Twice in the past 4 months my engine diagnostic light has gone one immediately when I started the car (2005 997). As directed in the manual, I took it to the dealer, who today said that it was the result of starting the car at colder than 2 degrees below freezing, and having too low a fuel level. When I pointed out that the gas tank was nearly half full, the shop manager (mechanic) discarded the low fuel tank explanation, and said that the engine will occasionally misfire in cold weather when it first starts up, that this misfiring will trigger the engine diagnostic light, and that it won't go out even though the misfiring lasts only a few seconds and is no longer a problem. Unfortunately that means a trip to the dealer each time to make sure that something worse isn't wrong. The dealer had no solution to this problem.
Anybody else had this problem--I store the car in a garage in New York, drive it occasionally but some times it sits for a week or two without driving.

 

Help me out here....

Just exactly where is the 'engine diagnostic light' that you are referring to???

Usually the "go to workshop message appears"

I always am pessimistic about 1st posts with weird/unusual questions and explanations.

 

Why is that? Seems to me that someone who has a legitimate concern would want to first seek out free advice from a forum like ours.

These people are probably lurkers who only read our posts to be informed, and when nothing remotely similar to their concern has been discussed, they are forced to make their first post to get at the information they seek, perhaps with a touch of apprehension which may account for the lack of clarity in their wording at times.

Why would you be suspicious about such first posts?

 

I like MJones approach. I mean where is the love? Man has had his car for at least 4 months and didn't share any of the joys of the inital ownership expereience. Comes to us now cause there is a problem.

 

Yes, it's light number 17 and accompanied by the "go to workshop" (or something similar) message.

 

OK, so Rak and MJ what should we do? Meet him in the shower room and take turns dropping the soap?
You all know I'm just having fun,...this includes you poolman!
But I'm not joking about the shower room thing.

 

Now I understand that grin on your honeymoon pic.

 

Yeahhhh, that's what I'm talkin' about.

 

So the reason you go to Copley is to get the car mags..Rightttt.

 

So a car that is designed and built in Germany, a country that can get quite cold in places, misfires in cold temps and is normal?

 

I called several service centers when the CEL came on and they all said the same thing -- "is it flashing?" If it's not flashing, it's usually related to some emission's problem (no not the kind that Dave is referring to) -- the environmental type. Gas cap not tightened to the "click point" or in my case a bad oxygen sensor. One of the service guys indicated it would eventually reset after it no longer detected the fault. I've yet to see that happen in any car where the CEL was on.

 

Zumeron-Thanks for your information. The CEL does not flash, so I hope that means that it's of the minor variety, but you are right, it does not reset (turn off) without taking it to the dealer for service. I'll have the dealer look into the oxygen sensor or some similar explanation.

 

From a different Zumaron thread:
If you are having to take the car in multiple times, the tech is not doing his job! Not Good!
The PIWIS testor has a fault readout which should point the way to the problem.
Starting at cold temps should make no differance.