My 2006 997 S was involved in an accident far from home, with extensive body damage behind the right (passenger-side) rear wheel, extending to the rear. Among other damage, the right tailight was destroyed and the left one popped out, was damaged, and had to be replaced. (I mention these lights because they're electric components.) The local Porsche dealership recommended a Porsche-certified paint & body shop. It was in that shop for 7 weeks. Just as it was ready to go, the shop told me that the battery wasn't holding a charge and would have to be replaced, which I OK'd. The next day I picked it up for the 7-hour drive home. The car looks great, but...

On driving away from the shop, I observed a "System fault Visit workshop" message on the OBC display. Dismissing it left the Central Warning (red "exclamation point") light illuminated. I pulled over long enough to use my phone's internet connection to determine that this was not a disabling issue, and then drove home. I also observed these symptoms: the Central Warning light extinguishes while either turn signal is operating; it extinguishes for a few seconds when the headlight rotary switch is turned completely clockwise (on) or counterclockwise, but then the light re-illuminates; and the taillights cannot be extinguished while the engine is running.

I arrived home in the early evening and garaged and locked the car. The next day I drove the car around town with normal behavior except as described above. After the second night in my garage for about 18 hours, the door wouldn't unlock via remote. After entering with the key and attempting to start, the ODB displayed "Steering wheel is locked" (or similar) in red (as if I were using an unrecognized key?). After various unsuccessful attempts to start, the ODB and other display became weak and then blank. So I had a dead battery, one that was installed new three days earlier.

Using a battery charger, I was able to pop the hood and recharge the battery. I'm now back to the original post-accident state with the System Fault error and associated minor symptoms, plus an apparent tendency, which started at the paint-body shop, to intermittently discharge the battery.

My intuition, influenced by the fact that the battery didn't swoon until the second night in my garage, is that this might be a difficult problem to diagnose. It's the weekend as I write and repair facilities are closed.

My first decision is whether to take it to the independent shop I've been using on and off for several years which has one Porsche specialist, or the local $dealer$. (My problem with the dealer's service facility is not competence but their use of Porsche-sourced parts and the associated huge cost.) A couple of years ago at the independent shop they were unable to clear a service-due ODB message for lack of the right hardware/software, although they weren't completely without electronic diagnostic capability. (Sorry, don't know exact details.) Any pointed questions I should ask the Porsche specialist there before choosing to bring it there?

Beyond that, I'm hoping that someone(s) here might provide clues that will be helpful in diagnosing the problem. Based on other threads here, it might be a fried Front Control unit located on the right side of the trunk. Or a rear control unit. Or neither?

 

Will you not still need to keep the insurance claim open with the insurance company as the accident may very well be related to the new problem? Just a thought before you start paying somewhere else.

 

Might look thru here too..
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...see-image.html

 

Thanks -- yes, I read that whole thread and it was educational. In fact I posted at and near the end of the thread. The thread was where I got the possible fried Front (or Rear) Control Unit diagnosis.

 

I could lay out the financial details related to this accident but then I'd have to kill...
.
.
....myself.

 

LOL I think I got the idea, Sorry.