Alarm gremlin?

[grey42cerbie]

Guys,

After about 3 days not using the car (shame on me) I returned to find a very weak battery. There was enough power to open the doors. When I got in and started the car (really slow starter motor though) the alarm started going off. I could only reset it by stopping the car locking / unlocking it again. Any thoughts?

Steve, 996TT

[dazren]

Sounds like you need to slow charge your battery and try it again or consider replacing it.

I know the alarm system shuts down the remote entry if you leave the car for about 5 days, to get around this you need to unlock the car using the key (the disabling of the remote function is automatically done to reduce battery drainage). Once you have unlocked the drivers door you have 10 seconds to get the engine going before the alarm goes off. (all of this should be covered in the owners manual).

DAZ

>> Edited by dazren on Saturday 13th March 18:31

[grey42cerbie]

DAZ,

Thanks for the reply. The full story and hence the worried post, IS. When I went to look at the car the guy said he was having a new battery fitted as it had a dead cell? Sutton Coldfield OPC had the car in replaced the battery (i,ve got the receipt). They had it in for a few days to check that it wasn't draining, they said it wasn't. I'm guessing it is, so it looks like I'll have to book it in somewhere to get to the bottom of the problem.

The alarm thing is a pain it's not the 5-day close-down as that goes beep-beep-beep for 10 seconds before the alarm goes off. My problem is that the alarm goes off as soon as you start the car. The other stange thing is that it lets you drive off with the alarm going. Should it do this? I would have thought it would have an imobiliser as standard? Any further pointers welcome...

Cheers, Steve, 996TT

P.S. Got my first wave from a fellow Porcshe owner today, which was nice. What's the form here? do people generally acknowledge each other?

[DRG]

grey42cerbie said:

P.S. Got my first wave from a fellow Porcshe owner today, which was nice. What's the form here? do people generally acknowledge each other?

Reading one of the other boards someone suggested this was an old Porsche ownership tradition. I alway wave or flash and even once stopped in a lay by for a natter with another Boxster owner and a guy in an 80's LHD 911.

Personally I like it

[kagey]

same thing happened to me on my 996. had the rac out who jump started me. the battery was holding the charge and i gave it a good run. next day same thing. required a new battery, and had the alarm going off in my ear for the 5 minutes it took to replace as well!

[grey42cerbie]

UPDATE...

Aparently there is some sort of problem with the offical Porsche batteries which causes them to fail if you run them down too low. I've just had a bigger capacity BOCSH fitted this will hopefully fix the problem.

Steve, 996TT