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996 Engine Problems

Dr Mahen Nadarajah

Well-known member
Joined
22 Jun 2004
Messages
46
I have also had 30,000mile 1999 996 c2 triptronic blow up on me the other day.The car was bought new from Porsche center(Stratstone, wilmslow) and was maintained and serviced by them. The last service was 1 month ago.The car had only been driven 6 days since the service, when clouds of white smoke came from one of the exhausts and it died on me! There were no waring lights, the car has never been driven hard (its anautomatic!), never raced and looked after.The Porsche centre feel that it would be added costs to me to find out what the cause of the problem is and wish to replace my engine. Cost, a cool £10,000++The Porsche centre have been rather unhelpful. I am a doc on call, but they have not provided me with a loan car, Porsche GB are not willing to help financially at present. The Porsche centre have said in as many words its not their problem, i have to pay for a new engine!I note that there are quite a few reports of 1998/9 996 engines failing The Porsche centre agrees that this problem would have surfaced during the warrenty period had the car covered the usual 12k miles per year, and been covered Is this really what we are to expect from Porsche in the future? I have a new 911 on order but am now really worried by both the attitude of the Porsche Center and that of Porsche GBI would value the views of others on this matter and will keep you informed of my progress

Migration info. Legacy thread was 16153
 
I would at the very least write to Porsche GB and Porsche head office in Germany. I can't believe they would not offer something towards the cost of replacement.

I would want to know why it went bang. How do they know you can't fix it. If you get not luck from Porsche I would take it to a specialist e.g. JZ Machtech and see if they can a) sort the problem and if not, b) source you a 2nd hand engine.

What a bummer :(


Migration info. Legacy thread was 16155
 
I wrote to the Porsche centre as requested, they "wrote" to Porsche GB who came back with a contribution of £0!!!! I have since talked to Porsche GB they will get back to me tomorrow.

Statstone dont know why it went wrong they just say it needs a new engine!! They feel the cost of stripping the engine down would add a substantial cost to MY bill.

This is not an uncommon problem i am begining to find out. Porsche are aware of a problem with some engines built pre April 1999 so should inform owners of this but as always have not.

So far i have been mailed by 3 owners in a similar position to mine in uk


Migration info. Legacy thread was 16156
 
I was offered £800 towards the cost of my bill by Porsche. They feel that this is a generous offer.

Views would be welcome on this


Migration info. Legacy thread was 16177
 
Previous poster said:
Quote: Originally posted by Dr Mahen Nadarajah on 23 June 2004

I was offered £800 towards the cost of my bill by Porsche. They feel that this is a generous offer.

Views would be welcome on this
Write to porsche Germany, you might have more luck with them. Also threaten to cancel your order. Might not do much though as there will be plenty wanting to take your place...

Migration info. Legacy thread was 16180
 
The fact that the dealer doesn't want the cause uncovered is suspicious. Even if it is nothing to do with their servicing an engine replacement is the easy option for them - lots of labour, margin on the new engine and no hassle. How do they know it is not going to happen again if they don't know the cause? How do YOU know it is not something they did?

If a piston has let go you will have minute fragments of aluminium throughout the inlet and exhaust tract, so as soon as you fit a new engine, you knacker it.

I would go to a specialist for an informed view. The AA also have a department to help with things like this, if you're a member. Finally, unless the block has had it which is unlikely, it is probably much cheaper to get it rebuilt. You can get an awful lot of engine for £10,000. Suggest you find who the local PCGB and Cup racers use for maintenance and rebuilds.

FYI I had a rod let go on a 525 BMW in 1994. BMW GB didn't want to know. Munich we equally unhelpful. I threatened to go to the press and they said 'everyone says that'. 3 months later there was a two page spread in Autocar about the uselessness of BMW warranties. BMW settled in full plus £2000 'aggro' 48hours before the article was published..........Jaguar on the other hand replaced the engine in my XKR completely FOC 'cos there was a known problem with Nicasil liners'. Done whilst I was on holiday and the car was in for a service.

