List of Common 996TT Breakdowns

Post Reply
User avatar
FRUNKenstein
Curator Extraordinaire
Posts: 3938
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:02 pm
Location: Wheat field, dammit, wheat!
Contact:

List of Common 996TT Breakdowns

Post by FRUNKenstein » Sun Jan 07, 2018 7:43 am

Let's make a list of the stuff that commonly breaks on the 996tt, and add a quick snippet of knowledge on the ramifications and common fixes. If you want to get in-depth on a particular repair, then please start a separate thread. For example, if you want to post a DIY on bleeding a hydraulic spoiler, then start a thread on that. But, if you want to point out a new repair option to the community, then make a post here. The idea is to give people who are considering a purchase a quick reference of things to look out for and what to expect if the car they own or are considering purchasing has a problem.
www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red

2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver

User avatar
FRUNKenstein
Curator Extraordinaire
Posts: 3938
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:02 pm
Location: Wheat field, dammit, wheat!
Contact:

Re: List of Common Breakdowns

Post by FRUNKenstein » Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:18 am

I'll start with the dreaded "Spoiler Failure" warning.
The 996tt has a spoiler on the rear that rises about 2 1/2 inches when the car reaches 75 mph. It came from the factory with a hydraulic actuation system. The factory system will break down - not an "if", but a "when". You will know when this happens mainly because you will get a huge red "spoiler failure" warning. Opinions vary on the actual effect it has on handling - some say they don't notice the difference, others say it is dangerous to drive the car much faster than 75 mph with a broken system. Oftentimes, you will find a 996tt listed for sale with a broken spoiler actuator. The options are to:
1. Take it back to the dealer for repair. They will replace the system at a cost of around $2,500 to $3,000. And it will break again in the future. This was the only "fix" until a few years ago.
2. Replace it with an electric actuation system called an "e-ram" by a small, enthusiast-owned company called Rennkit. You can find them at [url]http://rennkit.com[\url] . This is the option I took and am very pleased with it. It is actually an upgrade as it adds functionality and the rise height can be increased to as much a 4 inches (stock being 2.5). It is considered a permanent fix that won't (or at least shouldn't) break in the future. Although cheaper than a fix at the dealer, it still is pricey, at between $1,500 and $1,800, depending on how you configure it. Plus you still need to install it yourself or pay someone to do it (but it is a pretty easy DIY).
3. Re-bleed the system yourself. There are several people who have successfully re-bled the system and gotten it to work again. The DIY is not difficult and only takes a couple of hours. But, if you have a broken part or a leak in your system, it won't help for long. And be prepared for it to happen again in the future.
4. Repair the system with parts from ultimatemotorwerks.com . This is a recent solution, introduced in 2017. Contact the inventor at kevin@ultimatemotorwerks.com
5. Place the spoiler at a fixed height. There is an inexpensive kit sold on ebay that essentially locks the spoiler into a fixed position. It is basically just a bag of nuts, bolts and washers, but it works. You will continue to get the annoying "spoiler failure" warnings unless you buy an electronic module to override the warnings. Rennkit will sell you the module, but they do not sell the fixed wing height kits.
6. Replace the factory spoiler with an aftermarket, fixed spoiler. The most common option is a GT2 replica wing, which generally replaces not only the wing, but also the engine cover. But there are several various options available. With painting and bodywork, these can get pricey.
7. Ignore the problem and do nothing. Surprisingly (and disappointingly), this is a popular option. The biggest downsides are potentially having hydraulic fluid ruin the paint finish on the rear of your car (it will likely leak onto the paint) and instability at speeds above 75 mph. And of course, the annoying "spoiler failure" warnings.
www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red

2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver

User avatar
993GT
OG (First 100 Outposters!)
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2018 6:25 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: List of Common Breakdowns

Post by 993GT » Sun Feb 04, 2018 6:19 am

probably the most common failures that actually 'stop' a 6tt are, waterpump/coolant hose failure- water-manifold pipes failing out(the pin/weld solution), ignition switches and failed fuel pumps... but common isn't a fair word for it, they mostly just keep running and running...some of the 6tt's I've seen... :cry:
Rob
'03 GT2
'99 986
Lots of past air/waters

User avatar
pfbz
OG (First 100 Outposters!)
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 2:04 pm

Re: List of Common Breakdowns

Post by pfbz » Sun Feb 04, 2018 2:13 pm

I'll fill in more details later, but since my long post was just nuked by a bad keystroke, let me just start with a list:


Spoiler Hydraulics: (covered above).

Coolant Hose Pipe 'glue' Failure: (Adhesive fails, connector pipes pop out of the block, fixes include glue / pin / weld. Anecdotally much more common if you track the car.)

Clutch Slave / Accumulator: (Clutch borrows hydraulic pressure from power steering system. It stores pressure in the accumulator, which can leak, and the check valves in the clutch slave can leak or fail, causing an overflow of fluid in the front hydraulic clutch reservoir. Replace with OEM, replace with GT2 upgrade).

Boost Control Valves, Switches, and Hoses: (boost pressure test, replace bad parts).

Second Gear Popout: (doesn't seem to be an issue these days. Theory is it was a bad production run with incorrect tolerances, most Turbo's that would have the problem have already been fixed).

Spark Plugs and Coils: (Turbo's, especially tuned Turbo's, eat spark plugs regularly, and the coils have a tendency to crack and cause misfires. Plugs are pretty cheap, and coil packs aren't too bad, but the labor to replace the plugs is a bit ridiculous if your paying someone to do it. Remove wheels, wheel liners, tail lights, rear bumper, intercoolers, heat shields for access to coil packs and plugs)

Rear Tire Destruction Syndrome: Very common problem with Turbo's... Easily fixed by just driving like a p****y instead of how a Turbo was meant to be driven.

Standard 996 Issues (other than engine): Window regulators/switches, ignition switch, seat switches, etc.

[TBC]
Last edited by pfbz on Sun Feb 04, 2018 2:37 pm, edited 5 times in total.

Post Reply