Dead 996 Porsche? ECU Relay Could Be Your Culprit

Hey there! I have some experience with cars and actually faced a similar issue with my 2003 Porsche Boxster last year. I also had starting problems and, like you, suspected relay issues. Turned out it was indeed a defective main relay. Took it to my local Porsche specialist, and they diagnosed it pretty quickly. The fix cost me around 120 Euro including labor, and the car's been running perfectly since then. Quick question though, what are the exact symptoms you're experiencing? Does it crank at all, or is it completely dead? Also, are you getting any warning lights on the dash? This would help me share more relevant details from my experience. BTW, any Porsche specialist should be able to diagnose this fairly easily with the right diagnostic tools. Better to get it checked sooner rather than later!

Thanks for sharing your experience! Mine's at 85764 KM and just had service last month actually. When I try to start it, it cranks but won't turn over completely. No dash lights showing up, which is pretty weird. You mentioned 120 Euro for the fix, that sounds way better than what I was expecting! Did your mechanic mention any other potential culprits I should keep an eye on? I'm gonna try to get it to my local Porsche guy this week, but just trying to gather as much info as possible before heading in.

Hey again! I totally understand your concern. Yeah, those symptoms do sound quite similar to what I experienced with my Boxster. Mine had about 92,000 KM when it happened. You know what's interesting, in my case, the cranking-but-not-starting issue started intermittently at first, and the no-dash-lights situation was exactly what made my mechanic zero in on the relay problem. When my guy fixed it, he actually mentioned a couple other things to watch out for. The fuel pump and its relay can sometimes cause similar symptoms, and there's also a chance it could be the crankshaft position sensor. But in my case, it was definitely the main relay. The 120 Euro I mentioned was just for the relay replacement, I got lucky it was just that. My mechanic told me these issues are pretty common in our generation of Porsches, especially when they hit the 80-90K mark. Since you're right in that range and just had service, it's probably not a maintenance-related issue. Quick tip, when I took mine in, I had recorded a video of the starting attempt, which really helped the diagnosis process. Might be worth doing the same before you head to your mechanic! Keep me posted on what they find, I'm curious to know if it's the same issue I had!

Thanks so much for all that detailed info! That's super helpful, especially about recording a video, I'll definitely do that before taking it in. Just tried starting it again and got the exact same symptoms you described. It's actually a relief to hear this is common around this mileage, and that it might just be the relay. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a similar repair cost! I've booked it in for Thursday morning with my local Porsche specialist. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, it's made me feel a lot better about the whole situation. Will definitely update you once I know what the actual problem is. Thanks again for taking the time to help out a fellow Porsche owner!