NHTSA Complaint #10157587 — 2001 PORSCHE CARRERA

MY 2001 PORSCHE 911 CABRIOLET HAD A COOLANT LEAK. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO BORDWALK PORSCHE IN PLANO TEXAS, THE COOLANT LEAK WAS IDENTIFIED AS A OVERFLOW BOTTLE WHICH HAD A HOLE IN IT. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION LEAD TO THE DETERMINATION THAT THE VEHICLE HAD RODENT DAMAGE TO THE WIRING HARNESS. FARMERS INSURANCE PAID FOR THE WIRING HARNESS AND IT'S INSTALLATION, I PAID FOR THE OVERFLOW BOTTLE REPLACEMENT AND IT'S INSTALLATION. HOWEVER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A 3RD LIGHT FAILURE ON MY VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO THE RODENT DAMAGE. NEITHER THE THIRD LIGHT ABOVE THE SPOILER OR THE THIRD LIGHT IN THE SPOILER WHEN IT IS DEPLOYED WORK. THIS MEANS MY VEHICLE HAS NO BRAKE OR RUNNING LIGHT IN THE SPOILER. HOWEVER, THE SPOILER RAISES AND LOWERS BOTH AUTOMATICALLY AND MANUALLY. THE PORSCHE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE SPOILER ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED TO REPAIR THE RUNNING LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT HOWEVER, THE RAISING AND LOWERING OF THE SPOILER IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE. ACCORDING TO PORSCHE THE REPAIR IS $1,100 TO REPLACE THE ASSEMBLY MOTOR AND PERFORM THE INSTALLATION. SINCE I LEARNED OF THE FINAL RESOLUTION OF THIS ISSUE I HAVE NOTICED TWO OTHER LATE MODEL PORSCHE 911'S DRIVING IN THE DALLAS AREA WHICH DON'T HAVE RUNNING LIGHT OR BRAKE LIGHTS IN THE SPOILER ASSEMBLY THAT WORK (WHICH SUGGESTS TO ME THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD). THIS SAFETY ISSUE, IS WITHOUT THE LIGHTS YOU DON'T HAVE THE TRIANGLE OF LIGHTS WHEN DRIVING OR STOPPING. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT PRIOR TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WIRING HARNESS, THERE WAS NO IN DASH LIGHT TO INDICATE FAILURE OF ANY KIND IN THE DASH, SO I SUSPECT IT'S POSSIBLE THE OTHER PORSCHE 911'S THAT I HAVE OBSERVED DON'T KNOW OF THEIR ISSUE. *JB