Hope this helps

Richard


Migration info. Legacy thread was 16181
 
I seem to be gathering a few people from around the uk who have had the same problem with their car. They have all had the same response from their Porsche Centres that they need a new engine, no cause found! Porsche GB have tried to say that its nothing to do with them as the cars are over 5years old!! one of the local independants say that they have on average 1-2 cars a month

Looking at the Porsche owners club in the USA the problem of cracked cylinders sems to have attracted many posts. I even have some pictures!! Porsche have known of problems with engine cylinder blocks

I really would like to build up a database of those who have had such a problem would welcome just brief comments from members.

While i understand that there is a point at which a car can fail, fauilures of such catostrophic nature should not really happen to a prestige marque at a low mileage




Migration info. Legacy thread was 16195
 
Funny situation especially as Porsche is claiming 30k miles service intervals and a life expectancy of 240km for the 997. Try and find out what Porsche claim as the life expectancy of the 996 powertrain. You may have a misrepresentation case against them of you bought it in good faith expecting it to have the (once) legendary life expectancy of a Porsche.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 16223
 
Bones

The issue is covered by the sales of goods act 1994.

I would love a written comment from Porsche to state that a 30k car with a full service history MAY have a catrostorpic failure. I could then take out a full page add in the sunday times and paste it there

All i can say is that i wish such a company would put their hands up and admit when they are wrong instead of having some school kid on the other end of the phone saying at a 5% reduction to my bill was generous


Migration info. Legacy thread was 16224
 
good luck, I'm pretty sure you can seriously embarass them into action at the right moment.

Migration info. Legacy thread was 16230
 
After a meeting with the Service manager today the following has emerged.

HE does feel that its likely to be a sliped cylinder lining or a cracked cylinder. Both of which i could not have caused! There have been a few cases of these of this (4 last month) in low mileage well used fully serviced cars.

I have agreed to pay for the engine to be stripped down so that the fault can be found (we all agreed that it was a waste of time and money). The cost would be for 40hours of labour! £2k++

The point of all of this expence and time......


Migration info. Legacy thread was 16249
 
You should only agree to carry out this investigation work on the basis of to identify the cause of the fault. If Prosche is to blame not only should they find a solution to rectify this, but also to pay for the investigation work ie 40hours of labour! £2k++!!!

Migration info. Legacy thread was 16250
 
sounds like a similar problem to what i suffered with my '51 996 - in my case the intermediate shaft snapped, sending debris around the engine and screwing it big time. this on a three year old, 16k miles car. check the thread...

http://www.911uk.com/forum/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=12&TopicID=1837&PagePosition=2

porsche brushed my claims off - as it was 4 months out of warranty and an import (previous owner... err.... Porsche GMBH)

it seems that a HUGE number of individuals (compared to the numbers of 996's around....) are suffering catastrophic engine failures.

is it time to collect statistics and think about a way of getting porsche to take notice of these manufacturing defects? a twin track of publicity and legal action may get them to take their duty of care more seriously.


Migration info. Legacy thread was 16258
 
Jono

I read with a smile your encounters with Porsche.

I ahve to say that Alenesso was right the Sales of goods act of 1994 does protect you form the wrath and its the responsiblity of Porsche to Prove its your fault that the engine went wrong

I have set up an email address
[email protected]
please send me the details of your car and please get others that you know to do the same. I need all those that have had total engine replacements

what i need to know is

1. The reg of car and date of first reg so that we are not acused of making up the numbers

2. The mileage and how many years old the car was when it failed.

3. What the technical problem that caused the failure eg cylinder cracked

4. How much it cost you

5. offers and time scale from Porsche eg i was first offered £0 by Porsche GB the £800 a week later

6 If you had to fist pay for the technical inspection

I will try to get an electronic profoma but just mail me at that address. Its real and i am serious about getting this going




Migration info. Legacy thread was 16264
 
I also had the same problem with my 1998 996 after 22,000 miles again from Stratstones of Wilmslow. I had bought a warranty which covered the cost of the replacement engine but this I believe was paid for by Porsche GB. At the time there was total denial of any previously known problems with this type of engine. There seems to be a culture of secrecy and lack of openness.

Also am I correct in assuming that on a 48,000 mile £750 service on 996 the wheels should be removed to check brakes, pipes, torque on wheel nuts etc? Can anyone confirm definitively that this is a Porsche servicing requirement. On all my other cars this is done as a matter of course and good practice. (cleaning etc).


Migration info. Legacy thread was 16267
 

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