The owner of a new 991-generation 2012 Porsche 911 has posted a short video of his car on YouTube under the alias "tmayeli", where he seeks the assistance of the online community to trace a problem with his ride.
From the clip, we hear a thumping noise when he turns the steering wheel at low speeds.
We don't have a lot of details to shed on this, but the owner stated that he took the 991 to a Porsche dealer after hearing the sound, which he says is sourced from the front end of the car. The dealer told him that this is something normal when outside temperatures are under 40 Fahrenheit or 4 degrees Celsius.
The driver explains: "This is a 2012 Porsche 991 with popping noise coming from the front of the car. According to the dealership this is normal when ambient temperature is less than 40 Degree Fahrenheit. I contacted the North American Porsche and send them this video; however, they said they would not open this file since I may be sending them a virus. So I am posting this online so they can respond to."
Think you can pinpoint the source of the noise or at least offer a plausible explanation after watching the following clip and help the owner understand what's going on?
It's a cat.
ReplyDeleteWheel bearing.
ReplyDeleteFront differential would be my guess, especially at low speeds...though I am not a Porsche aficionado. Seems like poor customer service PORSCHE! Fix it, regardless of what it is, especially since you know there is a problem and not everyone that owns a Porsche lives in Florida.
ReplyDeleteCould be ice or snow frozen inside of the wheel hub...?
ReplyDeleteTransaxle joint?
ReplyDeleteHave you put on aftermarket tires and rims? Even if not, sounds like the tire rubbing the inner fender on a hard turn. Have someone check the front tire while you make a hard turn. Higher temperature will cause plastic panels to swell and if your tire is only a fraction of an inch away from the wheel well than the swelling may be enough for the tire to rub. Looks like the car jerks when this happens, like the edge of the tire with its high edges rubbing the inner fender or something there.
ReplyDeletetyres on the inner arch due to modded/damaged suspension or donk style rims.
ReplyDeleteMany Porsches have this "problem". Seems to be normal at low speeds and cold tyres, specially in reverse. It has something to do with the steering geometry:
ReplyDeleteIf 4WD, could be CV joint
ReplyDeleteI have a 991 and this is very common when the wheel is turned all the way left or all the way right at very slow speeds (like backing out of a spot).
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be more than just a noise as evidenced by the shake and pulse from the car/camera as the noise is heard. That means something in the drivetrain or brakes. If it's weather or cold related that's a clue. If it goes away after some use then that's another. Is it heard outside the car by observers? If it can be recreated at slow speed while in reverse I'd have someone outside listening at the front end of the car. I think I might check out the suspension and shock mounts too. If they're worn it will cause a shift in the suspension which might be what's being seen on the video?
ReplyDeleteSounds like rubbing when you got the wheels turned to max, like Raroboy said, did you put new rims on it, and are they spaced right, you might need spacers.
ReplyDeleteWow, what Porsche deems normal, I would consider and issue and be pissed. Lesser car don't make that kind of noise. If other owners are experiencing this issue Porsche should work to remedy it in existing & future models. Wishful thinking - good luck with resolving.
ReplyDeleteMight be a cat caught in the suspension componentry.
ReplyDeleteAs I posted earlier, this is common. I have not driven a 991 that did not exhibit this behavior to some degree. It is a well discussed and well known topic on most Porsche forums. I live in a very warm climate and I still get this. Most do not even think about it unless you are turning the wheels about as far left or right as they will go. It is annoying that a car that cost this much behaves like that, but....my old 997 turbo had a similar yet less severe form of this. I think it has to do with the EPS vs hydraulic steering.
ReplyDeletePower steering actuator glitch?
ReplyDeleteAgreed it seems out of place on such a premium car, especially as it's a benchmark of auto engineering excellence ( no sarcasm ).
ReplyDeleteWhat is even more surprising is there's no definitive explanation as to the cause...especially if it's as common as you say.
The front assembly on a 991 may be exotic and complex but it's hardly rocket science!
The source of noise is tire tread.
