Not sure if anyone else experiences this. My friend with the same porsche does not.

If I have my wheel cranked all the way (say I'm backing out of the drive way) and I am giving it a little gas, I hear what sounds like a rubbing noise, and feels like a rubbing noise.

I don't hear or feel it if it's cranked, rolling but with no gas.

I have a '09 c4s, stock wheels/tires.

I'm thinking of taking it in to ask the dealer.

 

I have the same sound sometimes. I was concerned about it because it only happens when I'm backing up and fully cranked on the wheel. My Brother in Law has a Boxster and he says he's does it too. He told me not to worry about it...and I haven't really paid attention to it...however I tend to not crank the wheel so far over, unless really necessary.

 

Short turning radius, no steering stops. If you exceed the turn radius at low speed you will drag the tires. Feel the steering don't manhandle it.

 

I don't know the answer to this question, but I experience the same thing. I also experienced it on a loaner Boxster that I drove. Once, when I felt it (backing out of my driveway with the steering cranked), I actually stopped the car and got out to try and feel what might be rubbing, but I couldn't find anything.

Now that I put some actual thought into it (and since you mentioned that it only happens under throttle), I can't help but wonder if it might be PSM doing something funky, since the wheels will be rotating and different speeds when you've got that much input in the steering wheel. Maybe PSM is mistaking this as wheel slippage and kicking in the ABS?

 

There's never a reason to "crank" the wheel all the way. Many vehicles have issues when fully cranked. Just ... don't do it.

 

What vehicles have issues if you turn the wheels all the way? This simply isn't true.

 

Of course there are..... read post #2.

 

I've never owned a car that exhibited this behavior. Cranking a wheel can be pretty common. For example, when parallel parking, backing out or doing a u-turn.

As for the PSM theory, this sounds almost like what I was thinking, which was that the car was confused as to what type of power to provide as it's 4 wheel drive, but I'm not sure.

 

My 997 doesn't do this. Sounds like a bad design by Porsche.....

 

Maybe I wasn't very clear. It is the price paid for a fast rack, no steering stops, wide tires and short turning radius. Next time you hear it stop, straighten the wheel a bit. You are creating what is called understeer or push at road speed. The tires are slipping not cleanly rolling. You can feel the wheels on the road through the steering and sense when you have too much lock. Adjust the driver or blame the car. This is not a fault.

 

Ok, back to my original question: is it normal? It seems some people have the same problem, and others do not. Isn't a bit weird to have inconsistencies like that? I have no problem adjusting my driving. What I was more worried about was that something was wrong with the car.

 

If the tires are rubbing against the wheel well or inner fender there should be evidence of it. Otherwse it's as Gpali indicates in his second post for the reasons her states and normal for these cars. As an aside, stop " cranking the wheel ". It causes unnecessary stress on the steering system parts and no matter how hard you "crank" will not increase your turning radius.

 

OK. If you had searched it before you posted you would have seen more on this topic. Peeps who "crank" the steering without much of a feel for what is going on will have this more than those with a developed sense of mechanical sympathy. There is nothing wrong w your car. It is a Porsche and comes w a learning curve. Much of what makes it different is the light front end (rear engine and all that) and the resulting communicative steering. I have gone thru the same experience as have many others. With the car stopped turn the wheel all the way. Now give it gas gently. You will feel the resistance from the tires as they resist sliding across their tread. They are at an extreme angle to the road. If you give more gas the tires will slide and hop and scrape on the road and the suspension will move around in response. Depending on the road surface and the temps it will vary in degree. Now steer out of it a bit and you will feel the car move off freely. Once you feel it you will understand. Most cars have "stops" on the steering to limit the drivers input for this reason. You have a Porsche Enjoy your car.

 

Thanks all.

Just to be clear, I am not constantly cranking the wheel all the way every time I turn. I had noticed it when I first got the car andmade adjustments immediately to make sure I don't get that akward feeling of jumping/rubbing from the tires when backing up/parking/etc.

I just wanted to make sure nothing weird was going on with the car itself, as I bought it used.

 

I'm pretty sure the OP is not talking about understeer. I think he's referring to the sounds a tire makes when rubbing on suspension parts or fenders.

OP: Can you clarify? How fast are you going when you notice this sound? Is it from taking a corner too fast so that the front tires lose grip and scrub across the pavement, or is it happening at low speeds and sound like something rubbing/buzzing?