Dying Battery????

[super66]

Hey guys here is my situation -

Last night I start my car right up, it runs for 2 seconds and dies.....I start it again but this time it turns over real sluggish, I give it a little gas and it stays on....

This morning, I go out, start it right up and turns off after like 2 seconds...

Could this be a baterry issue? and would the battery be under warrnaty still?

also one thing to note is that when it initially shut off....my clock reset to show 12:00 last night....not sure why

btw its a 987...

[rick3000]

It is probably the battery, or at least that is what it sounds like to me. I am not sure if a warranty would cover the battery, because replacing it could be considered normal maintenance, so you need to call and check.

[Lil bastard]

Probably the Battery, but maybe the Alternator too.

Sorry, but Porsche specifically does not warranty the Battery. They put out a TSB on this because early on, many dealerships were replacing the Batteries simply because people were not driving the cars enough and the power drain when the car was off was causing the Batteries to die, not a defect in the Battery itself.

Simple check - Take a DMM (Digital Multimeter) and with the car Off check the voltage across the battery terminals. Should be 12.6-13.2 volts. More is not good, less is not good.

Then, start the car and do the same check. Now you should see 13.5-14.5 volts - this is the Alternator voltage. More is not good, less is not good.

One caveat, you may have a cracked cell internally which may not affect the output voltage, but the amperage. But the DMM check is still worth doing.

Also, you could go to an Autozone, Pep Boys or such and get a free load test on the battery and alternator.

Batteries last somewhere between 3-5 yrs. on avg. Your's may be on the low side of that average. This could be caused by many things incl. poor manufacture, infrequent driving, too many deep discharges, even a good jolt from hitting a pothole or such can damage a battery.

[super66]

hey thanks for the info.....

I would think the alternator would be covered so I would rather the alternator go bad I guess....or I MAY be entirely wrong...

maybe I'll look into if I can find the battery which I think is in the trunk??? oh man sorry guys for not knowing my car better....I just know I love to drive it

[Lil bastard]

Your Battery is located under the Hood.

Open the Hood and look straight ahead. You'll see a large black rectagular plastic piece. This is the Battery Cover. On each side, you'll see a knob, turn them 90° and lift. Then, pull straight forward.

There is a 10mm nut on each cable connector. The Battery also has a hold-down on the passenger side which needs to be removed to remove the battery - 13mm hex head. Also, you'll see a clear vent tube on the passenger side going into the side of the battery - this just pulls out.

[Duster]

The easist way to figure out, if it's the battery or alternator is to have the car running and disconnect the negative cable from the battery.

If the car stops running after a very short time, it's the battery. If the car stops running while the negative cable is connected to the battery, it's the alternator.

[Lil bastard]

Originally Posted by Duster

The easist way to figure out, if it's the battery or alternator is to have the car running and disconnect the negative cable from the battery.

If the car stops running after a very short time, it's the battery. If the car stops running while the negative cable is connected to the battery, it's the alternator.

Sorry, but NO !!!

NEVER disconnect the battery cable while the car is running!

The battery acts like a voltage stabilizer or filter to the pulsating DC produced by the alternator.

Disconnecting a battery while the engine is running could (read: Good possibility) destroy the sensitive electronic components connected to the electrical system such as the DME, radio/ audio system, alarm system, etc., or the charging system itself, especially with internal voltage regulators, such as found in the Boxster.

This is because the peak voltage can rise to 40 volts or more.

In older cars, with no electronic equipment, and only electro-mechanical voltage regulators and such, removing a battery terminal was an accepted practice to test charging systems. That is no longer the case.

Also, static electricity and spikes from connecting and disconnecting batteries could also damage sensitive electronic components.

DON"T DO IT !! It could result in much more damage than the cost of a new battery.