Loss of steering support increased effort!

[SteveB72]

Nice Sunday out somewhat tainted. All going, well stoped at a T junction onto A37 pulled away with some urgency and got the helpful chime that I assumed until I looked down was my over speed reminder. Big red steering wheel with the warning "Loss of steering support" I can confirm increased effort was required as it suggested. Decided to battle to home and phone assist from there. I now have arms like Popeye and needed a shower ! Porsch assist collected the car this morning and delivered it to porsche Bristol. They are apparently stacked with work and can't look at it until Monday 21st a week away. Car was supplied by them and is still under warranty so I was a little surprised they were not more helpful. Although a 2013 car it has only done 8500 miles so can't be worn out yet. I'm the second owner first owner just had it as one of his collection of Porsche and was not using it. Anyone else had this ? When I phoned this morning service guy said it was a big job even though he had not looked at it ! I did ask what was wrong with it and was told it had a power steering fault ( I kind of guessed that ) I take it from that that they know what it is and have had the problem before.

Will keep you all updated .

[The Caped Crusader]

Have a read of this...

https://www.planet-9.com/threads/message-steering-support-limited-possible-to-drive.222225/

 

 

[topradio]

30 minutes ago, The Caped Crusader said:

Have a read of this...

https://www.planet-9.com/threads/message-steering-support-limited-possible-to-drive.222225/

 

 

Can't be such a simple fix, apparently it's a 'big job' said the guy whose not even looked at it yet.

Edited September 14, 2020 by topradio

[Nobbie]

Maybe they just replace the steering rack under the warranty unless it’s a simple reset procedure. I remember reading about the PDK gearbox where a leak from a minor seal requires... a new gearbox🥴

[SteveB72]

1 hour ago, The Caped Crusader said:

Have a read of this...

https://www.planet-9.com/threads/message-steering-support-limited-possible-to-drive.222225/

 

 

I had not found that post. Sounds simular except mine is saying loss of steering support not limited support. Also we were half way through a journey so battery should have been ok. Stop start had been working earlier before I switched on sport.

[iborguk]

2 hours ago, SteveB72 said:

Nice Sunday out somewhat tainted. All going, well stoped at a T junction onto A37 pulled away with some urgency and got the helpful chime that I assumed until I looked down was my over speed reminder. Big red steering wheel with the warning "Loss of steering support" I can confirm increased effort was required as it suggested. Decided to battle to home and phone assist from there. I now have arms like Popeye and needed a shower ! Porsch assist collected the car this morning and delivered it to porsche Bristol. They are apparently stacked with work and can't look at it until Monday 21st a week away. Car was supplied by them and is still under warranty so I was a little surprised they were not more helpful. Although a 2013 car it has only done 8500 miles so can't be worn out yet. I'm the second owner first owner just had it as one of his collection of Porsche and was not using it. Anyone else had this ? When I phoned this morning service guy said it was a big job even though he had not looked at it ! I did ask what was wrong with it and was told it had a power steering fault ( I kind of guessed that ) I take it from that that they know what it is and have had the problem before.

Will keep you all updated .

Not had the issue (I'm on the wrong car platform) , but another possible, all Internet based conjecture.....

https://www.planet-9.com/threads/981-loss-of-steering-support-increased-effort.243582/

One would like to think that given where the car is that a PIWIS read of the error codes may solicit the required clues/fix...all the best getting it sorted.

[SteveB72]

I am sure they will find the problem and sort it once they can find time to fit it in ! When I bought the car they moved mountains to get the sale completed before the end of the month. Guess I should not be surprised. 

I was just curious to see if anyone else had had the issue. I had expected a Google to bring up countless pages of tales doom but there seem to be only a few.

[SteveB72]

Update. Service manager just phoned to tell me it needs a new steering rack and has ordered the part. Fortunately covered by Porsche warranty so that's a relief.

I did ask and apparently it's not a problem they have seen often so hopefully no one suffers this out of warranty. I am told the part is around £1700 + labour so would smart a bit.

