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

sfkjeld · 10-12-2020, 02:58 PM

Seems my spoiler no longer goes up and down based on mph. It only responds by the switch under the dashboard left. Have read threads here but nothing conclusive. Does anyone know if this issue it a result of fuse or relay? Something simple? Some of the fixes I’ve read here do not sound good. $1300 et al?

Phat Hippy · 10-12-2020, 04:30 PM

If the manual switch works at the fuse panel, (should go up fully automatic with one tap in the up direction and then you have to hold continually to fully retract), and you don't have a failure light on the cluster, the fuses and solenoids are working. I suspect there may be a signal from the cluster at 75 mph for up and 50 mph for down that is causing issue and not the spoiler. If the spoiler fails to extend after 75 mph and no failure light is present, than you are not getting a signal from cluster. Manually extend the spoiler with the manual switch, then drive the car over 50 mph, slow down and check if the spoiler retracts on its own. If that works, the signal to extend is not being sent. You may be able to do a reboot battery disconnect (negative only) for 30 minutes or so, then reconnect, wait 20 minutes before touching anything and see if it helps. otherwise someone more competent in cluster signals might be able to trouble shoot it for you. Due to the expense of the spoiler assembly it is definitely worth fixing. Mine was micro switch failure inside spoiler assembly. PITA but I had failure light at the cluster. You could always just extend it and drive it like that... I couldn't

good luck.
MY2001S

Phat Hippy · 10-12-2020, 04:34 PM

NOT solenoids - RELAYS (2) in trunk fuse panel... sorry about that!

sfkjeld · 11-12-2020, 04:56 PM

Ok, now I have the pattern. If I raise the spoiler manually, it will stay up regardless of speed. When I turn off the motor, the spoiler will remain up. When I start the car next, the spoiler still up, and bring the car up to 70, I’ll find the spoiler down when I stop next.

Seems it requires a second restart to come down. Am thinking there is nothing wrong with the spoiler mechanism, it is simply the car torturing me.....

elav · 04-08-2021, 07:45 PM

Did you ever figure this out? I can manually raise and lower my spoiler but it was really struggling to do so. I took the entire spoiler apart, removed all the old grease, greased the cables, gears and used graphite on the rods that move the spoiler. It works beautifully manually now but I still have the spoiler light. Looking for next debug steps. BTW, I wish I took pictures but disassembling the entire assembly is really easy. The most difficult part was getting the spring-loaded cable ends back into the plastic gear racks.

Tomikaze · 12-26-2023, 07:14 PM

I’m experiencing something similar. Only has happened 3 time but frequency seems to be on the increase. Spoiler goes up at 75mph but doesn’t go back down. Spoiler light on the dash goes on and stays on. Manual switch does not work UNTIL… turn the car off and back on the switch will lower the spoiler. Operates normally again for a while.

Doing my research. I’m seeing microswitches, relays and even some sayings it’s the gauge cluster send bad sigals. Anyone fix this?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfkjeld

Ok, now I have the pattern. If I raise the spoiler manually, it will stay up regardless of speed. When I turn off the motor, the spoiler will remain up. When I start the car next, the spoiler still up, and bring the car up to 70, I’ll find the spoiler down when I stop next.

Seems it requires a second restart to come down. Am thinking there is nothing wrong with the spoiler mechanism, it is simply the car torturing me.....