ReplyDelete"they have a
lot of grip and when turning very sharply at low speeds, the tread
blocks are gripping and letting go and at the same time being compressed
sideways. Cold weather makes this worse."
source: planet9 forum.
Wheel bearing issue ? I know many car in full-lock have that sounds .
ReplyDeletesounds first off as a transaxle joint as Ray mentioned, not rubbing tires. You can see the car bobbing during the sound. But this does not explain it occuring during low temperatures. Decreases the sound when the car is driven for a while? If Porsche's technicians cannot help you at the dealership, maybe you can ask at a drive shaft shop.
ReplyDeleteit's a benchmark of auto engineering excellence
ReplyDeleteit's a well-known fact, dude
This is caused by the construction of the front axle.
ReplyDeleteA Subaru Impreza does the same when backing up, but the wheel jumping doesn't appear to be that rapid. So I would agree with those who say its a common problem not a one case of a technical error.
Seems to be a pretty common problem on Porsches like the 996, 997, Cayman and now obviously the 991. The reason for this seems to be the steering and suspension geometry, which are obviously made for driving forward. However if you are in reverse all these parameters are wrong, for example the caster angle switches signs etc. Normally a tire would just have a big skew angle or slide continously over the surface and the problem remains unnoticed, but if more negative factors like cold tyres, wide low profile tyres, which are stiffer and therefore have smaller maximum skew angles, and maybe a slippery surface join the steering geometry, the tyre can no longer compensate it and it starts to slip periodically. So I'd say: Just live with it! Nevertheless this is a common problem and Porsche should know very well about it, which is why they should be able to explain it properly for the customers to stop worrying about it!
ReplyDeletei think it may be a flat tire
ReplyDeleteI had a similar problem in a '75 Starfire. The wheel wells were too small to accomodate the tires. There was enough flex in the suspension to allow the tires to contact the fender liners when the car was reversed.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the situation got worse with increase in speed. It became obvious where the tires were rubbing. Cures? A: Sheet metal screw and washer to attach the affected area to the steel behind it, then a few hammer taps to move the metal away from the tire. Not elegant but effective. B: Shaving the tires 'til perfectly round. Also inelegant.
Either way, it's the manufacturer's goof.
Perhaps a LSD trying to keep inner and outer wheels speeds the same.
ReplyDeleteUnacceptable on any car, but we keep on dealing with these crappy glitches on over-priced European cars.
ReplyDeleteIs this an AWD or REAR wheel drive, I have a 997 3.6 GT3, bought new, if you crank the wheel all the way to left or right backing up or slowly going forward its tires kind of plow, symptom of letting wheel turn too far left or right but nothing like the car in the video, that action definitely puts a lot of stress on front end geometry, and 991 has longer wheel base as well. With all the testing Porsche did in cold climates, kind of surprising to see this.
ReplyDeleteI had a grinding noise when slowing down in my GT3 from front end, wasnt wheel bearings, it is dirt, gravel build up on top of front spring mounts, I cleaned it up, sprayed with air, after jacking car up, it was gone, ,Nice easy to fix, and I dont blame porsche for it, as well, in front of each front wheel is a duct on backside of radiators, dirt, gravel can build up in there, make sure you clean it out. dont want wet dirt and gravel residing against your cooling system. ... otherwise my GT3 has been problem free, 16K miles, and I dont have any oil leaks, even with vacuum operated rear main seal.
my 997 mk1 GT3 does something like that backing up too, but not nearly as pronounced, and the 991 has a longer wheelbase which should alleviate that. Basically I think Porsche let the steering go all the way to left, right, but doesnt hit wheel well, but probably too far for to prevent plowing of front tires, the 30 series tires amplify it.
ReplyDeleteProbably too wide tyres on the front axle - while turning they scrub the suspension elements (arms etc.). Need wheel spacers?
ReplyDeleteso a cheap car like Kia can build a car without this problem, and a Premium Brand
ReplyDeletelike Porsche has to tell there customers live with it....sound strange to me