[iborguk]

3 hours ago, SteveB72 said:

Update. Service manager just phoned to tell me it needs a new steering rack and has ordered the part. Fortunately covered by Porsche warranty so that's a relief.

I did ask and apparently it's not a problem they have seen often so hopefully no one suffers this out of warranty. I am told the part is around £1700 + labour so would smart a bit.

Nasty - warranty just paid for itself then

[SteveB72]

1 hour ago, iborguk said:

Nasty - warranty just paid for itself then

I normally have a "I am the warranty" attitude but definitely will be extending warranty when it's time now. Love the car but beginning to wonder if it's too complicated to keep long term. Like all modern cars I guess.

[iborguk]

10 hours ago, SteveB72 said:

I normally have a "I am the warranty" attitude but definitely will be extending warranty when it's time now. Love the car but beginning to wonder if it's too complicated to keep long term. Like all modern cars I guess.

Or just keep the warranty for as long as you wish, £50ish a month for peace of mind seemed reasonable value when I was running it - just an opinion.

Edited September 17, 2020 by iborguk

[SteveB72]

Update. New rack on it's way from Germany, could take two weeks to arrive ! Obviously the bloke on a donkey delivery service is affected by the pandemic.

[SteveB72]

It's back. Only took nearly seven weeks to fix. Apparently has a new rack now, I can't tell any difference but it's been so long I doubt I would remember what it felt like before. Nice invoice for £0.00 as covered by warranty thankfully.

[Nobbie]

Seven weeks is a bit excessive, hope you had a decent loaner?

[BrianJ]

Mine has just done this on holiday in Scotland - "Loss of steering support. Increased effort". "Increased effort" is a severe understatement at parking speeds - car parks need some serious planning and brawny biceps.  Mine isn't under warranty. Booked in for OPC to do diagnostics first to confirm whether a simple cable break like the Planet-9 guy (thanks for that above) rather than jumping to the conclusion it's a rack. We'll see.   

[Menoporsche]

Wonder if a good indie would be able to repair where an OPC under warranty wouldn’t dare. 

[BrianJ]

45 minutes ago, Menoporsche said:

Wonder if a good indie would be able to repair where an OPC under warranty wouldn’t dare. 

Not many good indies round here. No reply from one Indie I have successfully used before other than that this model has problem with racks. Tried two OPCs - one has a markedly different response from the other in approach, timeliness and pricing. They're getting the job. I haven't so far found any evidence on t'Internet that anybody has repaired an electric rack. My original Porsche PET, dated 2014, shows 3 different but consecutive part nos for the steering rack without saying what the difference is (Base, S, GTS, or 18, 19, 20" wheels??). In the later PET, all these original ones are "no longer use" as are several subsequent ones also listed. Not sure whether this reflects problem-solving engineering changes or just reverse-engineered commonality with 718, and what any differences might be (eg possibly feedback/effort associated with wheel size or whatever). If anyone knows rather than speculating it would be good to capture that info on here.   

[Menoporsche]

You've certainly done your homework 👍

I don't believe there is a different rack for different sized wheels, that would be nonsensical. I could believe there would be a quicker rack for sportier models, a patient person could probably check by the catalogue using different VIN from S and GTS. I'd like to think if they'd made an improvement to the design due to faults, that we'd have heard more about those faults on here, but I guess it's possible.

Hope yours gets sorted with minimum pain  

[iborguk]

51 minutes ago, BrianJ said:

Not many good indies round here. No reply from one Indie I have successfully used before other than that this model has problem with racks. Tried two OPCs - one has a markedly different response from the other in approach, timeliness and pricing. They're getting the job. I haven't so far found any evidence on t'Internet that anybody has repaired an electric rack. My original Porsche PET, dated 2014, shows 3 different but consecutive part nos for the steering rack without saying what the difference is (Base, S, GTS, or 18, 19, 20" wheels??). In the later PET, all these original ones are "no longer use" as are several subsequent ones also listed. Not sure whether this reflects problem-solving engineering changes or just reverse-engineered commonality with 718, and what any differences might be (eg possibly feedback/effort associated with wheel size or whatever). If anyone knows rather than speculating it would be good to capture that info on here.   

