-4 and the heater kaput… wish me luck

[alexsas]

That fact is well known! No recuperation at High SoC! Where would the system put the energy? It is the same in a Tesla model 3performance, BMW i4 and the Taycan.

I get that all the time when setting off on a longer road trip and charging the battery to 95 or 100%. I live 500 meters above sea level and going downhill I need to use the friction brakes.
If you however have a different feel on the brake pedal with high DoC, I think you need to visit the dealer to check it. I have never experienced any difference between recuperation or physical brakes.

Maybe I didn’t explain well. I have started a downhill journey with a full charge a few times, but I would always have proper regen “feeling”, and the green “regen” dial will be showing even at 100%. My theory is that the excess energy was sent to heat the heating system, and with the heater broken enrgy had literally nowhere to go. Another confirmation of this theory is that when you just turn on the ignition, the car would try to regenerate on the first opportunity (the dial will go green), but then it recognises the problem with excessive energy and switches regeneration off. Then if you stop and turn the car on and off, it will do regen again once, and then switches any recuperation off. That makes me think that the car does not really care about SoC when deciding to regen - only if something tells that energy is overflowing it will stop recuperating.

In the interest of science, can you try starting the downhill journey with 100% and see if it will continue to show the green regeneration indicator? Because my indicator was just staying dead in the centre or was going blue when consuming energy…

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[alexsas]

Was that Porsche France that said they would not do anything. In that case get on to a higher level of support because that is BS! Porsche Assistance in France have twice towed my car to the dealer because of the faulty heater.

Well the car is in France “somewhere”. I understand Porsche assistance took it to a dealer who in turn deemed the car in good driving order which triggered computer says no for the recovery to the UK… hopefully I can talk some sense into them tomorrow…

 

[Scandinavian]

Maybe I didn’t explain well. I have started a downhill journey with a full charge a few times, but I would always have proper regen “feeling”, and the green “regen” dial will be showing even at 100%. My theory is that the excess energy was sent to heat the heating system, and with the heater broken enrgy had literally nowhere to go. Another confirmation of this theory is that when you just turn on the ignition, the car would try to regenerate on the first opportunity (the dial will go green), but then it recognises the problem with excessive energy and switches regeneration off. Then if you stop and turn the car on and off, it will do regen again once, and then switches any recuperation off. That makes me think that the car does not really care about SoC when deciding to regen - only if something tells that energy is overflowing it will stop recuperating.

In the interest of science, can you try starting the downhill journey with 100% and see if it will continue to show the green regeneration indicator? Because my indicator was just staying dead in the centre or was going blue when consuming energy…

My car is at Porsche again for investigation on why rain water enters the cabin . It has been there 2 weeks and I am travelling with another car. And when we return, it will be summer temperatures.

Your observation may be correct that recuperation will still go to the heater initially, but there is only max 10 kW that can be absorbed there I think.

 

[BigBob]

Well the car is in France “somewhere”. I understand Porsche assistance took it to a dealer who in turn deemed the car in good driving order which triggered computer says no for the recovery to the UK… hopefully I can talk some sense into them tomorrow…

When mine broke i phoned my local dealer (a mile down the road). They said it is a safety issue and that i should get it recovered by Porsche assist (in order to get a quick service slot). Its a safety issue as your car can fog up etc. So they're talking cobblers and should recover it and supply a hire car.

Who is your dealer? Maybe call PRG head office in Reading?

 

[Finbo]

When mine broke i phoned my local dealer (a mile down the road). They said it is a safety issue and that i should get it recovered by Porsche assist (in order to get a quick service slot). Its a safety issue as your car can fog up etc. So they're talking cobblers and should recover it and supply a hire car.

Who is your dealer? Maybe call PRG head office in Reading?

I also believe that when you phone Porsche Assist they supply a car and not the dealer so no like for like driver while at dealers

 

[hifi239]

Beyond unreal, this whole heater thing is shameful

True, but when designing the Taycan - the first Porsche vehicle with an entirely new propulsion source in 100 years - they sourced the 10kW heater from Webasto. They are older than Porsche, a 100-year-old company with a good reputation for making similar devices for cars and trucks. For a design review, I would have said okay, the heater is low risk and we don't need years of testing. Webasto screwed up, not Porsche. Porsche has screwed up in other ways of course.

