This
is a transcript of a letter I sent to Andy Gross MD of PORSCHE GB back in January 02. For some reason he was unable to reply, even though he is able to send me letters in the post inviting me, as a valued customer, to come to the Motor Show, come to open days and corporate days to buy a new car. Their PR man replied, he was not helpful; he obviously had not been to PR school, ever!!
I just wondered what other 911 owners think and should Porsche GB approched on mass?
Mr. Andy Goss
Porsche Cars Great Britain Limited.
Ref: 933 Engine Wiring Loom
Dear Andy,
With reference to our telephone conversation of 11/12/01, as you requested, my concerns are now confirmed in writing.
I am very surprised that you have not heard about the issues with 911(993) engine wiring loom. It might be worth checking the amount of looms that have been ordered by your distributors and dealers over the last few years. Then ask the question, how many engine wiring looms do other car manufactures order per volume of cars sold.
I am very concerned about these looms failing, to the point of the car becoming "live" though the alternator and in one case the engine bay catching fire!
These are not isolated incidents, at
www.renlist.com
, within their chat room, 993 owners are experiencing these problems.
I too, have experienced major problems with the engine-wiring loom on my 993 where the loom short circuited two brand new batteries and killed my starter motor. The starter motor would just come on when I was driving!!!
Listed are some of the issues I suffered over a six-month period that pointed to a faulty engine-wiring loom on a 993.
These are as follows:-
Battery discharges for no apparent reason and not holding charge.
Starter still runs after engine has fired up.
Starter engages/starts when engine is running while driving.
Spark voltage down on scope test.
Engine will not run on 6 cylinders.
Engine backfires and pops.
Engine down on performance.
Difficulty in starting engine.
Black smoke from engine when starting.
Smell of petrol when starting.
The most serious problem is the wiring-loom can go “live” to the alternator; this is a fire hazard that could happen at any time.
The wiring loom connects from the engine bay junction box to the injectors, starter motor and alternator – the alternator is live at times carrying high current with no fuse protection.
The loom is shielded in a wrap. Cutaway the protective wrap, this will reveal the sheathed cables within, this sheathing will probably be cracked in a “hooped” effect around the core of the cables.
This sheathing is manufactured from the wrong material and “not fit for the purpose” becoming brittle and cracking when hot over a period of time.
This then shrinks revealing the core cables to short out.
This issue seems to affect the earlier non
VarioRam 993's, strangely t
he replacement wiring-loom has a different part number.
Porsche have to recognise this as a grave problem and have to take ownership of the situation before a major incident takes place.
In my particular case, I am, a fanatical Porsche owner and fan of the marque (I am on my 6
th
911) however, I do feel aggrieved that I am financially at a loss, not due to ware and tare or bad driving on my part, but due to wrong materials specified in manufacture. In legal terms “not fit for the purpose”.
As you requested, enclosed are copies of invoices to repair the faults, please note, I have mislaid the two invoices for the batteries, but I am confident, you at Porsche, will know the cost of replacement 993 batteries.
More importantly, as I commented during our conversation, I am very concerned with regards to other loyal Porsche owners happily driving their pride and joys, blissfully unaware of a serious fire risk.
I would like and appreciate compensation to the full amount including the replacement batteries and I would also like to know what strategy Porsche and Porsche Cars (GB) Ltd. would be implementing to remedy the problem out in the field.
I also have in my possession the wiring-loom for your inspection.
Migration info. Legacy thread was 1284