No experience so wont speculate but see what you mean re the options (and also there are some price variations!)

[daz05]

What we do know is that they are 991 steering racks so unlikely if impossible to be a difference between the 2.7 and 3.4 engines because the 991 didn't get the 2.7. 

There is a rhd and a lhd version of each rack (option code 657 / 658) and some of the other differences from my interpretation of PET account for the parts you get with the rack, bellows clamping ring etc can come as a group or can be purchased separately.

The Spyder got the 991 turbo rack which I can see listed. I see rear wheel steering listed in there too which would not be for the Boxster. 

 

[Greenman]

If the issue turns out to be the assistance motor.  I have one of these I could let you have for a very reasonable price.  
 

it seems nonsense that you should have to replace the whole rack for an issue like this, there shouldn’t be anything physically wrong with the rack itself, it must be either the motor, or electronics (wiring or control module).  
 

make sure you try the solution from the second post in this thread first.

Edited October 26, 2021 by Greenman

[BrianJ]

4 hours ago, Greenman said:

make sure you try the solution from the second post in this thread first.

Great steer (excuse the pun) Greenman, I hadn't read the second post. I had changed the battery on my car about 200 miles before the error message came up, which ironically happened on a straight road. Although getting out of our garage takes several tight turns and I had also done some more tight turning in that 200 miles, the coincidence between changing batteries and getting this message seems too great to ignore. I'll check that out tomorrow and report back.

Strange that we are both in N Derbyshire. If the above doesn't resolve the message (which is red not yellow like in the post), I am not sure how I would find out that it is the assistance motor - the OPC probably wouldn't report that to me, but we'll see. How do you come to have the motor? 

[Greenman]

41 minutes ago, BrianJ said:

How do you come to have the motor? 

I had to have my steering rack replaced due to it being bent by an impact on a front wheel when stationary (a trailer backed into my wheel, HINT - don’t leave your wheels on full lock when you leave the car, they are very susceptible  to this when on full lock). I kept hold of the old rack and stripped off the motor (which there was no issues with) before I junked the bent rack.

The problem with OPCs is that they are prone to recommend a whole unit replacement in this type of case. Unless there is actually a physical problem with the rack (as in my case) then I can’t see why the whole rack should need replacing.  

[highway]

I had this problem on my 14 plate car with 15k miles. Fault started as erratic. When the message appeared the steering effort required was enormous. Muscling it around corners was a nightmare. If I turned the engine off for a few hours the error would disappear then recur during next period of use at random. 
JZM can get the racks refurbished. The problem is you would need to get the car to them. I ended up buying a new rack then getting it fitted and coded to the car. 
You will be unsurprised today learn Porsche are well aware of this issue. Research reveals multiple failures on cars 12-14 vintage before the rack was revised. I kept my defective rack to sell on as it would let someone send it off to get refurbished then just remove their rack with one to replace. The entire episode was a costly nightmare with no goodwill offered by Porsche ad result of the age of the car. The rack itself looks like one unit with several modules built into it. No way to see which module faulty hence new rack or refurbishment via a firm who do that and guarantee it the only way out. 
In my experience of owning 5 Porsche cars, 3 from new, the reputation for engineering excellence and high build quality is ill deserved.

[BrianJ]

I've now tried the lock-to-lock reset - no joy. I guess as mine is a 2013 car I am in for a rack unless there is something simple like a cable break. In the version of the parts list I have, there are 14 discontinued or "no longer use" part numbers for the complete "Steering Gear". The only parts available separately are bellows, clamping rings, nuts, track rod etc. So whatever fails in the main rack/assistance motor assembly, the only option is to buy the lot, as I understand it. Next step is a trip to OPC on Nov 8. Will report back.