dlynch

I've left my key in the ignition, and walked away

I've taken my key, but left my lights on, and battery has died, There is no alarm

My Cayenne is a 2008 - V6

How do I fix this?

I suspect there may be a defective switch in driver's door. However, I haven't found it yet

Please help!

Dave

dlynch

And there is no alarm when I leave my lights on and keys are not in the ignition.

ScootCherHienie

It's possible that the alarm is part of an option or trim package that's not on your car. Did you EVER have an alarm for lights or key?

The door interlock switch is INSIDE the door and is activated by the latch that captures the stationary "loop" that's mounted on the stationary door frame. You have to manually flip the latch up in the latched position in order to "make" the door interlock switch with the door being open.

Do the overhead courtesy lights work when you open/close a door? If so, that door's interlock switch is working properly.

John Welch.

I just picked up an '08 CTT with the same issues. I already left the lights on a couple of times.

I also can't hear the turn signals clicking when they are on.

dlynch

It used to work. It's defective now and has been for 3 months

Aftermarket service changed the ignition lock. no change

ScootCherHienie

If you unplug one of the lights, say a brake light, and start the car, do you get an alarm sound when the Check Brake Light message appears on the display?

If there is NEVER an alarm sound, perhaps the device that makes the alarm sound itself has failed. Finding and replacing it could be easy or really difficult depending on where the device is located.

Also, you never indicated whether the interior lights come on when you open the door... if they do, it means there's nothing wrong with the interlock switch in the door.

dlynch

Open driver's door--DOME light is OFF

Open back door, driver's side--Dome light is ON

Dave

ScootCherHienie

OK then, that sure makes it sound like the interlock switch in your door has failed so the Cayenne never recognizes that the driver's door is open--hence no key alarm and probably no headlight alarm and no dome lights. Of course you can always put the headlight switch in the Auto mode and the lights will go on and off automatically without you having to remember to turn them on or off (on my 2008 Cayenne, the Auto position is the 12:00 position). That gets you past the issue of forgetting to turn the headlights off (assuming the Auto headlight feature isn't part of an option package you don't have... I'm not sure if Auto headlights are standard equipment on every model or not).

As I mentioned earlier, the interlock switch is inside the door and is activated and deactivated by the latch mechanism in the door. This may or may not be easy to access yourself... I've never tried removing the door panel on a Cayenne before so can't help much with info about doing a repair. It shouldn't be too challenging for any decent Porsche service tech (dealer or independent) to fix a problem like this that happens 100% of the time.

I have no idea why a shop would replace the ignition interlock when the problem is clearly involving the drivers door interlock switch.

dlynch

Thanks so Much!

Canadian service is terrible. That goes for other import brands too

I expected the door switch was bad. I was shocked when the ignition switch was changed. Price was shocking too. This was done at a good shop, from past experience.

Coincidence? I had one weak squawk this morning when i arrived at work, and had key in ignition, and lights on, when i opened the driver's door

ScootCherHienie

It would certainly seem plausible that you might get an occasional moment when the interlock circuit in the door works OK (hence the squawk).

Aside from a problem with the switch itself, there could be a problem with the electrical wiring which could be more difficult to find and repair if the switch itself isn't bad... for example, the insulation on a wire could be rubbed-through allowing the wire to be grounded to some bare metal on the body somewhere (inside the door or perhaps close to where the wires run from the body of the Cayenne into the door near the door hinge. Keep your fingers crossed that the problem is just a bad electrical connection at the switch (no parts needed for the repair) or the switch itself has failed... should be quite inexpensive to replace (cost of switch shouldn't be too much) plus labor to remove and replace the door trim panel in order to access the interlock switch.

If you have a Porsche Club in your area, it may be worth joining just to be able to ask members about Porsche service recommendations for your Cayenne... someone may have turned up a shop or two that do good work that you don't know about. Porsche dealers also often offer discounts on service and perhaps parts for Porsche Club members.

touareg

I might be a dummy, but isn't this just the speaker in the cluster that always goes bad?

https://rennlist.com/forums/porsche-...r-speaker.html

ScootCherHienie

Well, it COULD be the speaker... but in this case, since the dome lights don't come on when you open the driver's door but DO come on if you open a different door, it's more likely the door interlock circuit in the drivers door. I am not sure if you should get an alarm tone for key or lights from opening a different car door other than driver's door... never paid any attention, nor have I tried it.

buffstocover

Just today, as I picked up my '06 CTTS from the shop (both diff oil changes, new coolant reservoir, new engine torque strut, new headlight seals, couple of new windshield trim pieces), I inquired about what I believe is the same problem you have. When I unlock the truck and get in the driver's door, the dome light doesn't come on and the truck will re-lock itself after about 30 seconds if I don't insert the key. It'll then set off the alarm if I move bc of the motion sensors. The truck doesn't recognize that there is a door open. The shop ordered me a new door latch mechanism to the tune of about $500, and it'll be 2 hours of labor to install.

Hope that helps.

ScootCherHienie

$500? Yikes? Here's a Porsche dealer (Porsche Chandler, presumably AZ) selling the driver's door latch and lock motor assembly for $235 plus $25 shipping.

http://parts.porschechandler.com/p/P...wd=&origin=pla

---for a 2008 Cayenne S without keyless ignition. Didn't take time to look up 2006 part price, but assume it would be similar.

buffstocover

Wow. Thanks. I sent this to my service advisor and asked him to doublecheck his work.