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    F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    Porsche gotta have the WORST battery in cars. Big and useless. Size is big but the capacity is like that of a AA battery.

    4 years, I am on my 4th battery. The damn thing can't even last 2 weeks. Last time I was gone 3 weeks and the battery died. This time I figure I am gone 2 weeks I won't need to plug in the charger, big mistake. Came back and the battery is dead. Again.

    What's worse is no one makes a better one, Porsche OE battery is the only choice. The batteries in my BMW all last more than 3 weeks, actually more than a month.

    My dealer told me the best selling part IS the battery, Porsche gotta make a ton of money just selling crappy batteries.

     


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

     Yep - agree!

    Problem is the high power consumption of the alarm system and electronic components. 

    I can leave my BMW standing for weeks and still the remote works, and the battery is fine. The Porsche switches off its remote system after a week the alarm system the week after (total insanity - parking at an airport for 3 weeks and after half that time the alarm is off) and if you dont plug the battery to a charger its broken the other week after. And broken means broken, once de-charged completley its F>&&@%$-up!

    Like we always say - probably one of the best performing race cars but by far the most crapy electronic component designed car ever. This for sure will be much better with higher volumes through VW!


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

     I have left the car sit for over 2-3 weeks on a few ocassions and never had a problem 


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    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    Carlos from Spain:

     I have left the car sit for over 2-3 weeks on a few ocassions and never had a problem 


    Same here ... touch wood Smiley


    --


    RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    easy_rider911:
    Carlos from Spain:

     I have left the car sit for over 2-3 weeks on a few ocassions and never had a problem 


    Same here ... touch wood Smiley

    It's probably also a question of how the car is driven when it is being driven.
    If the car is driven on long enough runs to fully charge the battery before it is parked for a couple of weeks, then you shouldn't experience problems. 
    If the car is parked up for a while after doing short runs, particularly in winter when you use the lights and heater a lot more, the battery is already partly depleted when it is left in a cold place where its voltage drops even further. Then you can expect problems. 

    It's no coincidence that batteries most frequently fail in cold weather, especially in the case of cars which are not driven every day. 


    --

    fritz


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    That makes a lot of sense Fritz since I do longer highway drives with some regularity and all year round, so its probably always fully charged.


    --


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    Fritz has put his finger on it...as usual..

     


    --

    "Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

     Get the C-Tek-made battery conditioner and keep it charged up.


    --

    Mike

    2005 Carrera GT + 2008 Tesla Roadster +2010 Panamera Turbo + 2001 BMW Z8 + 1972 BMW 3.0 CSi +2009 Bentley Arnage T


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    I have a battery charger/maintainer/starter at home, I didn't plug it in because I didn't think 2 weeks is enough to kill the battery.

    I had 3 cars that we rotate, now 4, each get driven about the same amount of time so the battery state should be around the same for all. Actually the Porsche would be the one more charged as I drove it last to check on my new Alpina.

    In this case, the Porsche battery is clearly inferior to the 2 BMW batteries in the X5, X6.

    My only conclusion is to plug in the charger if I am away more than a week, as 2 weeks is already too much.


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

     Two weeks sounds way too short to me.  I wonder if there is an electronic control module somewhere in the car that is not turning itself off as it is supposed to do.  I remember being warned to never leave the ignition key in the dash of my Carrera GT because the security module would remain activated and quickly drain the battery.

    Could something like that be going on in your car?


    --

    Mike

    2005 Carrera GT + 2008 Tesla Roadster +2010 Panamera Turbo + 2001 BMW Z8 + 1972 BMW 3.0 CSi +2009 Bentley Arnage T


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    W8MM:

     Two weeks sounds way too short to me.  I wonder if there is an electronic control module somewhere in the car that is not turning itself off as it is supposed to do.  


    My thoughts exactly Smiley


    --


    RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    Whoopsy, as others have mentioned, I think there is something consuming electricity at rest in your car. Battery complaint is actually extremely un-usual in Porsche 997 forums.

    BTW, no direct experience, nor advocating, but this is what I found in the past ($77 vs. $450 (??) for the Porsche battery).

