1998 996 C2

[ATM]

Rosewood Red said:

But it's just a simple latch released by a cable.

Yes but the levers have a little catch which is activated when the car is locked - I have now discovered - and deactivated when it is unlocked. So in the locked position they will not move, well they only jiggle a tiny amount against this catch mechanism.

According to Google you can get a small screw driver under the lever while locked and push the catch away enough to allow the lever to be operated.

[Rosewood Red]

You learn something new everyday.

Is your 996 back to life now?

[ATM]

CornedBeef said:

As someone with a 98 and a borked central locking key - mine unlocks by me putting the key to ignition 2, shutting the drivers door and then hitting the unlock button on the dash.

ATM have you tried this mate? You have to shut the door for it to work.

No

Waited just over 2 hours for the AA subcontractor. He started trying to remove some trim under my steering wheel until i said just put a booster in the fag lighter if you have one. Hey presto car could be unlocked, bonnet opened and jumper cables attached.

[CornedBeef]

ATM said:

No

Waited just over 2 hours for the AA subcontractor. He started trying to remove some trim under my steering wheel until i said just put a booster in the fag lighter if you have one. Hey presto car could be unlocked, bonnet opened and jumper cables attached.

Long. Old dead battery due a replacement then?

[ATM]

ATM said:

CornedBeef said:

As someone with a 98 and a borked central locking key - mine unlocks by me putting the key to ignition 2, shutting the drivers door and then hitting the unlock button on the dash.

ATM have you tried this mate? You have to shut the door for it to work.

No

Waited just over 2 hours for the AA subcontractor. He started trying to remove some trim under my steering wheel until i said just put a booster in the fag lighter if you have one. Hey presto car could be unlocked, bonnet opened and jumper cables attached.

Which one is position 2?

So key in then first turn goes to lights on dash and then next turn goes to start. I'm guessing position 2 is lights on the dash or ignition on?

[ATM]

CornedBeef said:

ATM said:

No

Waited just over 2 hours for the AA subcontractor. He started trying to remove some trim under my steering wheel until i said just put a booster in the fag lighter if you have one. Hey presto car could be unlocked, bonnet opened and jumper cables attached.

Long. Old dead battery due a replacement then?

Well am I being tight if I am considering a home refurb of the existing battery?

I didnt even know this was a thing but now that I do I am wandering if I should embrace my car addiction and actually fix something instead of just replacing it.

[CornedBeef]

Ignition 2 is so all of the lights on the dash come on - one back from the turn for the starter motor if that makes sense. Its the position the key sits at when the cars running.

I had no idea you could refurbish a car battery at home! Assuming you don't have to do any drastic opening up of it?

[ATM]

CornedBeef said:

I had no idea you could refurbish a car battery at home! Assuming you don't have to do any drastic opening up of it?

Of course you have to open it. Old school batteries had 6 screw tops and these changed to 2 click in covers with 3 cells per cover.

You have to basically open it up and drain the acid in there - or use a turkey baster. You then replace the acid and charge it up. Someone told me you can fizz the plates a bit to get rid of gunk of the surface. I just need to remember who this was and confirm whats involved.

Anyway fresh acid and a recharge can bring it back to life or improve it. Some people repeat the process once it is off the car a couple of times. This also clears out any rubbish. The idea being nice clean plates and fresh acid should work well.

[Steviesam]

ATM said:

Of course you have to open it. Old school batteries had 6 screw tops and these changed to 2 click in covers with 3 cells per cover.

You have to basically open it up and drain the acid in there - or use a turkey baster. You then replace the acid and charge it up. Someone told me you can fizz the plates a bit to get rid of gunk of the surface. I just need to remember who this was and confirm whats involved.

Anyway fresh acid and a recharge can bring it back to life or improve it. Some people repeat the process once it is off the car a couple of times. This also clears out any rubbish. The idea being nice clean plates and fresh acid should work well.

Plus, when you tip it down the sink/drain, it will clear most blockages and spruce the pipes up.

[ATM]

I'm planning to find the car with a flat battery again when I get back on Thursday night. Therefore I've been wandering what to do. One of my mates has a 996tt and says if I get into the fuse panel there is a red terminal I can use to jump the car. Anyone in here had a rummage in their fuse panel?

Or maybe just buy one of these -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/KINDEN-Aluminum-12000mAh-...

Edited by ATM on Tuesday 13th February 08:24

[MB140]

ATM said:

I'm planning to find the car with a flat battery again when I get back on Thursday night. Therefore I've been wandering what to do. One of my mates has a 996tt and says if I get into the fuse panel there is a red terminal I can use to jump the car. Anyone in here had a rummage in their fuse panel?

Or maybe just buy one of these -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/KINDEN-Aluminum-12000mAh-...

Edited by ATM on Tuesday 13th February 08:24

my cayman had the red tab in the fusebox, you simply open the car door with the key, pull the fuse panel cover off, pull out the rad tab, connect the positive from another battery/charger to the red tab and the earth to any earth on the chassis and hey presto the frunck should open to give you access to the battery.

secondly and I didn't know this when I first got my 987 cayman that if you don't operate the key fob for a week the reciever for the alarm goes in to power saving mode. to reactivate it, you have to put the key in the door lock, turn it to unlock (or lock can't remember which) and then press the unlock button. this syncs the alarm and key fob again......

[was8v]

I'm not sure the 3.4 has the terminals.

Another option is to fish the "emergency" bonnet release cable out from behind the drivers side (I think) wheel arch liner.

[ATM]

After all the flapping the old girl just did what cars do and worked fine. I got back last night about 9. Hit the key blipper and doors unlocked fine. Fired her up fine. Took her for a bit of Tesco 99. Battery was showing 14v. I assume thats good. Took her for a little pootle around this morning. Took a good 10 minutes to get warm enough to defrost the Windows.

Can we have a bit of top trumps please. Who has better volts and who has all their heated rear windscreen working?

Edited by ATM on Friday 27th April 10:03

[Chris Stott]

Great news

[ATM]

Hopefully gonna get my finger out and fit the original 996 17 inch wheels I have for this, soon.

[identti]

My 1999 (which I just got thanks to posts like this and Jethro Bovingdon's DriveTribe film) shows 14v too. All the rear window elements seem to be working so far!

PS - like the steering wheel!

[ATM]

identti said:

My 1999 (which I just got thanks to posts like this and Jethro Bovingdon's DriveTribe film) shows 14v too. All the rear window elements seem to be working so far!

Ok so you're winning on the demister.

Now let's see your car.

[nebpor]

Mine goes to 14V when cold, but drops back to just over 13 once warm - I assume that it's the battery being more hungry for charge after it's just taken a whack starting a cold engine?

[identti]

ATM said:

Ok so you're winning on the demister.

Now let's see your car.

[ATM]

identti said:

PS - like the steering wheel!

Only just spotted this. You must have edited or resubmitted your post while i was typing my reply.

Thanks anyway...

Was on the car when i got it. I think its a cheapo but don't care. It might be decent quality but i have no way of knowing. It adds some extra distance between the wheel and the dash. Enough to get your knees behind it.

I find the rim a little thin though and I might prefer a thicker one. There is good feel though it as it isnt really padded.