Hey guys - looking for some help. I have seen this issue in some other forums, but never on a Panamera.

I have a 2012 PTT which has about 17k on the clock which in NYC only gets used on the weekends to drive out to the hamptons(I took delivery in August 2012). About 3 weeks ago, when driving over 60mph, I got a "Spoiler Failure" message on the PCM screen and the 2-piece spoiler would not contract (very annoying on the highway).

I took it to the dealer a couple weeks later (I was traveling for work and didn't have a chance) to have that looked at and get the intermediate service performed (2 months overdue, but it had been a crazy fall work wise).

Here's where it gets interesting. I get a call from the dealer that the spoiler failed due to water build-up resulting from the tailgate drains being clogged. They are blaming me for neglect for the 2 months I am overdue for the service. I did have the car in to the same dealer in May of this year to have a tire replaces, an alignment performed and detailed (at the dealers suggestion). I was told the service was not needed at the time.

This is incredibly frustrating as the car is not driven much (and garaged 90% of the time) and I really don't understand how a part that is subject to weather can be damaged by water. I am in the process of appealing with the factory rep and getting increasingly annoyed with PCNA's lack of care for this issue. I can understand if the car were noticeably neglected, but it gets detailed twice a year, washed every week and doesn't have a scratch on it (which is rare in NYC).

Has anyone dealt with something like this before and have any suggestions? It's not that the money is an issue, I just don't think I should pay for something that seems like a design flaw, or neglect on the part of my dealer.

Many Thanks,

Todd

 

This is bs. Check in your service book or ask your friend to ask the check list of that service at the dealer or any other dealer.. There will not be drainage inspection 100% sure about that, so 100% sure they would have not checked this even if the car was serviced. Then call the manager. If the engine failed due to delayed oil change or something like that, then it is a problem.

 

Take it to another dealer. Especially in Nyc. Which one did you take it to? Manhattan motors?

 

Take it to Town Motors in Englewood NJ. They will cover it.

 

Thanks for the advice. I took my car to Porsche Southampton and all was fixed under warranty. Worth noting that it can be a costly repair!

That said, anyone know how to clean the rear hatch drains so this doesn't happen again?

 

This usually means someone left the spoiler open during fall, and leaves are trapped inside and started decaying. The rotten leaves then jammed up the drain hole and caused a flood inside the spoiler compartment. When the motors are suspended in water long enough, spoiler failure starts. To fix that, the best choice is to upgrade to Turbo with 9xxresearch.com coming to you ... https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...our-house.html

 

I spent about 2 hours cleaning mine out the other day. It's a real PIA. To start off you just open the tail gate up and blast compressed air through the drains. Somehow mine had some bark in there and some big pine needles left by the previous owner. I had to rig up a vacuum hose with a thin hose to "catch" the bits and wiggle them out the cracks like playing Operation. Very silly it doesn't tilt up enough to be able to get a hand there. The space below is big and can hold a mountain of crap.

 

Good thing that you were able to clean it out before the motors fail. For those who are less fortunate, I am here to turn it around to make it a even better thing. I will turn that cheese-pan spoiler into a Turbo 2D spoiler. I can even be there for you!
Read how here...https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...our-house.html

 

Anthony, can you explain why when my turbo spoiler is closed, the left side sits higher 5mm than the right. the middle is ok, just right at the tip. I thought some debris might be holding it, but it still does it. Is there any adjustment. It makes no noise when closing, all functioning well.

 

Thank you for asking, and this is a very good question. I don't know if you clean it with the two top spoiler pieces removed. If not, you did not do a complete job. If you have in fact cleaned it very well, then the cause was that item number 2 below is designed with a semisoft plastic shaft, which can slip if anything is stuck, so that nothing will be permanently damaged. Yes, there are 4 independent adjustments in this design:
1. the base of the rotating arms
2. arm-length of the center sweeper
3. step motor for the horizontal 2D motion
4. rotation limits of the far(outside) arms

To be fair to those who has attended my paid one-on-one class, I am not able to provide all the details. I did provide my students with a few tools that I invented, which makes the job a lot easier, and less likely to damage your car. However, the job can still be done without them.
Here is part of the cheat sheet I provide in my spoiler maintenance class:

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To remove top two spoiler pieces, remove metal clips using NAPA pick hook tool, then use tool 9XX970.218 and 9XX991.115 provided, remove the rod from the center joints...

So, to make it balance, it must be done off the car. Get a 12V DC ready. Plug B is only for sensors so we don't need to use that. On plug A, pins 1-8 is for vertical, and pins 4-5 are for horizontal. apply power to 8 and 1 to fully extend, then apply power to 4 and 5 until apex. Remove the lower plastic plate and then the four screws, and remove cover.

Adjust the left and right bases by tightening the bottom screws to 2N-m and back out half turn (the three shown with red arrows. Now, adjust the motor assembly location, and check for symmetry. Repeat as necessary. ...

Using tool 9XX970.218 and 9XX970.219 and a hammer to ensure rod is fully inserted, and reinstall retainer clip.
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I do not perform repairs because I believe that is an act of stealing business from the Porsche Service Centers. However, I do provide training classes to enthusiasts. Because even without my class, they would have taken it into their hand and tried to figure it out themselves anyways; but may be breaking a few things along the way. Taking my class saves them the hassle of having to figure out the skills, tools, and forces to apply so that they can focus on the finding the best approach, and spend more time fine tuning everything, and save them from the hassle of waiting on shipping of replacement parts that could have been otherwise not broken, so that they can get done and continue to enjoy the car that they have fixed all by themselves. I do need to mention that I do regularly teach to use 9XX exclusive tools in addition to what Porsche's Service Manual prescribes, to make the job either easier. Porsche is meant to be enjoyed. Let me know if I can do anything to help. Here are a few pictures I took during a turbo spoiler class. Spoiler belonged to a 2011 Panamera.

 

By the way, I teach the same class for 971 also. The 971 turbo spoiler is a slightly different design, but the concept is identical.

 

Thanks very much Anthony! I'd love to come to one of your classes. Next time you are coming to Australia please let me know!

 

I already has three requests to be there. You are not requesting but you like to know, so should I count this as number 4? And where are you located? If I can have 10, it will be a definite thing. I am thinking 2022 will be it.

 

I'm in Sydney. I'd probably come out of interest my car is still under warranty for quite some time.

 

Just out of curiosity, shouldn't the warranty take care of this?