Now I've got a Spoiler Problem - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

denverpete · 08-24-2006, 08:12 AM

Okay, I've searched and read through the spoiler problem posts but haven't necessarily seen this one.

My spoiler light will come on when I exceed 75 mph and stay on thereafter until the next time I start my car. At that point, it will go off as normal. My understanding is that the light comes on at this point for basically two reasons: 1) It didn't activate or 2) It didn't raise fully. I can't really check either one but I'm assuming #1.

Now, if I activate it manually it will go up and down.

I have had a few cases where it didn't seem to want to raise or lower manually. But if I turn the car off and back on, it generally works.

A few weeks ago the spoiler light did come on and refuse to turn off during normal (low speed) driving.

Right now I'm manually raising it before heading off to work. Last night my wife, whom by now is pretty tired of all the Porsche problems, came in to tell me that "there's something sticking up on the back of your car". I explained it was the spoiler but didn't have the heart to tell her it was because it wasn't working correctly.

Ideas?

TriGem2k · 08-24-2006, 09:56 AM

Bad Relay?

SD987 · 08-24-2006, 10:24 AM

The good thing is, I don't think that there are that many possible culprits.

Driving Mechanism (7)
Electric Motor (13) unlikely, since you can raise/lower manually
or my guess, the actuator, since the performance seems spotty (20)

denverpete · 08-24-2006, 10:42 AM

Actuator certainly sounds like the right thing. But simply by the name it seems that if it can "actuate" manually, it should "actuate" automatically. What do you suppose is the causing the difference?

MNBoxster · 08-24-2006, 11:23 AM

Hi,

First thing I would do is replace the Fuse and the Relay, even if the current ones seem to be OK.

Next, dismantle it and apply 12V DC to the Actuators, if they work, that's not your problem.

Next, using a Digital Multimeter (never use an Analog one on a car with micro-electronics), check your connectors to see if you are getting 12V power to it.

Next, retrace all the wiring from the Manual Switch (assuming you did the Hack) to insure that no wiring has chafed and is possibly intermittently shorting to ground. Absent having performed the Hack, do a Continuity Test on the OEM Manual Switch to insure that it isn't shorting out.

If still No Joy my suspicion is that it may have more to do with the DME and/or Speed Sensors. This is because you have had the MIL at speeds under the regulated deployment speed. This MIL lights on engine start-up until the vehicle is moving and the DME can speed-calibrate itself (usually after reaching 3MPH) so the deployment actually occurs at 75MPH. If it lights during driving at lower than deployment speed, I suspect this is due to improper, or no, speed signal. This may be why you can manually, but not automatically, deploy it because there is no speed validation required for Manual deployment.

If you have the Durametric Software, you may be able to diagnose this yourself, otherwise I suspect you need to get a PST2 involved as the Speed Sensors use a Hall Effect to signal the DME what speed they're registering, meaning that they must be in proximity to a moving wheel in order to work which is not an environment condusive to working with a Multimeter. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

denverpete · 08-24-2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

Hi,

First thing I would do is replace the Fuse and the Relay, even if the current ones seem to be OK.

Next, dismantle it and apply 12V DC to the Actuators, if they work, that's not your problem.

Next, using a Digital Multimeter (never use an Analog one on a car with micro-electronics), check your connectors to see if you are getting 12V power to it.

Next, retrace all the wiring from the Manual Switch (assuming you did the Hack) to insure that no wiring has chafed and is possibly intermittently shorting to ground. Absent having performed the Hack, do a Continuity Test on the OEM Manual Switch to insure that it isn't shorting out.

If still No Joy my suspicion is that it may have more to do with the DME and/or Speed Sensors. This is because you have had the MIL at speeds under the regulated deployment speed. This MIL lights on engine start-up until the vehicle is moving and the DME can speed-calibrate itself (usually after reaching 3MPH) so the deployment actually occurs at 75MPH. If it lights during driving at lower than deployment speed, I suspect this is due to improper, or no, speed signal. This may be why you can manually, but not automatically, deploy it because there is no speed validation required for Manual deployment.

