[schwarz968]

So it starts out as the water temp gauge acting sporadic (jumping and intermittent). Pulled the cluster only to find most bulbs missing, flexible circuit board(soft circuit strip) has be shorted and a wire soldered to bypass the fried section. So...buy new bulbs, all of them, clean contacts, get car running after be build and see what's cooking.



Determined the soft circuit board is the culprit and replace the entire gauge cluster with a known good assembly. Yay...fixed the water temp gauge problem but now have an unreliable voltmeter. Out go the newer gauge and the original goes back in. Yay, all gauges work. Off we go to the dealership to check and clear codes. Or so I thought...



Seems the airbag computer has intermittent communications so the airbag light comes back on (and also extinguishes itself intermittently.? That's a separate problem to tackle and now need to find a known good computer as the car won't start without it installed. Go fig...I mean seriously Porsche! Why did you design it like that?



Back to the cluster...no pun intended, or was it? LOL So with no other codes present, I'm happy and now back at home, playing with stereo in garage and realize I am not seeing Any idiot lights illuminate when ignition is on and engine not running. No red warning lights at all from oil, water or voltmeter lights in bulb check position. From review of the wiring diagram, I fear am looking at a failure on the small circuit boards behind the speedometer. Planning on going back in to the gauge cluster to pull the two boards out and replace them with the original ones.



Anyone have this experience or one similar? Shop recommendations?



Oh yeah, almost forgot...found out I need new motor mounts too. I hope the pain will stop soon. She's almost new again. LMAO

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[Bulti]

"That's a separate problem to tackle and now need to find a known good computer as the car won't start without it installed. Go fig...I mean seriously Porsche! Why did you design it like that?"



I'm no mechanic but... Is this a strange thing? I mean, taking the brain out of something and then expecting it to run?





Re motor mounts - maybe you should consider putting in a new oil pan gasket too, "while you're at it", lol

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[schwarz968]

Just don't understand why you need to have an airbag computer to operate an engine. That's like not being able to roll a car on its tires with out a jack being stowed with the spare.

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[flash]

DOT regulated safety item. the ECU checks for status of the legally required stuff. not sure if there is a simple workaround or not.

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[ds968]

And that ( safety related measure ) actually does makes sense . In newer cars however some of those measures are taken to extremes - I can't speak for other makes and models, though I suspect there aren't a lot of differences , but in MBZs, if you battery voltage drops slightly below the tolerance MBZ arbitrarily sets for it, the sensor will send a message to your computer and the car automatically drops into L gear - you are not able to go any faster until you get that voltage thing fixed. Mind you, the same think happens if your coolant temperature either raises, or drops below what again, MBZ considers ideal operating temperature . L gear. And if it exceeds certain parameters, it will shut down your engine . I can't even imagine how far manufactures have taken this nonsense in the name of safety and to which components. Headlights or brake lights ? Motor mounts, lol ?! At least we're lucky that in the 968 only a few real safety mechanisms are built-in .

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[Bulti]

And don't forget, DOT stuff are not necessarily true for ROW. For helmets in example, the EU has it's own standards, as for many, many other safety and emission regulations.



The (in my point if view silly) bumperettes are another example. There is the "gong" in US cars and warning signs all over the interior and exterior (objects in the mirror blah, blah). The list goes on.



My point is, every car's adapted to the market it's being sold at. Maybe a ROW car works just fine without the airbag computer.



That being said, I think safety is important, but sometimes governments just go too far. If I want to disable my airbag and drive around (which I personally don't) is nobody's business. Driving without a seatbelt would be, because my potential airborne body could injure others.



Just IMO.

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[flash]

on a philosophical note, while at first blush saying that it's nobody's business seems logical, here's where that logic falls down



if you are driving a car in which you have disabled the airbags, and you get creamed, you should not be allowed to sue for injuries, regardless of who is at fault. similarly, if you deliberately disable the airbags, or fail to wear your seat belt properly, your health insurance company should not be forced to cover you. you were the proximate cause of the injuries. nobody else should have to pay for that.



i'm all for personal freedoms, but there are should be consequences. you should not be allowed to take such a liberty, without expecting to assume the liabilities of that liberty.



freedom is never free.

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[Bulti]

I agree. That's why I mentioned the seat belt thing. That choice could effect others. In the EU, insurance companies are well covered and can dodge any claims the moment you do something which is illegal (such as disabling the airbags). Trying to sue anybody here (EU) in that case would cause nothing but random and complete laughter.



Still striking how people can sue each other, and for what crazy reasons in the US. Maybe a lively discussion for an other thread? :-)

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[flash]

most states here have no fault insurance. others don't. guess which ones cost more.



back on topic - seems the simple solution is to swap out the entire cluster with a known working one

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[schwarz968]

Please don't misunderstand me, I am certainly not against any safety features that can save lives. As related to the airbag computer, I was just shocked to find the car won't start with it removed. I am planning on working the small warning lights and the circuits this weekend and will post findings but other than eBay, and DC auto, not seeing any solutions for rebuilding the airbag computer. Recommendations?

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[flash]

get ahold of darryl (member here). he may have one.

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[schwarz968]

I'm on it and thanks.

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[flash]

no worries

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[schwarz968]

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[flash]

when you get to 11 years, and you are still sorting out little things that bug you, let me know

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[Bulti]

She will be back! Lol

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[Rap]

This is what love is all about. I spend large amounts of time juggling cars now. Who would have known. Certainly not me!!!

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[ds968]

[quote name='flash' timestamp='1406898570' post='160746']

when you get to 11 years, and you are still sorting out little things that bug you, let me know

[/quote]



with flash, there is a difference : he's still sorting out things 11 years later not because there's anything wrong with his car, it's just that he can't leave well enough alone and always finds himself changing or modifying something or another, whether it needs it or not . OCD ! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.png" class="smilie" alt="" /> it's that relentless pursuit of perfection. i remember in school they told us : " practice makes perfect ". but then we were also told that " nobody's perfect ". so..i stopped practicing ! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/icon_lol1.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[schwarz968]

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