Another Cayman
- Thread starter ralphmusic
- Start date
I just ask indy to remove and clean out the front PU and spray the front area to help protect from oxidisation, I don't know what they use, sorry
I've just returned home after an unsuccessful trip to Thruxton for a track day tomorrow. Approaching a traffic accident some quarter of a mile away and joining the queue of traffic, the engine just stopped with electrical power warnings. It wouldn't crank and I was in the outside lane of a normally fast section of the dual carriage way A303 west of the A36 junction. I had Stop/Start turned off as usual.
Warning lights on, yellow tabard on, put the red triangle out some distance behind the car - amazing how many drivers want to stay in the "fast" lane before pulling over. Luckily for me the accident ahead meant slow traffic coming past me so a lot safer than normal speeds. I get over behind the barrier and tell those who stop to ask that it's an EV and the battery has died...
Call Porsche Assist at 16:56, then the Police at 17:15 as traffic was starting to flow as the police were clearing the accident ahead, Called Porsche Assist several times. Police turn up at 18:05 in three cars, ignore me and put out cones and leave. Another turns up and stays and talks to me, nice chap.
Back to Porsche Assist (PA) they text at 17:04 giving a breakdown truck real-time tracking site url. Next they tell me help will arrive at 18:45, then sorry it will be 20:35, then sorry again 21:20, then 21:30. One delay was caused by "my" truck stopping to assist another AA member - sorry, I thought Porsche drivers were "special"
Meanwhile getting a bit tee'd off I call Green Flag at 20:16, they cover the family cars and happen to cover clients and all their cars. Their men from Stonehenge Recovery turn up at 21:17 with a lift truck to pick up the front wheels (but the rears are locked) followed by their mechanic in his van, which had broken down earlier, but to be fair he did have jump leads.
In another sequence, two more police arrived looking to tow the car (but PDK was locked in Park) and they were saying "we'll have to move you by 19:30" so I convinced them that they can't tow and any old beaver tail truck can't handle the car, so they say oh well we can just lift it "gulp" Anyway we all go looking for jump leads but none in police cars. PDK is indeed locked in Park. If battery is duff as suspected and not able to crank the engine, we can get the engine running with jump leads which will release PDK and maybe I can drive off to a safe place to wait for PA. Nice police chap leaves
PA turn up at 21:30 in the form of an AA recovery truck so I now have two police, two Stonehenge, and an AA PA chap - we all are cheerful now. Stonehenge get car started with jump leads and we have a little convoy with me behind the AA truck followed by the others taking me to a safe area. I pull in behind the AA truck we check the battery charge on the dash and it looks normal, so plan to drive back 80 miles to home with an AA man tomorrow (now today) at 08:00 to check the battery condition. Get home at 11:35. I'll call Exeter Centre in the morning and check they have a replacement battery in stock.
What and why; the car has had little use in the last 5 months but always on a CTEK conditioner when in the garage. Cold weather and low use are not good for batteries. We'll see but I've lost a track day and overnight hotel - looking on the bright side, I didn't have an on-track accident without my delayed Simpson Hybrid S safety equipment and it didn't happen on my Zandvoort day en-route to the Techno-Classica in Essen.
Learnings - have yellow tabards, have power pack for phone, have warm clothing, use the red triangle, get behind the barrier fast - speeds are impressive to frightening with trucks and cars passing within a couple of feet at 60-70 mph, don't expect other drivers to behave as you would hope you would. I was lucky in that I was well equipped going to a track day, I don't normally carry much warm clothing nor a power pack (for track cameras) - you'll likely be using location services which burn phone battery power.
Writing this was a good way of winding down...I'll relay my impressions of their service to PA later this morning.....
Warning lights on, yellow tabard on, put the red triangle out some distance behind the car - amazing how many drivers want to stay in the "fast" lane before pulling over. Luckily for me the accident ahead meant slow traffic coming past me so a lot safer than normal speeds. I get over behind the barrier and tell those who stop to ask that it's an EV and the battery has died...
Call Porsche Assist at 16:56, then the Police at 17:15 as traffic was starting to flow as the police were clearing the accident ahead, Called Porsche Assist several times. Police turn up at 18:05 in three cars, ignore me and put out cones and leave. Another turns up and stays and talks to me, nice chap.