 

[alexsas]

I ended up calling every man and his (their?) dog, including Porsche UK customer services - eventually, they agreed that they did indeed agree to repatriate the car to the UK initially, so they will do that. They said it might take 'a month' though... but they will of course let me know...

 

[alexsas]

I was hoping the saga would end today when collecting the fixed car from the dealer (they delivered it to the dealer on Saturday)...

When the dealer sent me their customary video review, there was a mildly alarming remark about the 'damage to the front bumper' - which I was hoping was some small stone chip on the underside I never noticed, but it was a little worrying.

The service person cheerfully escorted me to the car to discover this:

and later that:

The already bad situation quickly developed into a mini-meltdown when they initially suggested I should take it up myself with Porsche assistance, but eventually, they agreed to sort out the damage within Porsche themselves.

Then I discovered they actually drove my car on the road for 1300kms (the difference on the odometer between collection and now) - whilst damaging the car in the process - without any authorisation (or at least acknowledging this).... :-(

Overall whilst they did get the car recovered - which I guess I should be grateful for - the amount of stress, damage and confusion they caused is a little more than would be reasonably expected....

 

[Boss Hogg]

That's shocking, perhaps the driver sent on the 1300km trip had the windows steam up (no heater) causing them to hit something. I hope they do the right thing and fix the damage, I'd also ask for wheel alignment checks as there has been a collision.

It is amazing a company like Porsche knows they have a problem with heaters in the Taycan yet they still try to mess people around.

 

[Scandinavian]

That is completely unacceptable. I think you should get in touch with Porsche GB and also somebody in Germany.

My experience from Porsche Assistance is that they take pictures of the car and the wheels when recovering and also when unloading. That’s their proof of the state of the car.

 

[alexsas]

I wrote an official complaint to Porsche UK about all this. Let’s see if they care to do something.

On the other side, despite all this - changed to summer tyres (21 vs 20) and took the car out for a spin on - how magical it is to drive. I am almost ready to forgive and forget all the issues. Just dreading to think what will happen when warranty expires

 

[alexsas]

well it is two weeks today, and no reply from Porsche or AA - who they keep trying to fob me off to... Probably going to call them tomorrow before sending emails to CEOs of all the both companies.

it is our first expensive car - so maybe our expectations are too high, but the attitude of the company is beyond belief...

 

[alexsas]

After many weeks of waiting, AA agreed to pay for the damages that my Porsche dealer has now fixed, and they offered me £100 for the "inconvenience".

They told me that was fine for them to drive the car for 1300kms because it says in their terms and conditions they can choose whatever mode of "transporting the car".

Wrote to their CEO - not holding my breath, so the next step is probably the regulator...

 

[Scandinavian]

They told me that was fine for them to drive the car for 1300kms because it says in their terms and conditions they can choose whatever mode of "transporting the car".

You have the cover from Porsche Assistance on your car. Have you checked what their terms say. It really must be up to Porsche to sort that mess out, even if the subcontract it to AA. I have never ever heard that a recovery agent can choose a means of transportation, that entitles them to drive the car, more than up on the transporter and at some recovery and repair center. Probably much less than 1 km. Short test drives if the battery has been changed ok.

I have had my car repatriated from Sweden to south of France, after initial collection and repair. And that was done very professionally by a Dutch firm.

A friend of mine had his 911 repatriated from northern Germany to south of France by a car transporter as well. Never occurred to him either that they would drive the car back.

 

[alexsas]

You have the cover from Porsche Assistance on your car. Have you checked what their terms say. It really must be up to Porsche to sort that mess out, even if the subcontract it to AA. I have never ever heard that a recovery agent can choose a means of transportation, that entitles them to drive the car, more than up on the transporter and at some recovery and repair center. Probably much less than 1 km. Short test drives if the battery has been changed ok.

I have had my car repatriated from Sweden to south of France, after initial collection and repair. And that was done very professionally by a Dutch firm.

A friend of mine had his 911 repatriated from northern Germany to south of France by a car transporter as well. Never occurred to him either that they would drive the car back.

I also find it incredible. First that AA did do that (and still thinks it’s fine) and secondly that Porsche UK washed their hands off by passing it to their provider. My claim was raised with Porsche but they could not wait to fob it off to their assistance provider…

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