If you have the Durametric Software, you may be able to diagnose this yourself, otherwise I suspect you need to get a PST2 involved as the Speed Sensors use a Hall Effect to signal the DME what speed they're registering, meaning that they must in proximity to a moving wheel in order to work which is not an environment condusive to working with a Multimeter. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Gotcha! Step #1) Check fuses and relay. If okay, Step #2) Take it to the shop.

Just a question here Jim - I recently got nailed on the driver's side. I'm pretty sure they removed the driver's rear quarter which extends through the trunk. This problem showed up not 1 week after. Now obviously, anytime something comes up after it goes to the shop we blame the shop. Is there any chance that they moved or messed up the sensors? While these guys normally do great work - I have a few reasons to suspect that this time around it wasn't quite as thorough. The DME sounds much more like what's happening.

MNBoxster · 08-24-2006, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denverpete

Gotcha! Step #1) Check fuses and relay. If okay, Step #2) Take it to the shop.

Just a question here Jim - I recently got nailed on the driver's side. I'm pretty sure they removed the driver's rear quarter which extends through the trunk. This problem showed up not 1 week after. Now obviously, anytime something comes up after it goes to the shop we blame the shop. Is there any chance that they moved or messed up the sensors? While these guys normally do great work - I have a few reasons to suspect that this time around it wasn't quite as thorough. The DME sounds much more like what's happening.

Hi,

Ahhh.... The Plot thickens, and the list of possibilities just lengthened consisderably... Well, the DME lives on the Driver's side of the rear bulkhead, so there well could be some complicity here. If it was loosened or removed, or the harness removed, anything from a poorly seated connector to a broken wire or bad ground could have occured.

Also, the Speed Sensors are connected to the Calipers which may or may not have been removed or swung free to facilitate the repair. On a '99, the thin 22ga. wiring has aged and can get brittle. It wouldn't take much movement in either case, to cause an inadvertent break, possibly even inside the sheathing, making it all the more difficult to isolate.

Unless you are the type who likes to build ships in the bottle, or make matchstick miniatures of the Capitol, DIYing this one can be fraught with frustration, maybe even such that footing a repair bill would seem tame in comparison. Get Thee to the Shop!...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

denverpete · 09-08-2006, 12:37 PM

Okay - So it appears that the spoiler is actually raising and lowering at speed. Now how do I know that? Well, it seems that if I look over my right shoulder and raise up just a bit I can see it. This is odd to me because I don't remember ever being able to see it. In fact, I seem to recall trying quite a few things to try and see it - which I believe is, amusingly enough, fairly common with Boxster owners.

Knowing that the light comes on if the spoiler doesn't extend or fully extend - is it possible that it's actually raising too high? Is this possible? Or maybe it's just that I've gotten good at looking for the spoiler and can now see it. If so, then perhaps somethings keeping it from raising all the way?

Advice?

TriGem2k · 09-08-2006, 12:46 PM

I once had an issue with mine as well. The spoiler would not raise at times therefore the light came on, but never went away even after the problem was corrected. Took it to the dealer had them reset the light and everything works fine.

See if resetting it helps, I don't think the spoiler can "raise too high".

denverpete · 09-08-2006, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TriGem2k

I once had an issue with mine as well. The spoiler would not raise at times therefore the light came on, but never went away even after the problem was corrected. Took it to the dealer had them reset the light and everything works fine.

See if resetting it helps, I don't think the spoiler can "raise too high".

Well, the light only comes on after I exceed 75MPH and won't go off until the car is shut down. After re-starting the car, there is no spoiler light. In effect, everything seems to be working correctly - but I'm getting the light.

As to raising too high, humorous I know. But, nothing surprises me anymore with this car....

TriGem2k · 09-08-2006, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denverpete

Well, the light only comes on after I exceed 75MPH and won't go off until the car is shut down. After re-starting the car, there is no spoiler light. In effect, everything seems to be working correctly - but I'm getting the light.

As to raising too high, humorous I know. But, nothing surprises me anymore with this car....

Yes yes the Boxster is ALWAYS filled with suprises.

I would still have the computer checked. Sounds like a short in your system.