Alarm Control Unit Disaster!!

[iccubed]

Hello – please help!

This week I took my 1999 Boxster (2.5 L) to one of the better Porsche mechanics in Portland, OR. My Alarm Control Unit (located under driver’s seat) had gotten wet and no longer worked properly ($315 diagnostic time at the dealer so didn’t want to go back to them). The problem is the doors don’t lock and alarm doesn’t set. Even under Emergency Mode (3 turns to right with key) one door does not lock. Plus interior lights stay on longer than they should (20+ minutes).

Anyway, I had the new Alarm Unit (996-618-260-07) and gave to the mechanic with the Learn Code numbers. They could not get the car to accept the unit. They then found that the gas door locking servo had failed as well. They suggested that sometimes this malfunction fries one of the drivers in the Alarm Unit and could have created the problem.

So they replaced the gas door locking servo (997-624-113-00) and tried again with no luck. Here is what the report says after they charged me $455 with not even fixing the problem!! They originally said it would be no problem and should cost 140-160. Afterwards they said they have never experienced such trouble with a car. I guess it is haunted.

“Check/clean electrical connections at ECU. Locked new control unit with immobilizer number supplied by customer. Coded version 4=USA. Attempted to teach new control unit, transponder key and remote controls. “TIME BLOCK RUNNING’ shows on PST2 and will not respond to teach functions. Replace servo unit for fuel door. Retried to teach new ECU, remotes and transponder keys. Still shows “TIME BLOCK RUNNING” and will not respond. Reinstall old control unit to make vehicle useable.”

So, how can I get the car to accept the unit and work properly? I am planning on going back to the mechanic with your suggestion so thank you, thank you, thank you to anyone that can help!

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

I suppose they disconnected the battery when installing the new Alarm? This should have interupted any running processes in the DME. If they didn't, this may be the issue. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[iccubed]

Thank you Jim!

I don't know if they disconnected the battery or not. I will check with them. Is it normal procedure to replace the alarm control unit with the battery disconnected?

[chiefsalami]

which service place was this?

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by iccubed

Thank you Jim!

I don't know if they disconnected the battery or not. I will check with them. Is it normal procedure to replace the alarm control unit with the battery disconnected?

Hi,

It is for any competent shop. You should always disconnect the battery when doing any electrical work on the car. This is especially true if you are replacing any electronic component. If there is a B+ circuit, it can arc or power spike when you attach the connectors if the battery is hooked up. It doesn't take much to fry today's microelectronic components. Better safe than sorry...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[iccubed]

Hello All,

Solution to my problem realized.

“If it gets wet, you’ll regret!”

After hours of diagnostic and repair time, this what we (Porsche mechanics included) think happened.

When I bought the car, they shipped from CA to OR. There was a hole in the convertible top window. A lot of water got in during shipping. When the car arrived I did not check the keyless entry and door locking features……always do this!!

We think the water ran down the convertible top and entered the cockpit. The alarm control unit sits at the lowest point under the driver’s seat. Once it gets wet it fries things. The door locking actuator for passenger and driver doors as well as fuel door shorted. I guess the trunks can have the same effect, but didn’t for mine. It also fried the keyless entry so need a new key. Always keep the code with the key b/c then you don’t have to buy a new one and they can reprogram. I only got one key with no codes from my purchase.

The alarm control unit controls all locking functions. 5 hours at Porsche dealer to make the alarm unit talk to the car. The “TIME BLOCK RUNNING” error is one they had never seen before. They talked with the special Porsche dealer tech line and the response is that it sometimes takes between 1 and 16, yes SIXTEEN hours, to finish “running”. Mine took 3 hours. And the battery does not need to be disconnected according to Porsche mechanic.

Further more, when the non-dealer mechanic replaced the fuel door locking mechanism, there is a possibility that they created a vacuum leak from pinching a button snap into or against the plastic hose. So now my Check Engine light is stuck on. It could also be the Air Flow Sensor. So that will be the next problem.

Finally, we have to make sure that water still is not getting into the car. I have to check the drain hole right above the air intake vent to see if it’s plugged. Then look at the water catching foam pan and see if there is a hole in that. If so, water will run down behind driver’s seat and eventually to my new alarm control unit. Additionally I have to take out the seat with a torx wrench and lift up the carpet and try to soak up the water that is embedded in the carpet. Apparently there is a sponge like material under that carpet that will hold water for years. During this will be hard b/c there will only be a couple inches of wiggle room under the carpet or else I will have to take out the entire carpet throughout the car.

CONCLUSION on what I needed to fix:

Alarm Control Unit = $230, I got at dealer cost plus 15% at one of their sales + $275 labor, it was going to be $530, but they took pitty on me.
Passenger Door Actuator = $380 + $112 labor
Driver Door Actuator = $380 + $112 labor
Fuel Door Motor = $49 + $220 labor
New Key = $150
Water Drain Pan = $75 + $190 labor

TOTAL = $2173

Wow, what a pain. So make sure your cockpit floor stays dry!!