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997 electrical problem: Loss of PSM and steering wheel function
Please help:
Suffering from an electrical problem on my 2005 997.7 Carrera after I replaced the battery few days ago. After jump starting the car, lots of weird alert messages started to appear on odometer screen. Checked the fuse box and found no short fuses according the the fuse diagram.
1. PSM failure light on
2. Check Engine light on
3. Loss of steering wheel function: No signal light, No horn, No windshield wiper, No Manual tiptronic shifter, No High beam, No cruise control.
4. Loss of outside temperature gauge
Car drives fine in automatic mode, AC blows cold , head light working fine. Still able to drive car. Just annoying with electric gremlins on this 997
Many thanks in advance.
Last edited by lotus425; 08-04-2016 at 10:04 PM.
Reason: Additional info
There are some additional fuses upstream of the fusebox called the current distributor. Follow the thick red positive wire on the battery through the firewall into the passenger compartment. I'm pretty sure it's tucked up underneath the glove box. Start with the 70A fuse #F8.
Was thinking about this a little more. It might be easier to diagnose a fuse problem from the current distributor at the fuse panel instead. Pull each fuse one by one and check for voltage at the lower contact point with a multimeter (fuse input row). Use a ground point near the door itself, any good solid metal body part or bolt head will do. No power means the upstream current distributor fuse could be a problem.
If every fuse shows power (some might need the key in, acc or on position), then you probably have a front end control unit problem. It controls the lights and a few other items you are having problems with. But not all symptoms that's why I vote for a fuse problem.
Thanks Semicycler: It's been weeks since I took the 997 to my local porsche independent mechanic. PIWIS 2 reading shows many faults P2318 P1614 P14270. Mechanic is unable to reset the PMS fault code and cannot figure out the problems. I will be taking the car to the local Porsche dealership for further work up. This problem is more serious than what I thought. My mechanic suspect someone had reverse jumped the car (mixing the positive and negative terminal) and broke the main CPU along with electrical modules in the car. He is warning me this can be a lengthy and expensive repair. Be prepared for an expensive bill from the Porsche dealership.
Was at a recent PCA tech session and the recommendation was to not jump start the modern cars as it sends a huge power surge into all the various computers in the car..and that this can show up immediately or much later depending on what been fried.
problems fixed. Go the car back last week from the local Porsche dealership. Mechanic said that someone had reverse jumped my car while in storage (mixed up positive and negative terminal of the battery) and fried the electrical components at the steering wheel. Steering Wheel Column Control Module Angle Sensor was replaced along with nearby wiring. Everything is working perfectly now. Dealer reset the check engine light and PSM light. So glad this wasn't as expensive as I thought. Thanks for your help