Spoiler extension problem - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Bobiam · 03-27-2008, 01:32 PM

My spoiler only extends approximately 1" when manually raised. It operates nice and fast and you can hear it reaching the 1" extension.

I purchased the car 8 mo ago and it was stored for the winter....I have no idea if it operated properly above 75 mph last season, but I never noticed the red indicator light on the instrument cluster when above 75 (rarely done...had tires out of balance).

I reviewed the procedure for disassembly in my Bentley Manual, but thought I'd ask you guys for input before taking things apart.

Thanks,
Bob

Lil bastard · 03-27-2008, 09:30 PM

Well, before you go taking it all apart, a failed relay could also be causing the problem and is a lot easier to eliminate as a possible cause before starting to dismantle things.

There are 2 relays for the spoiler, both in the rear relay panel in the trunk. #3 (top row, 3rd from the left) is the extension relay and #9 (2nd row, 3rd from the left (just below #3)) is the retraction relay.

Swap each of these and see if the problem doesn't reverse itself. If it does, a bad relay is your problem. Also, return them to their original positions and try it again on the off chance that the #3 relay had worked loose and wasn't properly seated in the panel to begin with.

If none of this works, then go ahead and follow the dismantling preocedure in the Bentley as originally intended. Good Luck!

986speedster · 03-28-2008, 06:41 AM

Or try a little Viagara in your gas tank....

9eighty6 · 03-28-2008, 08:49 AM

Is there an in-dash "idiot" light to show that the spoiler has extended itself on the 986? I am really not sure if mine is working @ 75MPH or not .... no light comes on to show it is out ... but I do know it functions just fine with the switch.

Where is this fuse panel in the rear trunk? How can I access it?

Thanks -

Josh

pk2 · 03-28-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9eighty6

...Where is this fuse panel in the rear trunk? How can I access it?

Thanks -

Josh

The fuses s in the drivers foot well. The relays for the soiler are on a rack behind the left panel of the trunk, You pull back the side carpet by releasing to little half twist screws. The relay carrier slides out in a weird in a away so don;'t force it..Spoiler relays in question are brown and 3rd in from left, top and bottom.

You can take them out thwack em on the ground, sometimes loosens them up. You can also swap the and see if your problem works in reverse.

Regards, PK

Bobiam · 03-31-2008, 02:39 PM

My spoiler is now able to become fully erect.

I just showed it some pics that I found on the internet.....LOL

Actually, it appears to have been a relay connection. I swapped the relays 3 and 9, and as Lil Bastard suggests it was the problem. However, it worked fine in both directions after I did it. So I switched 'em back and it still worked fine. Must have been a poor connection.

What seems odd is that the relay would allow it to go up 1" rather than all or none. I'll checked it periodicly to be sure that the proper operation wasn't just a fluke of a Viagra day.

Now I can drive as fast as I want to, and I'll just explain to the arresting officer that I can do this since my spoiler is erect!

Thanks to all that offered advice.

Bob

Sloan · 03-31-2008, 02:48 PM

As 9eighty6 asked, how do you know? Short of standing up and looking back while going over 75 (which does not seem like a good idea), or having a chase vehicle, or a mirror on a big stick, how are you able to tell if it is deploying? I'm pretty tall, but no amount of craning my neck, checking mirrors, etc., has allowed me to see back there? I have no reason to doubt that mine is working (fine when manually deployed) but am curious to see if there's some easy way to tell that I have overlooked.

Bobiam · 03-31-2008, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sloan

As 9eighty6 asked, how do you know? Short of standing up and looking back while going over 75 (which does not seem like a good idea), or having a chase vehicle, or a mirror on a big stick, how are you able to tell if it is deploying? I'm pretty tall, but no amount of craning my neck, checking mirrors, etc., has allowed me to see back there? I have no reason to doubt that mine is working (fine when manually deployed) but am curious to see if there's some easy way to tell that I have overlooked.

Sloan....... It my particular case, it didn't work on when manually operated. So, it's a pretty safe assumption that since it now works on manual, it will also work when over 75.... Silly as it sounds, I think you could see it with a handheld mirror with arm stretch with your top down. Therefore, Cayman drivers would be sol!!! Or, you can ask your passenger to use the mirror....they already know that you're a P-car nut, so they won't hesitate to assist.

Bob

Lil bastard · 03-31-2008, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sloan

As 9eighty6 asked, how do you know? Short of standing up and looking back while going over 75 (which does not seem like a good idea), or having a chase vehicle, or a mirror on a big stick, how are you able to tell if it is deploying? I'm pretty tall, but no amount of craning my neck, checking mirrors, etc., has allowed me to see back there? I have no reason to doubt that mine is working (fine when manually deployed) but am curious to see if there's some easy way to tell that I have overlooked.

You will know because the spoiler MIL will light if it fails to extend. It is a fault indicator once the car has speed calibrated itself to 3MPH and the light goes out.

Also, the rear can get fairly squirrelly above 75MPH w/o it, especially in the wet.

Lil bastard · 03-31-2008, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobiam

...What seems odd is that the relay would allow it to go up 1" rather than all or none. ..Bob

The fact that it raised 1" indicates to me that you have a failing relay. These can overheat and break contact after being energized just a short while - about as long as it takes the spoiler to rise 1" for example. The relays are cheap - 996.615.102.00 or generic - 20.201.004 12V 20/30A.

Bobiam · 03-31-2008, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil bastard

The fact that it raised 1" indicates to me that you have a failing relay. These can overheat and break contact after being energized just a short while - about as long as it takes the spoiler to rise 1" for example. The relays are cheap - 996.615.102.00 or generic - 20.201.004 12V 20/30A.

Lil...!
That sounds good, but that overheat failure would generally be the last time that the spoiler rose until it was allowed to cool off. But while I was discovring this problem I raised and lowered it a dozen times or so, some right in succession, and italways performed the same, witha 1" rise. And if it were the relay overheating, why would it perform correctly around 8 times in a row when I"fixed" it?

Another thing. The dashboard indicator never lit when it was rising only 1". The mystery deepens!

Bob