Back to Porsche Assist (PA) they text at 17:04 giving a breakdown truck real-time tracking site url. Next they tell me help will arrive at 18:45, then sorry it will be 20:35, then sorry again 21:20, then 21:30. One delay was caused by "my" truck stopping to assist another AA member - sorry, I thought Porsche drivers were "special"
Meanwhile getting a bit tee'd off I call Green Flag at 20:16, they cover the family cars and happen to cover clients and all their cars. Their men from Stonehenge Recovery turn up at 21:17 with a lift truck to pick up the front wheels (but the rears are locked) followed by their mechanic in his van, which had broken down earlier, but to be fair he did have jump leads.
In another sequence, two more police arrived looking to tow the car (but PDK was locked in Park) and they were saying "we'll have to move you by 19:30" so I convinced them that they can't tow and any old beaver tail truck can't handle the car, so they say oh well we can just lift it "gulp" Anyway we all go looking for jump leads but none in police cars. PDK is indeed locked in Park. If battery is duff as suspected and not able to crank the engine, we can get the engine running with jump leads which will release PDK and maybe I can drive off to a safe place to wait for PA. Nice police chap leaves
PA turn up at 21:30 in the form of an AA recovery truck so I now have two police, two Stonehenge, and an AA PA chap - we all are cheerful now. Stonehenge get car started with jump leads and we have a little convoy with me behind the AA truck followed by the others taking me to a safe area. I pull in behind the AA truck we check the battery charge on the dash and it looks normal, so plan to drive back 80 miles to home with an AA man tomorrow (now today) at 08:00 to check the battery condition. Get home at 11:35. I'll call Exeter Centre in the morning and check they have a replacement battery in stock.
What and why; the car has had little use in the last 5 months but always on a CTEK conditioner when in the garage. Cold weather and low use are not good for batteries. We'll see but I've lost a track day and overnight hotel - looking on the bright side, I didn't have an on-track accident without my delayed Simpson Hybrid S safety equipment and it didn't happen on my Zandvoort day en-route to the Techno-Classica in Essen.
Learnings - have yellow tabards, have power pack for phone, have warm clothing, use the red triangle, get behind the barrier fast - speeds are impressive to frightening with trucks and cars passing within a couple of feet at 60-70 mph, don't expect other drivers to behave as you would hope you would. I was lucky in that I was well equipped going to a track day, I don't normally carry much warm clothing nor a power pack (for track cameras) - you'll likely be using location services which burn phone battery power.
Writing this was a good way of winding down...I'll relay my impressions of their service to PA later this morning.....
Sorry to hear of your woes Ralph and glad it isn't something more serious.
Just so you know, you can manually release the PDK and put into neutral should you need.
You should have a small trim tool in the frunk where the locking wheel nut is located. Use the tool to remove the trim around the gear selector and the trim in front that has the suspension and exhaust buttons etc. There is a small black box on the selector side and you should insert the selector tool into the slot and it will then release the PDK lock and you can move it into neutral.
It's in the good to know app under Mobility and minor repairs- selector lever emergency release.
Hope it helps
Dan
Just so you know, you can manually release the PDK and put into neutral should you need.
You should have a small trim tool in the frunk where the locking wheel nut is located. Use the tool to remove the trim around the gear selector and the trim in front that has the suspension and exhaust buttons etc. There is a small black box on the selector side and you should insert the selector tool into the slot and it will then release the PDK lock and you can move it into neutral.
It's in the good to know app under Mobility and minor repairs- selector lever emergency release.
Hope it helps
Dan
Thanks Dan, I know about releasing the PDK lever having been through that in my old 3.8L Cayman.
In the particular circumstances of being in the fast lane of a trunk road with little light in car, nobody to push, high kerbs and no space to get the car off the road it wasn't an option.
Another learning is don't grab your wife's small hi-viz tabard particularly when you're wearing 7 layers of clothing, I thought once on I'd never get it off.
In the particular circumstances of being in the fast lane of a trunk road with little light in car, nobody to push, high kerbs and no space to get the car off the road it wasn't an option.
Another learning is don't grab your wife's small hi-viz tabard particularly when you're wearing 7 layers of clothing, I thought once on I'd never get it off.
Sorry Ralph, didn't mean to teach you to suck eggs. Good that it was in slow/standing traffic and not when 'pressing on'.
Re the hi-viz, I learnt this lesson long ago when I put my son's hi-viz in my car once then realising that it was the one he used for riding his bike at the age of 10. Fortunately I didn't need it but from now on I have a size large in there.
Dan
Re the hi-viz, I learnt this lesson long ago when I put my son's hi-viz in my car once then realising that it was the one he used for riding his bike at the age of 10. Fortunately I didn't need it but from now on I have a size large in there.
