Disconnecting battery on a 996.....

Disconnecting battery on a 996.....

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Discussion

monthefish

Original Poster:

20,443 posts

231 months

Thursday 8th November 2012
quotequote all
Before I do, anything I need to be aware of? i.e. any problems I'm likely to encounter when I reconnect?

I have the stereo/Nav codes, so should be OK there. Anything else?


(presumably closing the front boot would be a bad idea whilst it's out hehe)

sportsandclassic

3,774 posts

218 months

Thursday 8th November 2012
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Hi, make sure ignition is turned on or else alarm siren will go off!

If before 2002 you will need the radio code.

bobsan

495 posts

219 months

Thursday 8th November 2012
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don't need ign. on just first click. Reconnect needs nothing

JackieTreehorn

41 posts

142 months

Thursday 8th November 2012
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What a coincidence. I have just come in from disconnecting the battery on my 996. The radio had stuck on, but no music playing, even with car locked I could see it still had a dim light on it.

Owners manual makes no mention of ignition key. Low and behold I set the alarm off. The neighbours must love me. I kept pressing the key fob and it wouldn't turn off. Desperate to shut it up I put the key in the ignition and turned it one click and peace was resumed. Flipping window stopped dropping temporarily when I shut the door, but after a few seconds that sorted itself out.

Radio has now reset itself and working again.

So yes, make sure you turn the ignition key before disconnecting!

erics

2,663 posts

211 months

Thursday 8th November 2012
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monthefish said:
Before I do, anything I need to be aware of? i.e. any problems I'm likely to encounter when I reconnect?

I have the stereo/Nav codes, so should be OK there. Anything else?


(presumably closing the front boot would be a bad idea whilst it's out hehe)
Petrol gauge goes to zero if tank less than half full. Trip meter to zero.

monthefish

Original Poster:

20,443 posts

231 months

Friday 9th November 2012
quotequote all
Thanks guys - I'll leave the ingition on at the first click.



Daft question - what powers the alarm when there's no battery?

Martian O

2,734 posts

162 months

Friday 9th November 2012
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monthefish said:
Thanks guys - I'll leave the ingition on at the first click.



Daft question - what powers the alarm when there's no battery?
It has a built in backup battery.

gowmonster

2,471 posts

167 months

Friday 9th November 2012
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monthefish said:
Thanks guys - I'll leave the ingition on at the first click.



Daft question - what powers the alarm when there's no battery?
the alarm will have a battery/capacitor to power the alarm for a short while else people would be disabling the alarms by cutting the power

mohitos

1,313 posts

199 months

Friday 9th November 2012
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I recently did this and followed the advice provided. It's super easy. The siren for the alarm is positioned next to the battery. So you really want to turn the ignition one notch, as if you don't you have one hell of a deathly noise directly in your ear whilst changing the battery !

JackieTreehorn

41 posts

142 months

Friday 9th November 2012
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Indeed, it was flipping painful, having that siren in my lughole. I was a bit confused that it was so loud without being connected to the battery. Makes sense now.

Rockster

1,509 posts

160 months

Friday 9th November 2012
quotequote all
monthefish said:
Before I do, anything I need to be aware of? i.e. any problems I'm likely to encounter when I reconnect?

I have the stereo/Nav codes, so should be OK there. Anything else?


(presumably closing the front boot would be a bad idea whilst it's out hehe)
Probably repeating but if the car has the M536 option with the alarm siren next to the battery turn the ignition key to the on position before disconnecting the battery.

Be sure all other electrical loads: radio, stereo, lights, NAV unit, switched off.

Never attempt to start engine with battery disconnected.

Do not attempt to use charger to start engine.

When reconnecting battery you have to:

Reset the window limits. Consult your owners manual for instructions. For my cars press and hold the lower window button until the window is all the way down. Then release and press the up button and hold it until the window is all the way up. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat these steps for the other side.

Recalibrate the e-Gas system. Consult your owners manual, but IIRC with the key off and your foot off the gas pedal, turn the key to the on position. Leave in the on position 60 seconds. Do not press the gas pedal. Do not attempt to start the engine. Do not switch the key off. After 60 seconds turn the key to the off position for 10 seconds. Then you can start the engine.

Depending upon the fuel level the fuel level display can be wrong. (This for those models that have AWD and the fuel tank is special.) Fill the fuel tank.


JackieTreehorn

41 posts

142 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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I find it utter madness that you have to do all these things. Would be nice if Porsche engineered it to do all that once the battery was reconnected. Fair enough about turning the key in the ignition to stop the alarm sounding - makes sense from a security point of view.

RiccardoG

1,587 posts

272 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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JackieTreehorn said:
I find it utter madness that you have to do all these things. Would be nice if Porsche engineered it to do all that once the battery was reconnected. Fair enough about turning the key in the ignition to stop the alarm sounding - makes sense from a security point of view.
Thats because you haven't seen the more recent BMW's... on those you need to visit the dealer very time the battery is disconnected to reset the system...

Rockster

1,509 posts

160 months

Sunday 11th November 2012
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JackieTreehorn said:
I find it utter madness that you have to do all these things. Would be nice if Porsche engineered it to do all that once the battery was reconnected. Fair enough about turning the key in the ignition to stop the alarm sounding - makes sense from a security point of view.
The fault lies in owners thinking they are dealing with a farm tractor or piece of lawn machinery rather than a highly sophisticated and modern sports car. If you are not prepared to do the battery R&R right then you have no business complaining.

Since Jan 02 when I bought my first Porsche I've only had to disconnect the battery once in order to remove a dead battery and replace it with a new one.

Since then I have had 2 other batteries need replacing but in both cases I took the car to the dealer and the tech first connects back up power to the car's electrical system, removes the old battery, installs/connects the new battery and then removes the back up power.

No radio codes to fuss with. No window limit resets. No e-gas fiddling. In short no muss, no fuss.

Richie200

2,011 posts

209 months

Sunday 11th November 2012
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Rockster said:
The fault lies in owners thinking they are dealing with a farm tractor or piece of lawn machinery rather than a highly sophisticated and modern sports car. If you are not prepared to do the battery R&R right then you have no business complaining.

Since Jan 02 when I bought my first Porsche I've only had to disconnect the battery once in order to remove a dead battery and replace it with a new one.

Since then I have had 2 other batteries need replacing but in both cases I took the car to the dealer and the tech first connects back up power to the car's electrical system, removes the old battery, installs/connects the new battery and then removes the back up power.

No radio codes to fuss with. No window limit resets. No e-gas fiddling. In short no muss, no fuss.
Great tip Rocksterthumbup

JackieTreehorn

41 posts

142 months

Sunday 11th November 2012
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Brilliant. Well done.

monthefish

Original Poster:

20,443 posts

231 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
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Thanks for all the advice.

New battery fitted - no problems encountered.

thumbup

Hilux2400

231 posts

136 months

Monday 14th January 2013
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I am right in thinking, following the second post above, that as my 996 is a late 2003 model I do not have to re-set the radio code after disconnecting the battery?

Hilux

jonny996

2,613 posts

217 months

Monday 23rd November 2020
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7 year old but still handy advice. New battery being delivered this week.
Wonder if my 996 can go down as a covid stat.

Paynewright

659 posts

77 months

Monday 23rd November 2020
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Just make sure it goes in the right way round - I’ve read several horror stories of people connecting +ve cable to -ve battery post and it kills all sorts of electronics. I think its confusing as both cables are black. Easy sense check the earth cable is bolted directly to the body.

Ian