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/997-turbo-gt2/220185-battery-recommendation.html

    Special thanks to JasonKM (rennlist) for making this easy. As per his advice, I installed Walmart's EverStart MAXX 94R. It fits absolutely perfectly! It's almost identical to OEM battery except this carries 765 CCA and 3 yr direct replacement + 9 yr pro rate. I paid $77 + core charge which seems like a bargain compare to OEM. This battery was made by Johnson Controls.


     


    --
     

    Regards,
    Can
    997 Turbo + Bilstein Damptronic "Stage 2" ( Review ) + GIAC ECU Custom Tune ( Fast as a torpedo & reversible to stock - Review ) + Cargraphic Exhaust ( Oh heavenly noise! )


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    This happened to my 2004 Cayenne S too.  I replaced the battery 3 times within 2 years under warranty.  Finally, the service manager agrreed to check the car to see what draws the battery juice.  They found out that the defected CD changer was the problem.  They removed the CD changer and problem solved. 


    --

    09 997 TT


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    Whoopsy:

    Porsche gotta have the WORST battery in cars. Big and useless. Size is big but the capacity is like that of a AA battery.

    4 years, I am on my 4th battery. The damn thing can't even last 2 weeks. Last time I was gone 3 weeks and the battery died. This time I figure I am gone 2 weeks I won't need to plug in the charger, big mistake. Came back and the battery is dead. Again.

    What's worse is no one makes a better one, Porsche OE battery is the only choice. The batteries in my BMW all last more than 3 weeks, actually more than a month.

    My dealer told me the best selling part IS the battery, Porsche gotta make a ton of money just selling crappy batteries.

     


    I just took my GT3RS out of the car park after two months of not moving the car and very cold temperatures. Started on first turn....


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

     I'm continuing to have battery problems in my '05 Carrera. Came home after two weeks out of town, started it up fine. Drove 100 miles and the next day, battery is dead. Didn't leave lights on or anything. 

    I think there's a bug in the PCM somewhere. Yesterday, I drove into down and, while the audio turned on, there was no sound. And that Nav system said it was unavailable. Went into an appointment and when I restarted it, everything worked again.

    So back to the dealer for a bug hunt sometime soon, I suppose.


    --

    "When you design a car around the customer's wishes, you get cup holders. When you design a car around innovative thinking, you get a Porsche."


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    ^^^^Just my observation of other people's experience, not official statistics: From my reading of previous postings, the life span of a 997 battery is about 3 years, 4 years max. As a matter of fact mine dies at exactly 3 years. If this is the first battery replacement in your 2005 997, consider yourself lucky.

    BTW, when my battery died, the dealer did multiple checks and did NOT just replace the battery. I recall they checked the alternator's charging voltage as well, etc.. I don't know whether this has ever been the case, but I would question the motive of any dealer who repeatedly change batteries without finding a possible problem with electrical "leak" in the car.  The motive as always is $$$; warranty is obviously refunded by the parent Porsche company. 

    In fact, they found something that I forgot to take off  before bringing my car in  , and gave me a little ribbing about it. Duh!! But... I have a good excuse for not thinking clearly: Dead batteries and car that doesn't start is a very stressful experience. Smiley

     

    08AE3976.jpg


    --
     

    Regards,
    Can
    997 Turbo + Bilstein Damptronic "Stage 2" ( Review ) + GIAC ECU Custom Tune ( Fast as a torpedo & reversible to stock - Review ) + Cargraphic Exhaust ( Oh heavenly noise! )


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    Due to my own experience with 3 different 997 I only can say: no problems at all.
    In winter I often have a longer lasting stand time, because I prefer the X 5 in snow and ice. Today, we have fortunately dry weather and temperatures  > 10 degrees, I started my 997 after 3 weeks without running. No problems. The battery felt not weak but very strong.


    --
    Kind regards, Conny 

    Porsche 997.2 Turbo S  *  BMW X5 M
     

    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

     Thanks, Cannga. Dealer didn't offer to change battery, they tested it and said no problem. So my next visit they get to look for causes.Smiley


    --

    "When you design a car around the customer's wishes, you get cup holders. When you design a car around innovative thinking, you get a Porsche."


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    I envy you guys with no problem on the battery holding charge, could be I have the worst of luck and keep getting bad ones. Or it could be my dealer's batch of batteries was bad and I keep getting them from the same pallet.

