Strong battery / won't start / clicking sound

Hello folks, it's been a bit -can't believe i've owned her for 9 years now -where does time go...i digress Ok, got a very strong battery. when i engage the starter, i just get a clicking/vibration sound. I've heard of the following possibilities: 1) the battery in / or the key fob itself needs to be replaced. I replaced the battery (even though the voltage read ok) i get solid lights on the key, but it won't talk to the car. Called Porsche and they told me that those fobs (even with new batteries) need to be updated ? reconditioned ? something along those lines. So i just did everything manually -delaying as long as possible the payment of $200-300 or something like that for a new key). 2) Now, nothing happens. I'm told that this has to do with the key OR 3) a 7.5 amp fuse that needs to be reset/ replaced ? I was going to take it in to Porsche for its annual service, but now it won't even start. I'd hate to have to have it towed. what do y'all think? Thanks !

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Normally, the clicking sound is usually from a bad battery (not keyfob battery) or grounding issue on the car. Re: the keyfob. Do you have a backup key that works? We need to confirm the RFID is still functional. There are three parts to these keys: 1. key blade 2. Electronic board (control access to the car) 3. RFID "Pill" that works with the ECU and Immobilizer to provide a security check when attempting to start the car. The keyfobs DON'T need battery power (i.e. CR2032) to start the car! The RFID is a passive device.

The 7.5 amp fuse is in the immobilizer. ^^What he said. But, when you go to engage the starter and it doesn't turn the engine over, all conditions (hand shaking with DME and immobilizer) have been met. So you have to start with diagnosing the 12V circuit from the battery to the starter. Make sure the ground from the engine to the body is clean and good. Check the jump point in the engine bay to see if you have "strong" 12V there.

When mine did what you described, a new battery solved it.

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Well, lets start with your first stated problem(seems to be a few things going on here)... If you get the clicking/vibrating sound and the starter doesn't turn over the engine, its got nothing to do with the key fobs or rfid system. Its one of a few things. 1) How was your battery tested,? just because it has 12v at the terminals doesn't mean it has the amperage needed to turn over the engine. A bad/partially shorted or weak cell can do this. You need to load test the battery. 2) Could also be a bad battery cable not letting enough juice thru to the starter. A bad y cable is a common 996 problem. Many different good ways to test this cable, do a search. 3) Could be as simple as a bad starter. "Now, nothing happens. I'm told that this has to do with the key" When you say "nothing happens" do the dash lights come on when the key is turned on..? Assume you mean the 'clicking vibration sound' is gone now..? If so, all the above could do that If your key fobs don't unlock/lock the doors and they have good batteries in them, its more than likely the fobs are bad and you need new ones programed to your car. Another common 996 problem area. It is a 20+ year old car.... Most times, ECU Doctor in Florida is the most economical way to go here. jmo

Ok. got it. that all makes sense. so if it were "bad handshake" i wouldn't even hear the clicking (bad batt or short to the starter) sound? is it even true that these fobs go bad ? it is 19 years old (original) Porsche just quoted me 564 for everything... It is the service center after all -i knew this going in...so i get it; not happy, but i get it -it's not a Hyundai thanks

addendum: The dash lights DO come on when I turn the key. Removing the FOB from the equation, past experience would tell me it's a bad battery. OK: Bad Y cable Yes: the FOB stopped locking / unlocking the doors a fews weeks back. Been doing it the old fashioned way; which has worked -until now.

The circuit board in the key fob goes bad over time. Mine did and I have used the good old fashioned way key in the door to lock/unlock. If you don't have the original key tags with the coded numbers for programming then you have to go the route of buying new keys from Porsche and have them programmed into the DME/immobilizer. There is no other way. But your problem is in the 12V circuit from the battery to the starter.

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The key won't lock/unlock the doors when manually turning the key in the door key slot...?

i'm sorry, that was vague. The key has worked manually for the doors and the ignition. it will NO longer work with ignition

Last week I had the same issue - rapid clicking and no start. The battery was 4 years old (3-year warranty of course), so I replaced it and problem solved for $195. If your battery is more than 3 years old (no matter the warranty), I'll bet it's your problem. Not difficult to replace it yourself and avoid paying for on-site service or towing.

Yeah, if i need to swap out the battery, i'm only too happy to do that so I don't have to have it towed. I kept it on a trickle charger and it was showing 95%. But come to think of it, i do believe that it's about 3 years old now. I'm going to start with a new battery. Hopefully that's it. it's time for a new one anyway -even if it's something else. May as well remove a bad batt from the equation. I'd much rather drive it over to get serviced than to have it towed there. thanks again!