Dan
AndrewCS
Active member
I carry a XS PowerPack | Land Rover Parts | Britpart ... it provides jump starting plus charges most hand portable devices Having been in similar situations I totally concur with your view on the behaviour of other road users - 99% absolute `anchors` !
A rather fraught day Ralph. I don't think there can be a worse place to break down. Even if you are personally safe, seeing your car in such a vulnerable position and thinking of drivers who pay little attention to what they are doing is the stuff of nightmares. Sorry you missed out on your track time too.
The what and the why are good questions. The fact you had it on the CTek, it is a relatively new battery, and it started and initially got you on your way, it is strange to just run out of juice. I would have thought the usual reason for the electrics to fail whilst the engine is running would be that the alternator is failing to charge or there is a fault in the charging circuit. But then that would have produced a warning light or two..
Either way, I hope you get to the bottom of it and resume your events programme PDQ.
Best wishes, John
The what and the why are good questions. The fact you had it on the CTek, it is a relatively new battery, and it started and initially got you on your way, it is strange to just run out of juice. I would have thought the usual reason for the electrics to fail whilst the engine is running would be that the alternator is failing to charge or there is a fault in the charging circuit. But then that would have produced a warning light or two..
Either way, I hope you get to the bottom of it and resume your events programme PDQ.
Best wishes, John
GregThoma
PCGB Member
Heck of day Ralph glad your ok. It does make you wonder why they bother calling it 'Porsche Assist' as they appear to indicate that they have your back with world class recovery service, when in fact they the whole function has been outsourced(cheapest deal possible no doubt) probably due to a cost cutting exercise and are really not that bothered.
Interesting to see want went wrong a bit of a confidence sapper this one.
Interesting to see want went wrong a bit of a confidence sapper this one.
Indeed, that was a very fraught and troubling experience Ralph, and like others I’m pleased to hear that you’re safe and well. Clearly Porsche Assist (AA?) weren’t up to the job on this occasion, with an unacceptable response given your unsafe position. Just out of interest, doesn’t your ClassicLine policy cover you for breakdown recovery like mine?
Please keep us posted on the outcome.
Jeff
Please keep us posted on the outcome.
Jeff
When you are stuck in a dangerous position, cross your fingers.. (taken at 18:05 when most traffic is East/West but West/East just see a nice clear road...)
Motorhead said:
Good reminder there Jeff but I thought Porsche Assist best choice (at first) as they have tilt bed trucks capable of loading a GT car but we also have Green Flag for family cars so I tried them and they turned up in an hour and restarted car.
Loading a GT4 on a AA tilt bed (back in January 2020 and the fuel line recall)
The reason the car failed is apparently a faulty battery as confirmed from fault log when it failed after OPC driving car. It must be a weird failure as the battery accepted and retained charge. Anyway I’ll be keeping jump leads and power pack in the car until at least I have confidence in that explanation.
Porsche Assistance shambles, very sorry, will discuss with AA at next monthly meeting and would I like £500 goodwill payment?
Porsche Assistance shambles, very sorry, will discuss with AA at next monthly meeting and would I like £500 goodwill payment?
Hopefully a one-off electrical glitch Ralph, but always a concern until you’ve built-up confidence that probably it won’t occur again. Good idea to have you’re jump leads/power-pack options just in case.
Worryingly poor response from the AA given the circumstances of your breakdown, and definitely worthy of a complaint either directly to them or via Porsche Assistance.
Jeff
Worryingly poor response from the AA given the circumstances of your breakdown, and definitely worthy of a complaint either directly to them or via Porsche Assistance.
Jeff
Motorhead said:
Jeff, my post was poorly worded, Porsche Assistance are going to discuss with the AA and PA have offered me £500 as goodwill gesture.
Given your woes with Porsche Assist in this country I wonder what the service from them would be like in France if there was a breakdown?
Given I'm going to Zandvoort for a track day and on to Essen and Bielefeld, I hope I won't be able to report on Assistance in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany in the same way I have for assistance in the UK
I have to say that Porsche Assist were brilliant when I called them out to Selkirk in the Scottish Border. Very pleasant helpful chap who was fortunately able to fix the problem there and then. Different scenario though but worth saying that not all experience with them is poor.
Andrew, the wires that connect your Power Pack to the croc clips look very short given that on mine, the distance between the + post and the earth point is >70cm.AndrewCS said:
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