flat6---

Hello everyone,

I am considering a 2009 S and would like some feedback from owners.

Are PDK really complicated? Do they require expensive maintenance? Are they reliable and they should last for a long time if properly maintained?

Any help is really appreciated .

Thanks!

Wayne Smith

One data point ...

2010 (August 2009 build) C4S PDK with 158K miles.

Two oil changes totaling roughly $1000. Other than that, only a lot of spirited driving.

For the 991 a cooler was added, but no other changes. Some of the guys on the 991 TT Forum are running almost 1000 HP through the PDK running 8s in the quarter. In other words, mechanically these transmissions are very robust.

Third parties have designed replacement sensors to repair the rare electronic failure. More and more shops are able to replace these. And diagnosis has improved along the way.

From the quotes offered up on this Forum I would argue that an MT repair is now more expensive than the PDK.

flat6---

Right on!

Thank you ,

wjk_glynn

• Porsche Club of America - Tech Tactics Live episode on the PDK Transmission - YouTube
  • Vu Nguyen (Executive Director, PCA) conducted a ~1 hr live interview with Todd Lamb and Brian Zellner from Atlanta Speedwerks
  • While there were some horrid audio issues during the first 5-10 min, it's worth persevering through
  • Todd & Brian provided their experiences diagnosing and repairing PDK issues (997.2, Panamera, etc.)
  • There wasn't any additional technical detail than already discussed in PV997's excellent thread Guide to Repairing a PDK Transmission, but it's interesting to hear a professional shop's actual experience working on these problems
  • As regards failure patterns, their observations to date were...
    • Generally speaking, the failure rates remain relatively low
    • There's no obvious correlation with mileage, usage (e.g. track-rats vs. Sunday drivers), model, etc.
    • But when there is a failure, the most common ones they've seen are Distance Sensors / Electronics, and Clutch Rings (to a lesser degree)
  • As a general rule, they recommend an accelerate service schedule if you're tracking your car, or have modified it for high-HP applications
  • August 2022

Carlos911

Never had any probs with my 2011 PDK GTS, I just treat the car with respect and do not rag it all over- do not even Sport or Sport + no need car is a belter

Petza914

I think @sandwedge may have had a couple failures himself in 2 different cars, but was early on in the PDK lifecycle before anyone was repairing them, so a 5-figure replacement was the only option. Bronz was another user who had a failure also and they come up from time to time, but seems like mechanically they're solid with a low failure rate

​​​​​​Part of the risk is going to be how close you are to a facility that can repair it, finding someone near you to pull the trans so they can ship it to a repair facility, the turn around time to get it back, and where your car is stored while it waits for the trans to come back. I can see the car being down for a month or so if you're not close to one of these repair shops vs any dealer or Indy that can do a clutch replacement on a manual transmission in a day or two.

Astur

I had to have mine replaced on my 2009 C2 about 5 years ago. The car only had about 19K miles at time and just stopped working one day without any warning. I parked the car in my garage one day and the next day when I went to start the car, I got the dreaded warning and icon of the "disconnect" between the transmission and the engine.

Looong story short and after almost 9 months without a solution, I was able to negotiate with the only stealer here on the island the replacement with a factory rebuilt unit... BTW, they originally wanted $22.5K for a new transmission which I later found out that there are no "new" transmissions. It seems that all factory replacement transmissions are all factory rebuilt units or so I've found out during the process.

D3RP

2009 C4S / 58K

I've had the car since 2014 and 30K miles. It's an early-early car with an August 2008 build date (if memory serves). No track, some fair weather commuting, most of the miles since 30K are spirited weekend type. Had PDK oil changed in 2019. Manually shift 99% of the time. Only time I let the car do the shifting is when in stop-and-go traffic; rare given limited commuting and living in a small-ish town without much traffic.
The only time I've had "odd-behavior" is when my battery got weak and I received the "Transmission Run Error" message. New battery and no more messages.
I concur with the posts above. Yes, there are failures. And they are painful and expensive for the owners. But the quantity of failures sure seems, to me at least, to be within reasonable statistical bounds for automotive transmissions. Automated-manual or otherwise. Or said another way, if there were more failures, I think we would have more "new people" joining Rennlist to explore and understand their PDK issue. But we are not seeing this influx of new Rennlisters.

(touches wood)

Ironman88

Are you REALLY sure that you want a 911 with an automatic (PDK in this case) transmission?

A 911 with a stick shift is a completely engaging sports car.

A 911 with an automatic...

Well...

lexhair

I'd like to come up with my own comments but @D3RP has the same experience as I do. 2009 C4S launch model. 40k miles. Did the 12 year PDK service on time schedule. I understand the 6MT perspective about the heritage. I think I'm maybe in the 2% that absolutely loves the PDK with buttons rather than paddles on the column.

I will say this. The PDK in my 970.2 (2014) had to be replaced under warranty at 27k miles which was 5k miles before I bought it CPO in 2018.

BucketList

My '09 PDK has been without issues. PDK maintenance followed according to the schedule. I now have 105k on the car and drive it in sport mode always. I don't use manual shifting very much at all as the transmission is so intuitive you don't have to. I drove stick shift cars my whole life and I do love rowing gears, but the Formula 1 shifting in higher revs is absolutely awesome. Put me in the PDK preferred camp.

sandwedge

That's all correct. First failure was in a 2009 C4S and cost $14,000. Second one in my current GTS and the replacement had gone to $20,000. Both of them covered by Fidelity extended warranty. But as you say, both my failures happened before either indys or dealerships could or were allowed to repair PDK's. Full replacement by Porsche was the only option.

Some indys now say they know how to replace the most common causes of the failures. The most common one being the so called distance sensor. The cause of both my failures. Porsche's policy used to be not to sell that part to anyone. So again, they created any PDK failure as a full replacement event with a rebuilt unit from Germany. As you say though, this has changed with indys now able to work on PDK's with replacement parts created and built outside of Porsche's monopoly on those parts. Right or wrong, at least this is what I've read here and elsewhere. Not sure to what extent Porsche dealerships are allowed to take PDK's apart and repair with OEM parts.

Frank 993 C4S

PDK is an amazing piece of technology. Given the complexities involved some do fail, but rather than replace at high cost, the most typical failures can now be repaired but only by certain independent shops. Mine now has close to 10,000 race/track miles with no issues. Keep in mind that manual transmissions fail too and I do not think they are repairable (they are not repairable on the 987 Cayman).

da Vinci Dan

Are PDK really complicated? Yes, Of course it is.

Do they require expensive maintenance? No

Are they reliable and they should last for a long time if properly maintained? Yes

Why would you not prefer a manual? I drove both extensively before buying my 2009 C4S 6MT Coupe. Night and day difference in driving experience to me. I feel more connected to the car, feel like i have more control and have more fun with a manual. Just me.

TRINITONY

😅🏃‍♀️