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Your symptoms are consistent with a bad Y cable. A three year old battery on a tender should not die. If the Y cable is corroded, it will prevent the battery from fully charging. When you replace the battery, keep your eye on the voltmeter in the dash. If it drops to 12V or lower when the engine is warm and the radiator fans are on, you have a Y corroded cable. I replaced the Y cable, battery and alternator and the voltage barely drops below 14v when fully loaded.

ok. I suppose that makes sense with the rest of the input here, thanks. Everything has been working great since i've owned it (9 years now). this is the first time i've had this issue with it NOT starting. The trickle charger tells me there should be enough voltage to at least start it; so i'm guessing the batt can still be bad. But what you guys have pointed out is something that i'm guessing is MORE than possible on a car that's 20 years old. I've babied her, but that doesn't mean that things don't age and break/go bad. so a bad cell or Y cable At least you guys have ruled out the fob / immobilizer theory which is where i was going..

Rhetro, whatever you do, you'll disconnect the battery so it needs to be "reset". Once the battery is re-connected, turn the ignition on but do not start the engine, then keep it on for 60 seconds, then turn the ignition off. Lower each window, then close it, then press the up button again. Questions? See Owner's manual.

Ok. thanks! after batt reconnect, engage the electrical by turning key, wait 60 sec, lower windows all the way, raise and close them. do you mean once the windows are closed; depress the windows up button again ? (i'll refer to the manual as well) interesting process. tap shoes 3 times..."there's no place like home" got it !

There are 2 parts to the starter: The solenoid The motor If you hear a single loud click, the solenoid is being activated, it closes a high amperage contactor to send 12v at 50amps to the starter. If the starter does not turn, it could be a bad contactor, a worn out motor brush or a burned winding. The solution to all of those problems is usually "replace the starter" ( On every other car, I take the starter out, diagnose the issue and repair it) I have not done this to a 996, yet (I have only had the car 3 weeks...) If you hear a buzzing sound (or rapid clicking), it is the solenoid opening and closing very rapidly, that usually means not enough current to keep the solenoid engaged. Usually a bad battery or connections. This is "car 101" Good luck, Paul

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What car is this procedure for? My '03 C4S manual doesn't mention it, nor does the Bentley service manual or the 101 Projects book. I disconnected my battery earlier in the week, and didn't do it. Everything seemed ok (the radio needs the code on a '99 Boxster but not on a '03 Carrera, I read that the Becker-Porsche CDR-23 radio and main car computer are programmed together) Thanks, Paul

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In order to turn a starter motor to turn an engine over, you need power, not just voltage. You could have 12V with just 8 AA batteries, but 8 AA batteries do not have much power because they lack amperage. The starter can draw probably 150-250 amps or more, but that amount of current needs a lot of wire from the battery to the starter motor, which is why the Y cable is suspect. A bad connection simply reduces the effective amount of wire available to transmit that amperage. If it�s not bad connection with the Y cable and all that, then it does sound like a starter/solenoid issue.

Ok, got it. Hoping it's just a battery replacement at this point. I'll take a look at the connections. One thing i forgot to mention - i never take it out in the rain. too many idiots on the road that don't know how -i suppose that could be me ;/ but the last drive i had to. wondering if something got contaminated/ dirty of something. Or maybe it's just a coincidence. Again, i baby this car, but being 20 years old, maybe some seals? water hit some contacts ? just a thought

Oops, the procedures about reconnecting the battery were not from the owner's manual, but from the Service Manual:

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I think that Y cable is relatively exposed, so water could have made it worse. Also, if you haven�t checked your drains, now would be a good time to check them.

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You don't need water to have the Y cable corrode. It corrodes because it joins dissimilar metals and there is enough moisture in the air to initiate the electrolytic process. Oh and it isn't sealed from the air. New versions have better but not perfect weather proofing.

Ok, cool! Just spit-balling possible variables. I figure anything rubber/foam that can chemically break down or dry rot will reach that mark well before 20 years. The bits of tacky foam flying into the car from the AC ducting are a testament to this. - when will that stop ?? haha -i'll go to another thread as there's NO doubt plenty on that subject. ;] thanks again!

hey guys. gone for a bit but back... it was a bad battery after all, but the terminals were a bit grimy so it looks like all of the above. Running great now! amazing what a new batter can do -duh, and i had no idea it was that old 3 years -and it should have been my first clue. just totally lost track of time). One thing: About keeping the battery on the trickle charger... I was told that it was better to connect directly to the battery and NOT use the cigarette lighter port? Is this true? and why? and i'm guessing it's the standard order. + first (red), then - second (black) correct ? thanks!

