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Old 06-09-2007, 05:29 AM   #1
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Dead Battery, but different...

Hi all,

I know there are a lot of post about dead battery, apparently Porsches are hard on batteries. But here is an interesting circumstance.

The background. I purchased my first Porsche in April of this year. A 2003 base Boxster, manual, arctic silver with about 42000 miles. It was love at first curve! I have driven it every day since and twice on Sunday! My commute takes me through the back roads in the hills of NJ and I could not think of a better car do it in when it is sunny. Anyway, last Friday i have the standard 1 hour commute, I get home, park the Box in the garage and hop in the pool for a well deserved dip. After about 45 min to 60 min I get out of the pool and decide to get pizza. Hop in the Box, turn the key, engine barely turns over once and does not start. Heart skips a beat...turn the key again this time all I get is a clicking noise. I take the key out and the oil gage light and the battery light stay on. Needless to say I am distraught. After a night of crying in my beer, well more beer than crying, I call 1-800-PORSCHE for some advice and consolation.

I am now sitting waiting for the service guy to come and boost the Box. Has anyone else experienced this? Is it just a dead battery or could it be a bad alternator?

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Old 06-09-2007, 06:01 AM   #2
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Very unusual for a battery to die like that. If it didn't sound "slow" starting before your drive home, just letting it sit for that short period and having it dead doesn't sound like battery caused. May be alternator, or drive belt for it. Hopefully the service they send will take a look for cause rather than just giving you a jump.

Good luck!
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Old 06-09-2007, 06:11 AM   #3
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More than likely, you just need a new battery. If your car is an 03, it prob. was delivered in 02. It is now 07, so it is about time for a new battery. My battery went out after 5 years, and I had a similar experience. Just swap in a new battery for about $100 or less (doesn't have to be a Porsche OEM battery), for any Autozone group 47/48, costco, or Die Hard Int'l group 48 battery will fit, and work fine in the Boxster.

Having a dead battery is nothing to cry over, man. It's no big deal. Just pop in a new battery and continue enjoying your car.
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Old 06-09-2007, 07:00 AM   #4
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I vote new battery.

They will start acting funny like that, especially when hot.

When I had a Toyota Tacoma, it appeared to run fine, it would start fine first thing, then I'd go to a store to run some errands on a hot day... and when I got back into the truck, it would SLOWLY crank.

Again, I vote new battery. They do wear out. Get yourself an Optima Yellow Top and be happy!
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Old 06-09-2007, 07:22 AM   #5
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Thanks for all the replies. The service guy just gave me a boost and could not help as far diagnostics. He didn't even know where the battery was. Anyway i ran to the store and picked a new battery and charger for the old and we will see. I hope it's not the alternator. BTW the battery I pulled out was a VW battery. Is that what they put in Porsches?
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Old 06-09-2007, 07:25 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lancelot092466
Thanks for all the replies. The service guy just gave me a boost and could not help as far diagnostics. He didn't even know where the battery was. Anyway i ran to the store and picked a new battery and charger for the old and we will see. I hope it's not the alternator. BTW the battery I pulled out was a VW battery. Is that what they put in Porsches?

Sounds like second battery to me. The new Porsche's are shipped with a Bosch (crap) battery.

Good luck.
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Old 06-09-2007, 07:26 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lancelot092466
Thanks for all the replies. The service guy just gave me a boost and could not help as far diagnostics. He didn't even know where the battery was. Anyway i ran to the store and picked a new battery and charger for the old and we will see. I hope it's not the alternator. BTW the battery I pulled out was a VW battery. Is that what they put in Porsches?

LOL. No, the original battery is made by a company called Moll. I guess someone drained the original, and replaced it with a VW battery. Good luck with the new battery. Make sure that with the new battery, you reconnect the vent tube, so that gasses/fluid can escape cleanly from the trunk area.
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Old 06-09-2007, 08:12 AM   #8
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If you suspect a faulty alternator, get a good battery in there, start the engine, and check the voltage across the battery. At idle it should be around 14v. If it's 12 or less... you could have a bum alternator.
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Old 09-26-2007, 08:58 PM   #9
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This sounds very similar to my issue. lancelot092466 - Did the changing of the battery do the trick? Please let me know if theres anything special about putting the battery in or is it an easy swap. Thanks!

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