to look inside the door to see what's wrong, could be a snapped lever connecting the door lock to the locking mechanism. I had to chance the whole locking mechanism.

Devil Boy

Curious that inserting your key and turning to unlock the door does not work.

Pulling the inner door handle twice is how you unlock and open the door when seated inside. If you can reach the inner door handle through the sunroof and pull it then it should unlock the door.

jhbrennan

Once you get the door open, then get your owner's manual out of the glovebox and read how to open the trunk to get to the battery to charge/replace - instructions around page 257.

Bigfish

Great, thanks. Got AAA to reach through the sunroof and open it for me, jumped it and got the hood open.

I think there is an issue with the locking mechanism in the door as it should have opened with the key.

Of course, now the ECU has reset and I have to get it smogged in CA, so I think I'm in for a fun ride.

Bigfish

So, now that I'm past the first hurdle:
Are 997s known to drain battery over the course of 8 days?
Is there anywhere obvious I should be looking for battery drain?

It did not appear that any interior lights were on so I'm a bit at a loss as to why it died so quickly unless it's just a bad battery but it was put in a year ago.

I do have a right marker light out, could that somehow cause a system drain?

ltcjmramos

How old is the battery? CW is to change about every 5 years. Should not drain in a week. But if you had the car locked, the alarm system is on draining the battery.

Bigfish

It's a year old battery. Time to look into disabling the alarm I guess. I thought with two clicks on the key it disabled, and I think I left it that way because the day after I got it home, the alarm randomly went off.

I suppose that could have happened in the garage again over the weekend and killed it?

LonestarPorsche

Same thing happened to me... Manual key did nothing, its a common problem with the mechanism. I had to pull off the wheel well and pull the cord.

nzskater

I have a CTEK cable to plug section permanently attached to mine and discretely tucked under the window edge of the trunk. Caught out more than once with this.

Door lock mechanism is a chore time wise but not overly complex to replace. $25 of eBay for the part.

19VFB19

You will find alot of people on here using a battery tender if the car will be sitting idle for a few days.

I had issues with my battery when I first bought my car. Dealer discovered the previous owner had a car tracking device installed and that was draining my battery. Had the device removed and problem solved.

However. If my car will be idle for a few days I keep the battery charged with a battery tender.

Goodluck

Linnm

Make sure that the light in the glove box is off when the glove box door is shut

killacam

i have parasitic battery drain in my 997 and i was never able to figure out from where. now if i dont drive the car for more than a month, i keep it on a battery tender. if you dont have a battery tender, you could also disconnect the negative battery terminal.

Bigfish

You just reminded me that it does have a lo-jack installed. It's not activated for tracking, but that could be it. Will look into it.

ADias

To the OP:

1 - A stock car consumes about 1Ah/day. If your battery capacity is 60Ah, it will be 50% down after 30 days.

2 - Car alarm - click once for full door and cabin alarm. Click twice for door alarm only (saves energy).