[Inkedupfatboy]

I have been having battery issues with Porsche OEM batteries.

 

I was having a drop in charging voltage and replaced the voltage regulator and while it was out I ordered OEM battery cables to replace the 20 year old originals - just in case.

 

The car ran fine, and voltage was back where it should be in the 14.5 range...

then the car sat for a couple weeks while I was traveling and it was dead. It only had power enough to run dash lights.

I checked the voltage with a meter at the battery and it was around 12 volts. Not enough to start it.

I charged the battery, then tried again, but it would not even turn on dash lights. The charger said my battery had a dead short.

 

I took the battery to my mechanic, thinking Porsche would warranty replace or at least prorate a new battery since it was less than two years old. After 4 days of getting no where - we found out what the hang up is.

 

Porsche says you have to drive the car a minimum of 700 miles a month or the car is considered "in storage" and they will not compensate you in any way for a battery. My mileage for the two years is 4000 and works out to 166 miles a month.

 

My mechanic was able to recharge the battery, but no where near "new full" so I am stuck with basically a dead battery. He stated that the battery model Porsche selected for the 968 was just barely enough cca to get the job done and nothing more -  which I think he said was just over 300.

 

I will be putting in a different battery with over 600 cca's so with any luck I will not have to deal with this again.

 

I do not recommend Porsche OEM batteries.

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[az968]

Interstate. They will do the job well. Have 6 years on my current one in my 968. Was rated for 5 years. I drive abt 3500 miles per year

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[ds968]

Would have never guessed Porsche sells "OE" batteries . What's the price ?


+ 1 on the Interstate brand, I have that one in all my cars .

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[WJH]

Yes, price please! I've got to know.

 

I'm a Walmart battery guy, two years free replacement.  :lol:

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[Inkedupfatboy]

The Porsche OEM battery was $193 and change.

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[Ryan]

I am now using a under $60.00 battery from Rural King (regional farm supply store) in both Porsches and my diesel zero-turn mower. I had one of the batteries in the 944S die after a year and took it back for a free replacement. 

 

I think there are only like three or four companies that make all batteries for all the companies out there. I think the RK battery is made by Exide .

 

Cheap is good $$$

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[Bulti]

A trickle charger -preferably a modern one with a processor- can save one a lot of grief.

 

To put things in perspective: OEM AGM batteries in modern BMW's can go at about €450 or even €500 a pop.  That's without programming and installing fees.

 

Gotta love the nineties.

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[Inkedupfatboy]

I was advised against the trickle charger by my mechanic. I have one on both motorcycles, but he is against it in this car. He recommends removing the neg terminal.

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[ds968]

That's the first I've heard if it..I've used the trickle charger on the 968 for years - no problems at all .

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[Inkedupfatboy]

I may do it if I don't sell the car. I will post a photo of the Porsche battery after a while..just walked in the door after installing the new battery.

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[Bulti]

Inked, on occasion could you ask him why? I just wonder what's the harm?

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[Inkedupfatboy]

I would be happy to ask him. He is a pretty sharp guy. He has an import mechanic business and is always busy. He specializes in BMW's but works on just about anything. I have seen Maserati's, MG's (early ones), Mini's, Audi, VW, Hondas, Opels, Afla's, early Volvo's and just about everything in between. I know he has a client who has a Ferrari that he works on.

 

He has not steered me wrong so far and does 80% of the work on all six of my vehicles. I trust him very much when it comes to this stuff.

He was very impressed with the 968 when I brought it to him and he was incredibly thorough in getting it started for the first time and was very reluctant to modify anything. He has given me a pretty good education.

 

I will post here when I get an answer about the trickle charger...

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[ds968]

It would be interesting to know, I wonder if it's tied somehow to the common wisdom which dictates you should not jump-start a 968 with cables using another car's battery as the donor charge ..no one has ever explained why that is, but supposedly on these cars it's an issue..

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[Inkedupfatboy]

I did not know that...Hmmm...Logic would dictate it should work as it does with all other vehicles.

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[Inkedupfatboy]

Here is the OEM battery that I had problems with and the Deka that I put in...

In case for some reason someone wants an OEM battery part number..The Deka was about $148..

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[Bulti]

I had to jump start mine more than once. Never experienced the slightest issue. But who knows, maybe I was lucky? :-)

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[Mark]

The jump start thing is probably about tripping the airbag light, had it happen once to me in one of the cars.
No issues with a good trickle charger in the last 10+ years I've used one.
I now use Bosch batteries in all my cars after a lifetime of using Interstate, the Bosch can be had a decent price from PepBoys usually with a 25% or 30% off when purchased online and picked up in the store.

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[ds968]

Someone told me ( maybe flash..? not sure .. ) that the even the 968 owners' manual advises against jump starting this car.

I never looked it up but I sure there's a reason it's there : maybe on certain occasions it does trigger the airbag light or cause some other electrical glitch . I've jumped both 968s a few times without a problem, but again, it could just mean that I've been lucky. Incidentally I read just about everywhere that you should 1) NOT have the donor car's engine running while jump-starting your battery, mostly because it can cause damage that car's alternator ( that logic eludes me..but I'm a technical dud , lol ) and 2) Always connect the negative cable claw to a metal ground in your engine bay and not to the battery negative terminal itself. Only the positives should be connected directly to the battery posts.

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[Inkedupfatboy]

I don't know. I have jumped dozens of cars with Pos to Pos and Neg to Neg. Never had any kind of issue.

 

When I bought this car, the windows were up, and I had to connect a battery to battery to get the windows down to steer it as I pushed it up on the trailer - then again to get the windows closed after it was on board. I knew that I didn't want to try to start it as it was sitting for 5 years - all that happened was it triggered the alarm once. Other than that no ill effects.

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[Rap]

I'm with Ink, I must have done this wrong many times over the years. I have not had to jump the 968's. Just put a new battery into the white car.

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