alwayswantedone

I'm going nuts with this issue. Car is killing batteries. Attached videos. Would appreciate any advice and assistance!!!

Ben Z

Hi, what you're describing is an open circuit. Something that's supposed to be switched off is switching back on. In the old days it was surely a bad switch or relay. Nowadays it could be that and/or whatever computer module is in charge of that switch or relay. You might be able to isolate the offending device by sequentially pulling fuses until jostling whatever you're jostling no longer causes the spike, but that might not get you all the way to the exact source, or induce you to replace something you don't really need to. Given that you have the warranty, I would take it to someplace that has the test equipment to track it down to the source. Even then it's not necessarily a slam-dunk. I had a very similar problem with our old E-class and the dealer had it a week and couldn't pinpoint the source. Finally after I kicked up a fuss they got the Zone service rep down and he found it.

DC911S

You need to go to each fuse, pull it out...and place the meter in series across the fuse terminals. Do that to isolate which ones are drawing the current. That will allow you too see how much current is going through each fuse. You will need help, so you can get it steady, then have another person give the car a bump to see which ones are spiking. When the current spikes up, is anything lighting on the dash? Have you watched? Could be balky ignition switch or front control module. Its not an open circuit, its a closed circuit....a open circuit is just that, its not drawing current. An open circuit has voltage potential, thats it.

alwayswantedone

Thanks for the help so far!

An update on my own tinkering: Pulling both D9 and D10 causes the drain to go to about .25 amps (in "asleep" configuration) without regard to wiggling harnesses or shaking the car. It doesn't go below that that I've seen. These two fuses appear to include both the PCM unit and the amplifier. I have non-Bose.... not sure where the amplifier is, but assuming it's the device mounted vertically below the CD changer area.

Weird thing to me is that with both of these fuses plugged in, the "low" drain when wiggling stuff was around .050 amps. Now low drain is 5X that with them pulled.

On a separate (but perhaps related) data point, I recorded that current spiked to 1.8A or so when simply lifting the passenger door handle with the car in "asleep" and locked double-click state. Seems weird to me, but I'm not an EE.

alwayswantedone

So I plug both D9 and D10 fuses back in ... and now the drain is staying at .25 amps without regard to wiggling, shaking, etc. Same as my result when I had them both out immediately above. So basically the car is in a condition that it was earlier today when I was seeing the jump between .050 and 1.7A. But now it's stable at .25A. Really seems like someone is messing with me on this saga.

Petza914

Is your PCM screen turning on and off (off when you see the low draw and on when you see the higher decraw). Those fuse #s are what people pull to reset the PCM when sound is cutting out or they're having other problems so it sounds like you pulling and reinstalling them has reset the PCM and maybe not it will work the way it should. The secret may be that you pulled them with the Dension stuff disconnected so when you reconnected it, the PCM didn't see that module and is now working normally. Those orange "wires" in your video are not actually wires at all, but fiber optic cables that tie the canbus subsystem together and carry sound from the PCM to the front amp in a Bose system. Also, can you find out to what wires they tied the Dension power source to - they should have used the wire from a switched circuit and most people (like me) actually install the box in the interior center console by removing the side panels and slipping it into the gap underneath the storage tray.

Attached are Dension manuals so you can see how things are supposed to be connected.

alwayswantedone

Hi Petza, yep I know about the optical cables... all good. Nothing has really changed except I haven't driven the car in a couple weeks while I observe in the garage under battery tender. After I pulled and reinserted those fuses it's been drawing a steady .25A idle for a week+. This is still too much. I'll likely take it to the shop tomorrow. It's driving me nuts that it's still crippled and even moreso that I'm an engineer by degree (although not practicing) and I can't figure it out.

Good segue... I can take it to Park Place Porsche in Dallas or RAC Performance to get this issue hopefully solved. Both honor my warranty, so that's not an issue. Just want to have it at the best place to get it fixed for good. I haven't driven it for a couple weeks+ and ready to get things resolved and back on the road as I'm having withdrawal!!! To the general populus - would you entrust it to a (generally respected?) dealer or would you go to a very respected independent, considering I'm covered either way? Park Place might give me a loaner car which could be fun, but just want my car fixed correctly.

-Bill

Petza914

I've heard very good things about RAC. Under their previous ownership and structure, they were the shop that did the RUF R-Kompressor supercharger system install in my 997 for a previous owner back when they were the RUF dealer (RAC used to stand for RUF Auto Center until they lost the distributorship and it transferred to a guy in MI, who is also no longer affiliated with RUF). There was however one story from a member where they overfilled his oil significantly, but that's the only negative review I've ever come across on RAC. That's probably where I'd go.

