agreenway

Any ideas for a quick work around?

I called Porsche roadside and they are happy to tow it to the dealer.

Only hitch is it is Sunday now and I am away skiing in Whistler.

Never had this problem before and have driven in the snow many times.

I can't seem to get the front wheel drives side to unlock.

http://www.youtube.com/user/andytaip.../0/yuBVX8kvnxA

997.1 - CS rear wheel drive.

6 speed manual - 4 snow tires

Worse case will have it towed to the dealer in the morning.

agreenway

Seems Porsche does not cover a rental only towing. Which is a pain giving the situation. All State Insurance does not cover a rental either unless there is an accident.

If you have any ideas please let me know. Is it a simple visit to the dealer to have the computer reset? Or will the problem go away once it warms up?

Edgy01

What I think you seem to be saying is that the front driver's side wheel is locked up--won't rotate.

I have experienced this on my 1987 Vanagon and helped another gentlemen several years later with his VW Eurovan in Telluride.

The problem is that water has frozen (along with rust from the brake rotor) and the thing is literally seized. When you drive along on packed snow there is not enough friction out there on the road to turn the wheel for you. You have to find a stretch of blacktop that is dry, with no ice or snow on it, and get that front left wheel onto it. THEN, slowly work the accelerator to break it free. You will experience some suspension loading up as you try to break it free.

I used to run into this problem after putting my Vanagon away wet in cold temperatures. It only affected my rear wheel(s) and since they are the driven wheels they would load up the suspension and then POP, they would break loose and I was good to go.

The Eurovan (front wheeldrive only) guy I helped in Telluride had no clue his left rear wheel was not turning. He was skidding that wheel along on hard packed snow. I flagged him down and then directed him to a stretch of blacktop that was clear. He got the left rear wheel positioned over that blacktop and then loaded it up (gently accelerating) until POP! And then he was good to go again.

I suspect it is the same thing for your Carrera (2WD) Find some dry blacktop. In the meantime the ABS will report a failure as it doesn't understand why a wheel is not rotating. I am going to venture a guess that this problem may be less for a car with PCCBs, in that the chemicals in winter areas really do a job at rusting rotors, and all of that will seize up for you.

alexb76

I think Dan might be right on his advice. Where is the car parked? Covered garage or the outside parking in Whistler?

Let's see if you can release the brakes as Dan suggested and it may fix the issue. Otherwise, you may wanna get it towed to MCL Porsche in Vancouver. Not sure where the Porsche road side assistance tow it to, don't believe they take it across the border.

Not much fun I agree! I got stuck similarly, down in Portland, being from Vancouver!

PS. Maybe try some hot water or something to heat up the drivers side brakes

agreenway

Many thanks for the advise and tips. The car is sitting outside in Whistler.

Has never been a problem before. I always park the car outside and leave the handbrake off.

The car is under warranty so I will have it sent down to MCL in the morning.

I did try to drive it for a while hoping to break the ice and get the front wheel moving again with no luck.

I was thinking of trying to get a hair dryer to warm up the wheel. But it is too cold and I don't have access to power outlet. I left the car parked down the street.

Worried the hot water might freeze again.

Thanks again for the support.

alexb76

Just boil some water in a kettle, bring it down, it wont freeze that quickly!

rijowysock

i would do the above before going thru the work of sending the car off.... what he says makes perfect sense, the pad is just frozen to the rotor and you cant get enough traction to break it free.. somewhere dry and drive and it will pop em apart, or hot water and a quick drive will do the same..

agreenway

Update:

-4.5C Outside. I took a hair dryer and towel out the car. Heated the brake brake rotor while covering the wheel to keep as warm as possible. After 10-15 minutes the ice melted. The wheel now rotates.

I still get the check engine visit workshop warning but everything else is fine.

I restarted the engine a couple times. Hoping to clear the check engine visit workshop message with no luck.

I guess I will have to visit the dealer later in the week.

Thanks again for all the help and ideas. I must say I am a little disappointed that Porsche Road Side Assistance don't have a mechanic on call to answer technical questions.

JW911

That light will likely reset itself after driving for a while. Glad you solved it and posted it here. Now I'll know what to do if it ever happens to me.

alexb76

Glad it worked out. Just need to clear the code if it didnt go away on its own!

Edgy01

Glad you didn't have to send the car out. This is something that happens VERY rarely. I had it happen to my Vanagon twice (putting it away wet) and then that one time I saw the Eurovan at Telluride.

If you experience this again try to find an underground parking garage nearby and drive in briefly to break it loose on their dry concrete surface. Remember, this is not caused by the handbrake, but by the accumulation of crap in there next to the rotor and it seized up. Whether you had the handbrake engaged is not a factor.

agreenway

I will make sure I am extra careful in future.

Let's hope it does not happen again. Thank you again for all the help.

rijowysock

i would say the ONLY reason they even have the service is to charge you to fix stuff,... they dont do it for free ;-)