I don't have my owner's manual in front of me, but I believe it says you can use the lighter. I've used it for years. Mine stays plugged into a trickle charger most of the year.

i couldn't really think of a reason as to why not other than a direct connection via the charger clamps; it's not running through other circuitry in the dashboard ?

BTW, 3 years old is not old for a battery. Anything over 6-7 is considered old. Also, when buying a new battery, the manufacture date matters. Batteries that sit on a shelf for 9 months - no thanks. I look for batteries 3 months or newer.

Battery life depends a lot on the climate. Heat destroys batteries more than cold. Here in the AZ desert, batteries often die in three years so I replace all my car batteries at 3 years before I'm stranded.

Good point, guys. Didn't even think about what's sitting on the shelf -thought for the most part it's good to go if it's on the shelf. It's pretty brutal down here in San Antonio for the summer, too. Lesson learned

Every DIY'er should have a "Capacitance " type Battery Tester in their toolbox these days !! Capacitance type battery testers are the Ultimate in accuracy and repeatability for testing battery CCA ...and have been around for decades in the Dealerships used by the Pro's .. No manufacture will warranty a battery without the Capacitance Test report.. When this type Tester first came out by Midtronics they were over $1k each...I still have and use one of those... but as with all things electronic the price has came down extremely and less expensive versions can be had for less than $50 bucks... It will be needed every few years to check the health of your batteries...so will be extremely usefull ..when the cranking power ( CCA) of the battery gets below 75-80% of the "rated power "it is about to get time to replace... The battery is the most simple , yet first and most important power storing device that is needed to bring the ICE into life.....and fast and accurate diagnosis will keep from taking 27 days to solve a cranking issue like this.......I know you are not trying to feed a family off diagnosis time....but your time is worth something, and a Capacitance Tester will save you valuable time and effort...

will buy a capacitance tester as it sounds like it's well worth the investment! Are there any that you recommend ? Thanks

Midtronics in the pentacle of the Battery Testing Equipment and were the first and ONLY brand for a long long time...( the Patents have probably ran out ) But in recent years I have seen many many brands and used a few and they are the same technology and give the exact same readout. I haven't owned one of these models personally ( I still use my 35 year old Midtronics) ....But all electronics has gottten massively less expensive in recent years, the technology doesn't use huge currents to test so the solid state circuity should be dependable on most models...Maybe someone has some recommendations or some products has plenty of reveiws...

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Worse is, that above procedure is of absolutely no relevance to OP's problem of 'no cranking'. as you probably guessed in the mean time after reading it yourself, hopefully...

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It is better, yes. It takes away any doubt with regards to proper connection as you're not relying on the wiring/connection to the battery inside the car. Also not every car maker has the cigarette lighter connected directly to the battery but only when the key is in the accessory/first position of turning the key. Or it is disconnected after a while when the vehicle 'goes to sleep' after a certain time. Etc.

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How do these work? Is there a model you recommend for around $50?

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They work by sending a small AC voltage through the battery and measure the impedance, then use this to calculate the Cold Cranking Amps.......This Technology was Patented by Midtronics in the 80's , but Patents are only good for 17 years... Battery Technology and testing is a very deep rabbit hole and continues to get deeper. I have been to a lot of battery tech training over the 50 years in the business from companies like Interstate ect.. But to keep it simple batteries are everywhere and we will not ever get away from them ... There are a lot of testing equipment and different tech like hydrometers, and carbon pile load testers ect...but the Contuctance Tester is the most accurate,fast, handy, and is the most usefull, so if only one, that would be the one.. I would probably recommend the Solor BA9 for the DIY'er, made by Clore Automotive ....It doesn't have the printer, blue-tooth, Vin # documentation, all the bells and whistles that is needed for Pro use and manufacture warranty, but uses the same Technology... Amazon Amazon

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Good stuff. Yeah, battery management systems, battery tech is super relevant. One my customers makes most of the battery chargers for SamSung phones, and they make some cool stuff for the military, such as wearable battery packs. A good tester that doesn�t just pull amps and gives a pass/fail can save time, money, landfill, and keep people from being stranded. Which makes me wonder how many new cars will start to come with this level of tech (EVs probably already have this). I�m guessing my iPhone has some pretty good battery management tech as well.

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So that allows the windows to re-learn the limits? I think what is more important on that page is the throttle re-calibration procedure! I have disconnected my battery a bunch lately (chasing electrical gremlins), so have done that throttle procedure, now I will add the window procedure. Thanks! And with the CDR-23 that I have, there is no radio code required (I have read it is "automatic). On my 1999 Boxster (CDR-220) there is.