Grrr. PADM disabled message on my 718 GT4 - Page 2 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

I can't believe Porsche haven't sorted this since the 9x1 series came out in 2012(?) - reading around 992s have the same problem also. I've only had the car back two days, time for another warranty claim

Sorry to read this... hope you get it sorted. I guess that could mean both sides may need to get changed as well. Edited by TDT on Sunday 21st March 13:39

It's usually one side at a time, maybe the other side will need doing in the future? Who knows. I dodged this bullet on my 981 GTS so I'm not too bothered, given how common it seems to be. It was a perfect traffic light start that triggered it, so that'll teach me to be smug when lifting off

I ve had same issue with my Boxster GTS. Bothunits changed within three months. I was hoping that Porsche would have solved the problem now as I dont want a repeat on my forthcoming Spyder but it sounds as if it may still be a possibility !!

What a pain! Was that a 718 GTS? 2.5T? I can't believe they haven't sorted the part out after all the warranty claims!

Twinfan said: I can't believe Porsche haven't sorted this since the 9x1 series came out in 2012(?) - reading around 992s have the same problem also. I've only had the car back two days, time for another warranty claim What other warranty claims have you had - or was it just the PSE one? Personally, I would have left that alone as it is cheaper than paying for an override unit (which I have done). Re: the PADM fault, has the car been sitting around for a period or any other kind of unusual driving (lots of (heavy) on-off, on-off accelerating, for example)?

The car has mostly sat around over the last couple of months what with snow, lockdown etc. It is used at least once every 2-3 weeks though. My habits are no different to when I had my 981 GTS which also had PADM and I never had a fault with them on that car. As for driving style this is a GT car and I've not been on track with it yet, so it's not received anything like the amount of punishment it could have. On the road it's driven no differently to how my GTS was.

Interesting. It does seem to be the one recurring theme on modern Porsches. The previous owner of my 981CS had it happen when the car was about 5 years old (around the 12k mark, I think) - and he took the opportunity of replacing the non-faulty one while the engine was dropped. I thought they’d sorted the issue out, but clearly not. It’s done 3k since. It’s got 15 or so months of extended warranty on it now, and to be honest, this is the only reason I’d consider renewing it. In all likelihood I’ll take my chances - cost to replace is (give or take) the cost of a 2 year extension.

Yep, that's my thinking too. It's the only part that seems to regularly fail on 981/982 series cars and there's no pattern to when they go. I'll take a chance but make sure I always have a reasonably sized repair fund just in case. Failures on GT3s and GT4s don't seem to be as prevalent, but I guess they sell fewer of those models and if the hit rate is a percentage then there's obviously a lower absolute number failing.

Same; and as I don’t do much mileage in it - I live abroad so it’s my toy for when I return (when circumstances allow), my running costs are likely to be pretty low. I understand that new components can have teething issues, but in something as uncomplicated (in Porsche terms) as engine mounts, I’m amazed it has been such a sticking point.. Still - brilliant things, Caymans & Boxsters.

PADM? Porsche Active ? ?

Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts. It’s the dynamic engine mounts (on a 911) or gearbox mounts (cayman/boxter). Comes as part of the Sports Chrono package. I fly an Airbus for a living, which is basically operating a large tin of acronyms around the world, but nothing prepared me for Porsches..

Royal Jelly said: I understand that new components can have teething issues, but in something as uncomplicated (in Porsche terms) as engine mounts, I’m amazed it has been such a sticking point.. I think engine and gearbox vibrations/shocks must damage the more deliate parts of the component. They must need beefing up: https://www.total911.com/technology-explained-pors...

Royal Jelly said: Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts. It’s the dynamic engine mounts (on a 911) or gearbox mounts (cayman/boxter). Comes as part of the Sports Chrono package. I fly an Airbus for a living, which is basically operating a large tin of acronyms around the world, but nothing prepared me for Porsches.. Ta

Glad I don't have sports chrono... This has been going on for a number of years it appears.

Schmed said: Glad I don't have sports chrono... This has been going on for a number of years it appears. True enough, although sport+ mode brings the car to life, so in spite of this, I’m not sure I’d be without it..

Twinfan said: The car has mostly sat around over the last couple of months what with snow, lockdown etc. It is used at least once every 2-3 weeks though. My habits are no different to when I had my 981 GTS which also had PADM and I never had a fault with them on that car. As for driving style this is a GT car and I've not been on track with it yet, so it's not received anything like the amount of punishment it could have. On the road it's driven no differently to how my GTS was. Fair enough. Just wondered if it had been sitting around for a long time (with the lockdown) and if this may have caused something.

I guess I'll find out on Monday when my OPC take a look at it

I got the dreaded padm disabled fault on my base 718 12 days out of warranty..... thankfully some goodwill was shown! It made me think twice about spec’ing sport chrono on my next car but it’s standard. I did notice it seemed to make absolutely no difference to driving the car, which begs the question, what do these overly-complicated and clearly poorly designed/defective mounts actually do or add to the driving experience? Edited by Blink982 on Saturday 27th March 08:21

I’m beginning to regret not renewing the warranty on my 6 yr old CGTS now. Didn’t realise this was such a common problem

Take it with a pinch of salt…Remember forums are echo chambers. Plenty of cars have NOT had this issue. Including yourself to date? And in Dave’s case, the car is only a year old. So it’s not necessarily down to age. Luck of the draw. Also you can always re-enrol to the extended warranty subject to 111-point inspection and/or OPC service.

