fastm3

Hadn't driven the car due to rain for a couple of days. The rain let out so I decide to go for a ride. After a few minutes I get a warning under the tach saying the top is not completely engaged or something (2006 997 Cab). Then a few seconds later while I'm still driving, I get a system fault message and the horn starts beeping intermittently. I figure maybe it really has something to do with the top, even though it was in fact completely closed. I turn the engine off, turn it back on again, open the top completely, try to close it again, but it doesn't close. Then the message says something about the engine lid being open, and then "Failure Spolier Control". I get out, and sure enough the engine lid is open, and the spoiler is fully extended. Mind you, the engine lid was definitely closed before, and my speed never even reached 35 mph, so I don't know why the spoiler became extended?

So now, my spoiler is still extended, and won't go down using the switch. My top is open, and won't close, and the "Failure Spolier Control" is on, as well as a message telling me to take it to a shop! WTF.....??

What could be causing all this? Maybe something got wet and shorted?

RollingArt

Sounds like a bad control module.

Was your car sitting out in the rain? Is there any moisture inside the car? On the carpet anywhere?

fastm3

I park my car outside, since I don't have a garage.

Where is the control module located? How much do they run, if it turns out to be that?

Thanks, RA.

fastm3

Just thinking more about this. I did just take out the carpet in the trunk and washed it. In doing so, I had to disconnect the trunk release handle inside the trunk. When I put the carpet back in, both it and the trunk were completely dry though. I reconnected the handle connector, and checked that it worked fine.

Is the control module located in the trunk? I wonder if the handle release connector has anything to do with this?

RollingArt

Could very well be related to your problems.

Maybe a wire got pinched when you put the trunk release back together. I'd take all that back apart and start looking for irregularities.

The main brain is in the passenger compartment under one of the seats. I have no idea where the control module is for the top etc. \

I'd start by checking your work in the frunk.

GL

fastm3

Just checked the carpets. The driver's side carpet is definitely wet, but the passenger's side is dry. How is water getting in, and how could this be causing the electrical problems?

RollingArt

You most likely have a plugged up drain hose somewhere. Probably the one that drains the water that rolls down the windshield, less likely one of the sun roof drains. Check under the car for the ends of the rubber drain hoses. Not sure, under body panels may be concealing these.

EDIT: Just looked under my car and didn't see any hoses hanging. They must terminate on top of the UB paneling.

Easy to imagine how the water could be causing the problems. Electrical systems and water don't mix, or rather they mix all too easily and with little warning.

fastm3

Thanks for your help RA. I do know water and elec systems don't mix, but I thought Porsche would be smarter than to route/place elec modules where water could potentially run/collect.

Upon closer inspection, there is actually a CONSIDERABLE amount of water in the rear drivers side footwell, and lesser amount in the front drivers side footwell. There is also just a bit of dampness in the trunk, under the carpet there.

I looked all underneath the drivers side of the car. Didn't see anything that look like obviously like clogged drain tubes. Keep in mind the car is a cab, so there are obviously no sunroof drains that could be clogged. Clearly there must be other drains that are clogged, and I need to find out where they are, and how to clean them. All this water HAS TO be the source of all the electrical malfunctions. Hopefully there's no lasting damage!

fastm3

I just noticed a gap between the windshield and the plastic surround, on the driver's side.

This could very well be where the water is coming in:

Edgy01

Two things will get you with a cabriolet--front drains and rear drains (unique to the cabs) and parking outside.

Parking outdoors exposes the car to leaves and other debris that can wind up inside areas that are routinely drained by body drains. These drains are in the front where the battery is and in the rear where the top folds itself into. Both need to be checked regularly for outside parked cars. In fact, checking those drains is on the checklist for the periodic maintenance for the 997. Some owners have actually had their entire engines destroyed because of a lack of working drains in the front--of their 996 cars. It's similar. The problem with these cars is with all of the electronics they are running out of real estate to hide the components. Several very important ones wind up beneath the driver's seat.

fastm3

Thanks Dan. So if I open the battery compartment, I'll see these drains pretty readily? Where exactly is the one in the rear? Do I have to partially open the top to see it?

Looking at the photo in Post #9, may I assume that any water that gets in through that crevice ends up in the battery compartment, and would normally be disposed of by the drains there?

Edgy01

I think there are about 3 drains in the battery compartment area. You will have to dig around--they are just not sitting out for you to see. Just peek around. For the rear they say that the drains for the Cabs are important for us to stay on top of. Talk to your service guy to find them because I was cautioned about them--and fortunately, never leave it outside to suffer from leaves, etc., so I didn't bother to learn exactly where they are. I suspect that is your real area of interest, because I have read that it does lead to water entry into the cockpit and water accumulation beneath the driver's seat.

Spokane5150

My car stays in the garage but I still had a few leaves and some dirt stuck in mine. You can take the hose and check to see if they are draining properly.

USMC_DS1

You may want to consider covering it with a good car cover... some frond on using a cover as they may scratch the paint. But in your particular case I would just wax the car regularly and cover it with an outdoor cover to avoid what you're dealing with now. GL and let us know the outcome.

fastm3

When I bought my house about 20 years ago, my number 1 priority was that it have a garage. I had an SL at the time, and wanted to keep it clean. I ended up buying a historic townhouse that had everything I liked, except for a garage! I've already bought a car cover, and plan to put it on periodically. However, in front of my house where I park my car, there no big trees over the car, so it shouldn't get too many leaves, etc. lodged in the drains. The gunk that's probably there now is definitely from the previous owner, who by the way kept it in a garage! However, with all the trees we have here in the Northeast, some stuff is bound to get in there after a few years....

The carpets are still soaking wet. I'm taking it to a friend's garage for a few days, just to let it dry out a bit. While it's there, I'll try to clean up as much of the water as I can with a wet/dry vac, and see if I can find the drain holes to clean them out. After a couple of days, I'll see if the electrical issues disappear. If not, it'll have to go to dealer, who I'm sure will tell me a whole bunch of expensive stuff will have to be replaced....