993 Warning Lights

[Ocho]

Hello all

Driving home on the motorway last night and the ABS brake warning light and also the Battery light both came on. Any ideas what this might indicate. Hoping to check out some inexpensive faults before we get to anything serious...

I didn't notice the brake warning light until I was parked up into the garage because of the bright sunlight bit suspect they both came on at the same time and are somehow linked - hoping this might help with the diagnosis.

Thanks all

[ShampooEfficient]

Check your battery and charging voltages in the first instance.

[Burrow01]

ShampooEfficient said:

Check your battery and charging voltages in the first instance.

This was the first indication I had of a dying battery and alternator

[Ocho]

I had a replacement alternator about 18 months / 10,000 miles ago so should be ok, but how would I check?

[Orangecurry]

Have you tried to start the car since? If so are the warning lights (both) still illuminated?

When I had an ABS light come on (at first intermittently) it turned out to be an actual ABS sensor corroding from within. Imagine that! A useful warning light

I can't remember for certain if the battery light came on as well, but if you get no joy on the simple things, you'll have to find some garage that still has the stone-aged OBC readers that Porsche used in the 1990s... I did and it correctly identified which ABS sensor had gone open circuit.

Or just ask Pope!

[Ocho]

Thanks OC.

Yes next day it still had the same two lights illuminated.

Strangely I have this gadget that came with the car when I bought it 6 years ago. Is it one of the fabled gadgets you're referring to? If so, I have no idea if it works or how to use it - presumably I connect it to the car (where???) with the big round end on the yellow lead and into a monitor from the end of the grey lead and let it work it's magic, unless there's another bit that's missing?

[Orangecurry]

Dunno - and how old is your car?

The above reader might have been bought in hope and never used..... isn't the round thing an OBD1 connector??

There is an OBD2 port on my MY96 car, but the actual computer on the car isn't recognised by any easily obtainable software - the computer/software on the car is too rudimentary, even though the actual connector is OBD2.

However...
a) did your car start easily? Lights all bright? So it's not a low battery issue?
b) have you at some point replaced the main/battery earth strap? When you see any electrical issues on any old car, the earth strap is the first thing to renew. Cheap futureproofing as well.

[guards red]

I think the first thing is to do is to check the belts.

[Ocho]

Mine is a '94

[mlsporsche]

Thats some kind of OBD reader, not much use without the software!

[Ocho]

guards red said:

I think the first thing is to do is to check the belts.

So I thought I'd check the alternator with a voltmeter - went to find mine and missing one of the leads. Eventually got round to getting new leads on Amazon which arrived last night.

Go to pop the engine cover to test it this morning and there's bits of belt all over the place...

Note to self - don't be afraid to go and have a look for yourself before running to the experts on here!

Bearings need changing on the fan, which is what threw the belts.

[Orangecurry]

I thought you would have at least opened the engine lid before posting!

Be very very very careful with the fan/bearings - I've seen too many horror stories about when work has been done, and subsequently the fan touches the shroud, the damage that results, and how much each new part then costs.

[Ocho]

Thanks OC - not doing it myself but will warn the chap who is!

[Orangecurry]

....I would hope whoever you are using knows already!