As I suspected, it's an internal failure of the transmission mount on the driver's side - the pressure sensor signal is going to ground. This is apparently the usual diasgnostic message given when these parts fail. Should be a quick fix tomorrow once the part arrives and I'll have the car back for the Easter weekend. Awesome

Good news re quick fix. Did they give indication of costs if it were to happen outside of warranty?

I didn't ask, but from reading around 'interwebnet it seems to be ~£900 for the part and 3hrs labour. So a total price at an OPC of around £1500. Slightly cheaper at an Indy of course, due to the reduced labour rate, but the part price is the issue being the vast majority of the cost.

Somebody needs to strip one of these broken units down in their shed, as with everything its probably repairable but main dealers just replace them. The later cars seem to fail more often than the earlier ones. I'm not sure about the 991 but on the 981 /982 the electrical connection is quite exposed to the elements.

Twinfan said: I didn't ask, but from reading around 'interwebnet it seems to be ~£900 for the part and 3hrs labour. So a total price at an OPC of around £1500. Slightly cheaper at an Indy of course, due to the reduced labour rate, but the part price is the issue being the vast majority of the cost. FYI I checked the invoice for you from when mine had this done, and it lists 1.5 hours labour. I can’t say whether this was ‘agreed upon’ pricing to do the job or the actual rate as the car was under the previous owner’s custody. This was at a well-known Hants-based Indy on a 981. May be worth checking with your local indies - 3 OPC hours vs 1.5 Indy hours could be the thick end of 700-odd quid in your pocket. That’s lots of perfume/flowers/dates/botox for your other half. This is handy when you’re at your dinner table trying to get your next upgrade over the line I’ll take your thanks as a given... Edited by Royal Jelly on Tuesday 30th March 07:39

Royal Jelly said: FYI I checked the invoice for you from when mine had this done, and it lists 1.5 hours labour. I can’t say whether this was ‘agreed upon’ pricing to do the job or the actual rate as the car was under the previous owner’s custody. This was at a well-known Hants-based Indy on a 981. May be worth checking with your local indies - 3 OPC hours vs 1.5 Indy hours could be the thick end of 700-odd quid in your pocket. No way it's 1.5hrs on a 718 GT4 for anyone - there are all the undertrays to remove and refit which would take that time alone. Overall job time at an OPC or Indy will be similar, it won't be halved

You’d have thought that’s a bit of a big labour disparity - just thought I’d check the invoice I have for you

Royal Jelly said: You’d have thought that’s a bit of a big labour disparity - just thought I’d check the invoice I have for you Cheers, it was much appreciated! The new GT4 and Spyder have a hell of a lot of plastic to remove to get at the mounts compared to my old 981 GTS, for example. It's why exhaust swaps take a bit longer than you would think too.

Ah right, the undertrays would do it.. based on priors, they would take me a couple of days of snapped bolts and emotion. Hopefully they don’t crap out on you again anytime soon. Do you happen to know what mode they’re in when they break - i know they stiffen with rpms, but do you know if they seize in the firm or soft position, or the one in which they gave up?

I think they default to "firm"...

OK, so I've collected my car and all is now good with the PADM system, however they claim that the work required a subsequent geo check and adjust so they've re-geo'd the whole car without telling me! Comparing my previous printouts with the OPC's it would seem that their system is out of calibration so while they say it's now "in spec" I'm pretty sure it isn't. I'm fuming as I was looking forward to getting out over the long Easter weekend in my sweet handling car. Well that's not going to happen now Before I kick off massively with the Service Manager, can anyone confirm my understanding that the drivetrain mount replacement could have been done without touching any of the geo setting components on the rear of the car? Also, they claim I had 40minutes of total toe at the rear when it went in with just under -1.5deg of camber each side Is that a possible toe value on a GT4 running standard parts and the standard ride height?

Unfortunately I don't think so... don't they have to drop the transmission to replace the mounts? or at least move it a bit - if so, they have to unbutton the whole rear triangle subframe, and if they do that - its an automatic geo recheck. Ref the values - each car is different... You have adjustable rear toe links? Edited by TDT on Wednesday 31st March 18:41

Thanks T. I currently have standard rear toe links but that will change in the near future. I know every car is different, but having had a full geo last year I have the printouts of how it "should" have been prior to them changing anything. The front especially shouldn't have needed to have been touched but it has been. I'm just hoping my extra shims are still in the car!

Car could easily have slipped since the last reading. As per the thread on the other place - those Rear eccentric bolts can potentially move... so when you move to Adjustable Toe Links - a lockout plate is highly recommended replacing that eccentric bolt to ensure that there can be no movement except by deliberate adjustment of the toe arm/link.

Thanks T, all good info. You're a star. Cheers! I'm just waiting on some part information then I'll be getting booked in for some tweaks and a re-geo...

Just happened to me on my 981 Spyder...Under warranty being fixed 'as we speak'

birdcage said: Just happened to me on my 981 Spyder...Under warranty being fixed 'as we speak' Hope it goes smoothly! These parts are a liability it seems.