    You know, I realize I didn't help by leaving my trunk open, anticipating a dead battery coming so I can access the battery compartment. I didn't check but I assume there is a automatic shutoff for the trunk light. Funny thing is I could be the one causing the dead battery, lol.


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    Whoopsy:

    I envy you guys with no problem on the battery holding charge, could be I have the worst of luck and keep getting bad ones. Or it could be my dealer's batch of batteries was bad and I keep getting them from the same pallet.

    You know, I realize I didn't help by leaving my trunk open, anticipating a dead battery coming so I can access the battery compartment. I didn't check but I assume there is a automatic shutoff for the trunk light. Funny thing is I could be the one causing the dead battery, lol.

     You need look no further than that for the explanation for Porsche's "crappy batteries.  Smiley


    --

    fritz


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    fritz:
    Whoopsy:

    I envy you guys with no problem on the battery holding charge, could be I have the worst of luck and keep getting bad ones. Or it could be my dealer's batch of batteries was bad and I keep getting them from the same pallet.

    You know, I realize I didn't help by leaving my trunk open, anticipating a dead battery coming so I can access the battery compartment. I didn't check but I assume there is a automatic shutoff for the trunk light. Funny thing is I could be the one causing the dead battery, lol.

     You need look no further than that for the explanation for Porsche's "crappy batteries.  Smiley

    If I remember correctly, from the 987 manual (which I guess is similar) the front trunk light (and all stuff like that) gets shut off after 2 hours. The remote locking stops listening for the key to reduce further power after 7 days.
    Or at least that's what the manual says....


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    Does anyone know how dealers check for electrical "leak" in any given car? That is, how do they check that some component in the car is turned on and consumes electricity when it's not supposed to?

    I assume they measure current flow but where, at battery terminals? Could such minor current flow be detected? I've been told they do but have never thought about how it would be done.


    --

    Regards,
    Can
    997 Turbo + Bilstein Damptronic "Stage 2" ( Review ) + GIAC ECU Custom Tune ( Fast as a torpedo & reversible to stock - Review ) + Cargraphic Exhaust ( Oh heavenly noise! )


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    Take a baseline measurement in series off the terminal in one of the brand news cars in the lot and then compared with the car in question?


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    cannga:

    Does anyone know how dealers check for electrical "leak" in any given car? That is, how do they check that some component in the car is turned on and consumes electricity when it's not supposed to?

    I assume they measure current flow but where, at battery terminals? Could such minor current flow be detected? I've been told they do but have never thought about how it would be done.


     

    On the newer cars the diagnostics system log fault codes should something continue to draw power after the ignition has been switched off for 15 mins or something like, on vw's diagnostics, i  do  vag diagnostics for a living.

    Other than that you can use an amp meter connected in line with the positive or negative wires on the battery, or you can buy an amp meter which reads electrical current without touching the wires, this is ideal because you can't blow anything should something be pulling more amps than your 10amp max multimeter can take.

    Then once the current measurements been taken you can start to pull fuses one by one until the leak has been found, obviously your going to get current draw with ignition off but it must be relativly low less than 1 amp, just pulling 1 amp would only last a 70 a/h battery 70 hours would last 2 hours off 3 days, so you can see for the vehicle to be parked for weeks it needs to have a low parasistic current drain.

    Most vehicles have multiple wires and fuses for power supply to fusebox, ignition, starter feed, alternator return etc, so it's very easy to isolate different parts of the electrical system, and test each wire to narrow the current leak down.

    There can be short circuits but theses normaly blow fuses, on saying that it depends on how much the short is pulling.

    The best battery i've found is bosch, a friend of mine has a 10 year old bosch one on his old mk1 golf gti and it just about turns his engine over after sitting connected for months on end in his garage.

    When my battery went i got a bosch one!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     


    --

    I just noticed how long i've been on here for, nearly 5 years Smiley i'm stuck in a time warp, can't believe it's been that long, 5 years later and still no porsche Smiley 


    Re: F&&@^%#$ Porsche battery

    ^^^Thanks for the detailed response.


    --

    Regards,
    Can
    997 Turbo + Bilstein Damptronic "Stage 2" ( Review ) + GIAC ECU Custom Tune ( Fast as a torpedo & reversible to stock - Review ) + Cargraphic Exhaust ( Oh heavenly noise! )


     
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