AeroSmith

Jeeze, just when I was really thinking that the Blue Zoomer was perfect the Check Engine: Return to Workshop light comes on. It came on this afternoon as I was coming back to my home office after volunteering at my daughter's school. I'm at about 810 miles.

The dealer told me to bring it right in. They had it in a bay instantly and I went to check out the new M5 they have over in the BMW showroom. Well, the Porsche service advisor came to find me and he didn't have good news.

A whole bank of cylinders is misfiring, possibly because of bad ignition coils on that side (like a lightbulb he says). The advisor told me I was basically running on one bank of cylinders. Can this be? I was amazed because the car seemed to be running fine.

Anyway, she's spending the night at the dealer. I declined their offer for a loaner since I have a car I can drive. But if she has to be there for more than a couple of days I may have them give me a Boxter.

I'm not really mad or angry. If anything I kind of want to cry. I really love this car. I just want her to be OK. This probably serves me right for hitting redline at only 750 miles. I really have been driving her smoothly though, honest.

GT3BB

Not to worry, sounds very minor.

996toomey

Sorry to hear that. I doubt a bank of cylinders was mis firing, no way you wouldn't have noticed that. Probably just going to be a reset of some kind. Hope they don't scold you for the 7400 rev limiter hit.

Good luck, I'll keep a good thought.

1080iAddict

Wow. Sorry dude! That does suck, but I tend to agree that if it was really an entire bank of cylinders you would have known instantly. Look at the bright side - if it was a bank of cylinders, when you get her back maybe she'll be twice as fast!!!!

MJones

And NO hiding the fact that you hit the rev-limiter either....PIWIS sees all

NoSubEDU

Ah, the rev limiter is fine. The "break-in" is not a contract. Even the manual considers the "break-in" as a "tip" section. That is, these are tips for break-in.

Hitting the rev limiter during the first 810 mile is not an issue. FWIW, I hit my rev limiter a few times before I went to 1000 miles. 2000 miles break-in is crazy, IMHO. But then there are some that say Porsche's word is g-d...so you be the judge.

It is most likely NOT a lost bank. If you had a lost bank you would definitely know it. In fact, it would be hard pressed to even run. And if it did, it would idle so rough and run like a truck. So I doubt the cylinder bank excuse.

Could be something electrical. I have no idea what it is, and until they share the codes with you, nobody is going to know what's wrong. I'm trying to think what code could be thrown that is similar to misfires...

You could have misfires on the banks. They could be caused frrom a malfunctioning coilpack. One dead cylinder is enough to through the entire engine off, but if that was the case, you would have misfires across both banks.

Could be a fuel trim issue, in which case an entire bank of cylinders is affected. That is usually linked to a bad o2 sensor or some type of intake leak. Good luck, and let's hope that the techs figure it out ASAP and give that bad-*** x51 zoomer back to it's owner.

AeroSmith

I mentioned to the service advisor that I had experimentally hit the rev limiter twice yesterday afternoon. He said it was absolutely no big deal and that the car can handle that no problem.

What is a big deal, he said, are missed down-shifts where the negine is mechanically forced to over-rev. Never in my life have I missed a down**** in a car.

The way I've driven this car is definately not the problem.

Orient Express

If a bunch of cylinders are misfiring, and the mechanicals of the engine are fine, then a electrical harness connector not properly seated or a bad DME, crank sensor, or one of several other sensors may be malfunctioning. The shop diagnostic computer will tell them exactly where to look.

BTW, I like your handle, personally if my number had come up, my X51 would have been called the Blue Meanie!

AeroSmith

Beatles fan, eh?

Thanks for the input. Hopefully this will be something they can fix easily without waiting for some obscure part from Germany.

scycle2020

sorry about the malfunction...its got to be a computer-electric glitch...hopefully a new model growing pain thats a one time thing..new cars go havemechanical failures anymore, its electric=computer problems...think of how many times windows freezes or malfunctions on our home computer...its the same thing...my wifes cayenne trip tranny was screwing up shifts....was the computer controller of the tranny...waiting for a new part from porsche...it will take a week........but would you rather have another car????as an interesting aside, my 360 spider didnt have a single problem or glitch or problem in two years,10k miles!!!

nkhalidi

Bad coils aren't a big deal - happens to owners of M3s almost regularly - and of course it's warranty work. No reason to get worked up, your car is covered under warranty and if anything were to go wrong, it's covered for you. I say go for a Boxster loaner and enjoy these sunny, cool days we've been having with the top down!

Sean F

My coils went out on the trip home from the dealership on the day I picked up my BMW. To say I was pissed in an extreme understatement (I made them take the car back). I'm confused, if the coils go out, the car won't run (or at least it wouldn't for me).

Holli82

Aerosmith,

I feel your pain. I'm living the X51 dream through your posts. I hope things get fixed quickly. I look forward to hearing more about the Blue Zoomer soon.

TT Surgeon

It;s minor BS, don't worry about it.

PTEC

I would say you've got a problem with a variocam solenoid. That usually the only thing that can cause misfires on a whole bank. Hopefully they figure it out and you have your car back soon.