I've seen Park Place advertise cars for sale, but don't know much about their service group - I'm sure other locals can chime in on their experiences. Good luck.

TheBruce

I had a similar issue after I installed a hands free bluetooth unit. The issue was I tapped the aux power cable in the passenger footwell instead of the PCM power. This circuit stays active until you lock the doors. My solution was just to lock the doors while in the garage. See my post here:

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...l#post14684536
and https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...l#post14687365

It looks like you've already been digging into it but getting inconsistent readings. It was the same with mine until I got methodical about testing each variable:

- doors unlocked, wait 3 minutes to observe any changes (sometimes it dropped after 30-60s)
- doors locked, wait 3 minutes to observe any changes (it typically dropped immediately after locking)
- pull PCM fuses

Your frunk light is also another variable. It seems to have a mind of its own. Mine was on the first couple times I tested, which obviously messed up the readings. However it was off the last times I tested. No rhyme or reason.


As for RAC, coincidentally I got my PPI there and good guys. The service manager, I think Hans?, has a great rep and their warehouse is worth the visit alone. They have 50+ Porsches for sale in there.

Another indy I would definitely recommend around there is Fifth Gear auto. Ricky is the owner and I bought my car from him. He had maintained it for the prior owner for 5 years. His father started the shop years ago as a speciality Porsche mechanic but since then has expanded to cover German cars. He's definitely cheaper than RAC and 10-15 minutes away.

alwayswantedone

TheBruce, yep I'm familiar with RAC too. Have spent a lot of time slobbering on the floor over there. RE: Fifth Gear - did you happen to buy a silver car there about a year ago? I went over to look at it back then and it had already been sold... wondering if it was the same one! At the time it had a front license plate attached to the bumper tow hook.

TheBruce

Small world! Yup, that was mine :-) He also had a grey 997.1 S there with ~30k miles. I told him I was going home with one or the other but the S sold the day I landed.

At the time he was selling a few cars on the side. It was over the winter and he sold both for crazy low prices. His web guy made a mistake on mine and listed on their own website for $3k less than the Autotrader listing. He ended up honoring it so it was too good a price to pass up. It had a couple cosmetic flaws (aftermarket windshield seal had dry rotted, ac buttons, center console, 7yr old tires, etc) but it looks brand new after 12 months in my garage. Its now got a 1" drop on Eibachs, Fister exhaust, all the interior bits are fixed, as well as new fog lights, resprayed bumper, and new windshield.

Some before and after pics below.

Where did you end up buying yours?

alwayswantedone

That's awesome! Yep, that's the one alright. It was even sitting there when I arrived but you must have just done the deal.

Funny - I bought mine from a rennlister in California (LA area). Had my PPI done at Autowerkes in Huntington Beach. I'll have to scrounge up some photos of my car because I just switched phones. Basically same situation though - just about showroom condition, a couple very minor things but nothing major. I'll be replacing A/C buttons as soon as I get this electrical thing sorted out.

I corresponded with Hans at RAC and will be taking it there as soon as he gets back to me on when he can accept it into the shop. I'm kinda hoping today.

That photo of yours coming off the truck is very familiar! Was a great day when the carrier backed down my street!

joe 997

alwayswantedone

Thanks Joe, yeah I tried that...and it did go down to the .25A draw when I did that a week or so ago - well, to be accurate, I removed the fuses that control PCM and whatnot (2), noted no permanent decrease in drain, then reinstalled and there we were at .25A for the rest of the week. I've hooked everything back up now in preparation to take it to RAC. At this tiny window of time, the draw is down around .15A. Not sure why it reduced when I hooked up more stuff? But it did. It could easily spike up again, it has a mind of its own. I've talked to RAC and in their experience they indicated the radio amp may be junk, given what I've explained here.

But...I'm now wondering if perhaps the passenger window microswitch that controls the slight lowering when you open the door... is toast. The PPI a year ago noted it was going south, but I've never had it fail or be rattly or anything. I just came in from the garage though...and noted that when I opened/closed that door, the window did not lower/raise. It is in the lowered position. Maybe it has something to do with it...but I gotta be honest, I've been through so many permutations of conditions with the car that I can't think straight at the moment. Maybe the window won't raise that half inch if the hood is open but car double clicked on remote? I have frunk and rear lights removed. My brain is mush.

ADias

I would be surprised if the passenger window microswitch is doing that. My money is on the audio/BT install. FYI... once you sort the culprit, the parasitic current should be around 45mA.