996 Porsche Rear Window Heat Issues, Common Fix Inside

Hey there! I have some experience with cars and had a similar issue with my 2006 Porsche Cayman (pretty close to your 996). Actually, it turned out that my battery was dying and couldn't provide enough power for the heated windows to work properly. Had to take it to my local Porsche workshop, Mario's Auto. They diagnosed it and found that the battery was really weak. Total bill came to around 290€ for a new battery and installation. The heated windows worked perfectly after that! Before you jump to conclusions though, could you share: How old is your current battery? Are you having any other electrical issues? Does it happen only when the engine isn't running? Just want to make sure you're not dealing with something different than what I experienced.

Hey, thanks for sharing your experience! I'm at 117368 KM on my 996, and just had it serviced last month. The battery is actually fairly new, got it replaced about 8 months ago. Everything else electrical seems to be working fine, and the heating issue persists whether the engine is running or not. I checked the fuse too, but it looks good. Interesting that you had a similar problem with your Cayman. I'll definitely keep the battery connection in mind, but since mine's new, I'm thinking it might be something else. Maybe a wiring issue or the heating element itself? Did your mechanic mention any other potential causes when they were checking yours out?

Hey again! Thanks for the additional info about your 996. Yeah, since you've got a new battery, it's probably not the same issue I had with my Cayman. Actually, now that I think about it, when Mario was working on my car, he mentioned a couple other things that could cause heating problems. He said there's a heating element controller that can go bad, it's this little control module that regulates power to the heating elements. On my Cayman (and I think it's similar in your 996), it's located near the rear window. Have you noticed if the problem started suddenly or did it gradually get worse? In my case, before the battery issue, I actually had a problem with corroded connections at the heating element terminals. The connections had gotten really nasty over time, but it was a pretty cheap fix, just needed cleaning and new terminals. Since you're at 117K km, it might be worth having someone check those connections and the controller. My mechanic said these issues are pretty common on Porsches of our age. Let me know if you want Mario's contact info, he really knows his stuff with these cars!

Thanks so much for all this detailed info! Come to think of it, I never really paid attention to whether it was gradual or sudden, but now that you mention it, I think the heating was getting weaker over time before it completely stopped working. Those corroded connections definitely sound like they could be my issue, especially given the age of my car. It's actually really encouraging to hear it might be something relatively simple and inexpensive to fix. I'll definitely get someone to check both the connections and that heating element controller you mentioned. I'd really appreciate Mario's contact details, although I've got a regular mechanic, it might be worth getting a second opinion from someone with specific experience with this issue. Could you DM me his info? Thanks again for all your help! Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.