Porsche Cayman - Dying

Yucca · 13 Jan 2020 at 12:26

Hi all

Iv had my 2014 Caymen since a year old. I average 5/6k pa. Well maintained, Porsche MOT and services. I have the extended warrenty so its passed the 1'11 check twice, the most recent check was circa a year ago.

Left it parked for 3 weeks and upon starting an error on the dash showed: 'Battery low, please turn key'. Started fine since then.

BUT

All day the the PCM keeps crashing every 20-30 mins. Turns itself off and back on.

Any thoughts?! Im worried....

vanpeebles · 13 Jan 2020 at 12:28

New battery time?

Yucca · 13 Jan 2020 at 12:45

vanpeebles said:
New battery time?

If so, I assume this wont be covered under warrenty.

Funny thing is, it started fine and the PCM didnt crash once of the first 2 hours! Only later that evening when, id have thought, the battery had received some charge.

Psycho Sonny · 13 Jan 2020 at 12:45

errrm your battery needs charging?

pretty obvious no?

rare · 13 Jan 2020 at 12:53

Modern cars are highly sensitive to battery fluctuations and it can throw all kinds of problems up, even though the battery might have enough power to start the engine.

Nasher · 13 Jan 2020 at 13:09

Yea some will throw up loads of random errors, everything but a light to say the battery is dying :\

Orionaut · 13 Jan 2020 at 13:17

New battery?

Stop start is it?

I dare say that is gonna hurt! A Lot!

ShiWarrior · 13 Jan 2020 at 14:00

It's a Porsche , not a run of the mill car, you have extended warranty on it, shouldn't you call Porsche and speak to them? That's what I would do first of all

Gibbo · 13 Jan 2020 at 14:05

Its picking up low voltage at the battery, hence the car is thinking there is an issue and hence all the electrical style gremlins.

Either try charging battery or get a new battery and when leaving car for long periods put it on a trickle charger.

Dis86 · 13 Jan 2020 at 14:48

Longest I leave mine for this very reason is about 2 weeks. Last time I did I got the same warning but it only showed itself by the seat memory functions not working and the 12v sockets being disabled. Took it for a good run and it went away then hooked it up to the charger and fully conditioned the battery.

AndrewP · 13 Jan 2020 at 20:02

Similar symptoms to mine including the PCM rebooting frequently when my battery was dying/dead, about £300 for a new one inc. fitting. The Moll batteries they use don't have a great reputation but you're stuck with them for warranty compliance. 3 year warranty on the battery, my replacement died itself about 18 months later so that one was free at least! If you've got Porsche Assist along with the warranty then they'll be able to do battery diagnostics if it happens again.

mikeh501 · 13 Jan 2020 at 20:30

by a CTEK5 and keep it on charge when your not using it.

Dis86 · 13 Jan 2020 at 20:44

mikeh501 said:
by a CTEK5 and keep it on charge when your not using it.

Wise man.

naefeart · 14 Jan 2020 at 13:36

Ive got one of these Ctek chargers keeping my Cayman charged over winter. If you get the comfort attachment, you can connect it to the cigarette lighter. Quicker than connecting it under the frunk. Nice, simple piece of kit

ShiWarrior · 14 Jan 2020 at 14:26

you charge your battery via the cigarette lighter socket ? i didn't know that was possible, thought they were power sockets

naefeart · 14 Jan 2020 at 14:57

Yup, apparently all the 12v sockets will work like this, on the Cayman anyway.

Orionaut · 14 Jan 2020 at 15:08

naefeart said:
Yup, apparently all the 12v sockets will work like this, on the Cayman anyway.

I feel all cars these days should have a suitably mounted, externally accessible, Anderson socket fitted for the connection of jump starts, chargers, and battery support units.

Dis86 · 14 Jan 2020 at 16:50

naefeart said:
Yup, apparently all the 12v sockets will work like this, on the Cayman anyway.

Same on the boxster...surprisingly.

mikeh501 · 14 Jan 2020 at 19:44

naefeart said:
Yup, apparently all the 12v sockets will work like this, on the Cayman anyway.

Weird that. On my 2015 911 the interior socket gets turned off by the computer after 15 or so minutes so that doesnt work. Ive got it wired directly to the battery with an extension socket from CTEK which pokes inside the frunk.

Yucca · 14 Jan 2020 at 19:52

I’m really surprised such an expensive modern car needs its battery charged whilst parked for 2-3 weeks! That’s just crazy.

My 10-15 year old Mercades have never given me any problems. In fact my 57 plate CLK still has its original battery and has never failed to start even after 2-3 weeks.

Porsche has booked me in overnight and said they will likely give the battery a 8-9 hour charge.

Can’t I just do this myself at home via the cigarette lighter port as above? Save me two trips to Porsche...?