Well, I made it 3900 miles and about 15 car washes but today my luck ran out! Guess its a call to Danbury Prosche on Monday to see if they know whats going on with this. I'm thinking I may design a small sticker to cover the red exclamation point lit up in the tach as thats the only thing thats on all the time..

We should start a SFRTW Club!

 

I still cannot believe that PCNA and PAG have not come out with a TSB for this epidemic yet!

 

Gary R: is your SF on all the time? After washing my car, the SF light/message came on, but having driven the car for a couple of hundred miles since, I find that the SF is intermittent, seeming to come on under acceleration and cruising, but going off during deceleration. I'm taking the car in on Thu to have the computer reset and am still waiting for the parts which are on order to suppsedly fix this.

 

welcome

 

Had you just washed your car or had you also done any waxing of the car?
My 997S is at the dealer right now having this problem dealt with.

 

997C2S - It actually went on and off at 1st but after my last drive today it stayed on.

DD964 - I had washed the car and also put her 2nd coat of Zaino on today.

SFRTW Member #365

 

Can the latch be covered with tape or some other material to prevent water from coming in? Or is the hole only big enough to fit the hood mechanism?

 

No one is 100% sure of what is causing this but to answer your question no, you can't easily seal this off..

 

what do u guys think caused it...?

 

Because some folks have indicated they have washed their cars several times and/or been through heavy rain and not had the System Fault, I am beginning to believe that water is not the issue.

I washed my car several times with no problem. After the last time I washed and dryed my car, I was able to start the car and pull it into the garage with no System Fault. The next day I waxed the front of the car for the first time and the first time I started my car after this waxing I got the System Fault. I might also add that I have a clear bra on the front of the car.

I have been reading through the "Service Information - 2005 Technik Introduction - 911 Carrera/911 Carrera S" book (Porsche P/N PNA 489 421 05). It has a section on the control system in the car. On pages 9.8 and 9.9 it describes the CAN bus inputs and outputs. The front hood latch and the emergency latch both have analog inputs to the front-end control module that then converts these analog inputs to a digital signal on the CAN bus. Lack of adequate grounding, signal isolation or shielding of the signal conductors to/from these actuators could easily leave this control system open to electical noise or static electricity.

Going from pure mechanical latches to electronically actuated and monitored latches may have created a new set of problems. Eventually they will be resolved.

I wonder if anyone outside the USA has encountered this System Fault problem.

How many have seen this problem develop on their car after only washing and drying their car?

How many have seen this problem only after waxing their car?

 

DD, WRT your question, you might add another: How many have washed their car and NOT opened the front hood to dry the channels, and still got the SF message? It seems a number of folks have been through "torrential" downpours with no problems and/or even washed their cars with no problem. In my case, I had been through a pretty good rainfall with no problem and then washed the car AND opened the front hood, and bingo I got the SF message, though mine remains somewhat intermittent, though it does come on every time I start the car.

What is worrisome to me is that my dealer has told me that it is ok to continue to drive the car with the SF message on. I am concerned about what might happen should some other issue with the car occur which might have triggered the SF message, and I continued to ignore it with potential hazardous and/or dangerous results. I have always been taught in my professional life: HEED ALL WARNING LIGHTS/INDICATIONS. I am going to the dealer to have the computer reset on Thursday and my dealer, who says they have ordered the front hood components that some say are the cause of this malfunction (though I have read other posts which state that these components did NOT fix the problem), are still on backorder. My dealer does not want me to leave the car there and/or give me a loaner as they have no idea when they'll get the parts. OTOH, I am very nervous about driving the car for reasons stated above. I will say that I have had absolutely no drivability problems with the car with SF message on. It continues to operate beautifully.

 

997 - Get it in WRITING from the dealer and then don't worry about it until they get a fix. I watch my guages, listen to my engine, and check the oil before each drive.

I simply don't trust the dealer to pay for a $30,000.00 repair IF something goes wrong and its missed because i'm ignoring the SFRTW warning. Do you?

 

Gary, I agreee. I'm going to ask them to give me something in writing that says they have analyzed the fault and that it is ok to continue to drive the car. If they won't give me that, I'm going to ask them to keep the car until they get it fixed and to give me a loaner. We'll see what happens on Thursday.

 

Good luck, i'm calling Danbury Porsche tomorrow morning to see what THEY have to say!

 

Again, my system fault went on and off about 3 times before the Intermedite shaft launched the engine. I thought it was Bad Sunoco or from washing the car. Also, my car was W545 negitive.

jb