BooHoo

[MARTHA]

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BooHoo, poor ole Martha!

I’ve had my 987 for less than a month and this morning when I was ready to leave for church it wouldn’t start.

It turns out you can’t leave the ignition key in the car overnight or it will run the battery down, even if turned off. Who Knew!

So of course now I can’t get into the frunk. I watched a couple of YouTube videos and they recommend you don’t use a battery charger because it can possibly fry electrical systems, they recommend using a jump starter. Then when you get into the trunk you should disconnect the battery before charging?

Does all this sound correct?

I took a spirited 4 hour drive on Thursday and left the key in the ignition when I returned home so I guess the battery has been dead since then. Has the battery been harmed after being dead for 2-3 days? I guess as long as it takes a charge?
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[husker boxster]

A couple of wks ago while prepping my Cayman for Indy, I left the rear hatch unlatched for a couple of days. I figured the interior lights would eventually go out, which they did after the battery ran out of juice. Luckily there was enough juice left in it to pop the frunk. I attached a charger to the battery without disconnecting the cables. Put it on slow charge and it took the charge, it started but the battery ran down a couple days later (I didn't drive it for those days). Charged it with full power charge and then took it on an hr drive. No problems since.

So I didn't disconnect the cables but you may need to take it for a long drive once the battery is charged.

[Steve Tinker]

Its always recommended to disconnect your battery when using a battery charger - especially when the battery is fully discharged (as yours is).
Your battery should still be OK if its relatively new.
Remember that it will take about 7-8 hours (or overnight) to fully charge the battery - you can test by checking the voltage at the battery terminals. Disconnect the charger, connect the battery & switch on the headlights for about 20 seconds & then check voltage - your multimeter should read 12.6v for 100% charged.
Don't forget to find your radio code before disconnecting the battery.

[steved0x]

I learned that the hard way on my 986 Boxster and it killed my battery. It was getting due anyway and luckily I had a new odyssey red top ready to go.

[lkchris]

Dealing with this should be thoroughly covered in your owners manual. Things you've "heard" or read elsewhere should be ignored in favor of instructions from Porsche.

[MARTHA]

Originally Posted by Steve Tinker

Don't forget to find your radio code before disconnecting the battery.

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Steve, Can you (or anyone else) please elaborate on this? I don't understand this suggestion because I don't know anything about a code.
And can you tell me where to find this code? And what I need it for?
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[MARTHA]

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Thanks everyone for your help!
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[MARTHA]

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About the radio code, As I said I don't know what this code is or is about, but my battery is dead so I can't see retrieving a code is going to be possible, and if I disconnect a dead battery I don't see how it could make me any worse off. Thanks in advance for your help.
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[MARTHA]

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Ok, I’ve done a search and I think this radio code thingy is going to be above my head. Maybe I can get a grandchild to help me with it sometime.

Since the battery is already dead can I go ahead and disconnect the battery so I can charge it and get the car to running? Or is it absolutely necessary I wait until I have the code? I’m not a radio person but I’d still like to have it working. I’d hate to render it unfixable (or programable, whatever).

Thanks!

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[78F350]

... Since the battery is already dead can I go ahead and disconnect the battery so I can charge it and get the car to running? ...

If the battery is dead, there is no urgency about the radio code. Go ahead and get the car running as soon as you'd like. The "code" is just number that you enter into a stock/factory radio any time that power had been interrupted. It is just a security measure for the stereo to make it less desirable to thieves. Until the code is entered, the stereo will not work, that's all.

Edit: If your car came with the original stereo and manuals, the code should be noted in the manual.

[MARTHA]

Originally Posted by 78F350

Edit: If your car came with the original stereo and manuals, the code should be noted in the manual.

.Thanks!

My car did come with the original radio but it did not come with the radio manual. I did purchase a manual off eBay but I'm guessing any code contained in that manual isn't going to help me.

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[Steve Tinker]

Once you have disconnected, charged the battery and got the car running, reconnect the battery & see if your radio switches on as usual. If not, & don't have a code, use the search function @ the top of the page < radio code > and go from there.
Once the battery has been disconnected you will also have to reset the clock and initialise the windows automatic up / down function too. See your handbook for details, but for a quick reference, lower each window fully down then fully up, but don't release the up button for about 5 seconds after it reaches its upper limit.

[husker boxster]

Radio codes are for 986s. There isn't a code for a 987.

The CDR-24, which Martha has, talks to the CPU to see if it matches the code in the CPU. The radio automatically owns / sends the code w/o the owner having to input it.

[MARTHA]

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Thanks Steve and Husker!

I have the battery out and charging.

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[MARTHA]

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My car has a brand new Porsche battery (no telling what it costs).

After my leaving the key in the ignition it was dead, dead, dead.

I have a 30 year old 2/15/100amp charger and I doubt it has a shutoff for when/if the battery reaches optimum voltage. I set the charger to 2amps.

My question is, how long do you think I should leave the charger on the battery set to 2amps. I put it on at noon today and was thinking I would take it off when I go to bed, somewhere around midnight, so 12 hours. I want it to receive a full charge but I don’t want to overcharge it either. What you think?

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[Steve Tinker]

A 10-12 hour charge cycle is more than adequate .....I don't think you will damage the battery.

[MARTHA]

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I’m guessing my questions seem trivial to some of you guys, but these questions and answers are extremely important to me, I want to get back to driving my car as soon as possible and that means getting it running first.
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[MARTHA]

Originally Posted by Steve Tinker

A 10-12 hour charge cycle is more than adequate .....I don't think you will damage the battery.

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Thanks Steve!!!

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[MARTHA]

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OK
I’m back to square one….. Have everything (I think) reprogrammed.
The radio and windows thankfully reset themselves.
What a pain, I searched online and ask here for information and I watched YouTube videos and in the end I got er done.
I learned a lot, a whole lot, but I’ll likely forget most of it by tomorrow.
One thing I’m for sure going to remember is to take the key out!!!!!
Thanks Everyone for your help and understanding!
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