981 heater blower stuck on...

[Cadenceminge]

(New member)

So I took my 981 to an official Porsche dealer to fix the common brake bushing/PSM problem... while it was there they said the condenser and dessicator (dryer?) needed replacing because of what looked like a leak.

Fair enough despite the £840 price tag (or rather... there's not a lot I could do to test their recommendation). They drained and refilled the refrigerant as part of the job.

But when they dropped it off and I switched on the ignition the heater blower was stuck on maximum, and stayed on despite taking the key out of the ignition. Literally the first time I switched it on after the service. Eventually it ran the battery flat. They are claiming there is no possible way that the work they did to replace the condenser, dessicator and refrigerant could have led to the fault, and they want to charge another c.£900 to replace whatever has blown on the resistor board, plus a new battery

Q1: Is it mechanically possible that the new parts and refrigerant somehow overloaded the system when it was first switched on and run for a few minutes, that could lead to such a fault?? Not trying to be an arse, but just seems ridiculously coincidental

Q2: If I find out from them exactly what part needs replaceable, is it DIY-able, or eBay and local garage-able?

Q3. Really stupid question: can I easily fit a good quality battery without them doing it at Porsche prices?

Thanks in advance

 

[Chappelle]

I’ve changed the condensers and dessicator in my 987 and I’m struggling to work out how that could have affected your fan. Possible/likely the fan was run on full power to test the air con was working and that maybe brought the fault on. So my guess would be coincidence.


Fixing the fan ought to be a fairly easy job but I’ve no experience fixing one on a Boxster (a common fault and a total pig to do on an Elise)

Ref battery Porsche will turn their nose up but a quality brand is just fine in my book. Costco provided my Bosch battery for under £100 and replaced it for free when it packed up after 4 years (it had a 5 year no quibble warranty)

 

[Cadenceminge]

Thanks - yes, I can't think of a reason why the one would cause the other, but if the act of testing post-refill could've stressed it (seems plausible) then I'd kind of expect some acknowledgment from an OPC. As it is they didn't fix (or attempt to fix) the auto stop/start issue I took it in for along with the bushings - just said 'oh yeah it can be temperamental' ... ok but it hardly EVER works! Leaving me at least £1200 and possibly £2000 worse off, with 1 thing fixed, 1 thing not fixed, and 1 new problem (possibly/probably) caused!

Really poor attitude after the event too - massively defensive

 

[Chappelle]

Agreed not at all good. Where are you based?

Stop start can be intermittent as the car needs to be properly warmed up. Our Honda lists a dozen or more reasons why The stop/start might not function (Handbook was to hand!)


Ref the resistor if that is the fault it’s a £40 part second hand

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/99162442300-Resistor-Blower-Motor-Porsche-Boxster-981-2-7-195-Kw-265-Hp/163628545256?ul_ref=https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=2&pub=5575376664&toolid=10001&campid=5338268676&customid=Cj0KCQjwrfvsBRD7ARIsAKuDvMMvXIED9bnfraYvBScJkiZnI8GLiV9e-XDjbJGmXS7tJmiiVxf_wDEaAvBrEALw_wcB&lgeo=1&item=163628545256&srcrot=710-53481-19255-0&rvr_id=2140179860807&rvr_ts=b766b5cb16d0a4d058f480a6fff8f985&_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1&ul_noapp=true&pageci=bf60ad48-90e9-46df-833c-2e0aecde403b

 

[Cadenceminge]

That's very helpful thank you

Don't want to name the OPC because they were unbelievably defensive on the phone... but I live in Ipswich

For example when I asked for a further description of the £304 cost of replacing the brake bushing and pin she immediately said 'there's no reason at all why we'd want to exaggerate a problem just so we can fix it' ... errr ... OK, heaven forbid a service centre would do such a thing (and I wasn't even going there anyway)

 

[Cadenceminge]

Yes the handbook lists all the auto-stop/start pre-conditions, and I have read about it not working if the system senses insufficient spare capacity... but in 1yr of careful driving - including with no radio/hvac or sport settings on at all - it has worked maybe 4 times in total. I suspect it had something to do with the brake bushing issue - if the computer senses the brake on while moving it probably shuts down all sorts of otherwise automated things. But... it didn't work on the test drive I did when I got it back, the one where I had to turn back because of the constant heater blower!