19 Dec Expert Porsche Maintenance & Repair Tips

There are plenty of European import automobiles that have a reputation for top of the line performance, incredible luxury, and elite engineering. However, even among the many great options available, few can compare to the mystique and reputation that is enjoyed by Porsche. To some, the Porsche brand is synonymous with all the glowing or praising words often used to describe a truly premium automobile, and for good reason.

Depending upon who you talk to, a Porsche can represent many things, but there’s no denying that the demand is driven because of the quality these cars bring to the table. From extra fine control and responsive steering to incredible acceleration and braking, it’s hard to argue with what the Porsche brings to the table and if you’ve driven one, you understand why many northern Ohio drivers love them.

Why A Porsche?

Why do you need to even ask this question? While the thought of dealing with specialty mechanics and technicians might be a bit intimidating at first, Porsche is a brand synonymous with power, luxury, and class. These vehicles aren’t just for warm weather, either. While it can be easy to imagine high performance luxury vehicles as being designed for warm sunny days on the road (and who doesn’t like that), Europe is still a continent that experiences all four seasons.

That means Porsches are designed to handle all types of weather and temperature, and that even includes all of what Ohio can throw at it throughout the year. Porsches have a reputation for particularly efficient performance and those engines can really fire on all cylinders to provide plenty of power and acceleration.

Additionally, a Porsche is often seen as a status symbol because it simply is a superior car that is beautifully made and designed.

Porsche Maintenance Tips

While these cars are known for being able to last an incredibly long time, even the finest cars are going to last longer and run better if they are properly taken care of. While there will be some inevitable repairs needed after enough miles, taking some proper maintenance precautions will help you maximize your Porsche’s longevity and daily performance.

The Standard Precautions

There are certain precautions we won’t spend too much time on because they are good maintenance rules for any vehicle, and not just the Porsche. This includes checking your tires every so often, listening for unusual new sounds, or watching for any signs of the steering or response being less than optimal.

In addition to this, you do need to keep an eye out for that check engine light. This means the OBD sensors detected something being wrong or possibly off, and a Porsche technician can check up on this system, get a specific error code, and match that up to pinpoint where the likely problem is. This is where having the right tools and training come into play, as a faster and more efficient repair means better, faster work as well as a lower bill for you.

Keep a Special Eye on the Oil

One thing many new Porsche owners are surprised about, and this actually applies to many other European luxury cars as well, is how fast they can burn through oil in the summer. High horsepower, high performance engines can actually burn oil faster because they are more efficient, can burn hotter, and produce more energy.

The need to burn through oil faster stems from the needs for these superior engines to effectively lube appropriate parts and keep the engine cooler while you’re putting it to work. Failure to do either is one of the fastest ways to damage your engine, so you’ll really need to pay attention to the oil levels to keep a Porsche or another similar vehicle running at its best.

If you haven’t owned a luxury car before you might assume you need to add oil or change oil every 8 to 10 thousand miles. No. That’s way too infrequent with a Porsche or other similar luxury European automobile. For the Porsche we recommend checking oil levels every 3,000 miles or three weeks, whichever comes first. You should check oil in between oil changes and make sure that you are giving the engine what it needs to run at peak performance.

Porsche Repair Issues to Watch Out for

When it comes to Porsche repairs, Cleveland residents should look for licensed and ASE certified professionals who are specifically trained to work on European models like the Porsche. These are not vehicles that every garage or mechanic can handle, and you don’t want a non-Porsche auto repair specialist working on it.

While we’ve mentioned this before, it’s important to reiterate that while Porsches have very few issues in general, given enough miles and time eventually something will come up. No machine lasts forever, after all. So while these cars are amazing, there are some potential issues to look out for, especially if you don’t know about the car’s maintenance or upkeep history. There are some of the more common potential problems that can pop up with Porsches.

Engine Smoking/Engine Issues

High performance is self-explanatory, but it also means when a problem is left ignored for too long, it can go very wrong when it inevitably does! If you see smoking from your engine, don’t immediately panic. You do want to make sure to get the vehicle checked out right away, but there’s a chance that if a technician worked on the maintenance of your Porsche who wasn’t certified or doesn’t have experience working with Porsches, then they may have improperly overfilled the oil, which is now burning and causing the smoke.

While that is one common cause, a faulty oil separator is another reason that this issue might occur. This is especially true on 986 and 996 models, but if you’re seeing smoke come up on any model, then you need to make sure to get your car checked out with a local Porsche expert ASAP.

Watch for Water Pump Issues

The water pump is a crucial part of any vehicle, and that’s doubly true for engines that are designed to be very high performance like the Porsche. This prevents overheating, which can help prevent heavy damage on the engine. You don’t want to see the bill if a garage needs to straight out replace your Porsche’s engine.

Because of the high level of performance needed here, even the smallest signs the water pump might be struggling (difficulty with heating, engine running hot, car taking longer to cool down) it’s time to get a checkup. Porsche maintenance is going to cost you a lot less in the long run compared to most types of repair.

Cooling Issues

Cooling issues are always important when it comes to keeping your Porsche running in tip-top condition, but if you own a Porsche Cayenne or Panamera then you will want to be doubly cautious around cooling issues. These two models in particular often require some additional sealing work because the seal is known to wear out over enough time and miles.

A big sign of this is if you smell a musty smell coming from your engine while in the car or when you open the hood. That’s a sign that there could be coolant puddling in the engine, and that’s simply not going to end well. This is a somewhat common problem among Porsches that are 20 years old or more.

In these situations it is time to get your car to a trusted Porsche auto repair specialist and get your cooling system fixed to avoid any potential engine issues or engine damage.

IMS Bearing Failure

This is an issue that is more common among certain types of Porsches made from 2000 to 2005, but considering Porsche has always built its cars for the long run, a flaw like this isn’t going to be nearly enough to discourage the people who love driving them.

Between the 996 and 986 models from 2000-2005 and (to a slightly lesser extent) the 997 from 2006 to 2009, there are several reports of an IMS bearing failure. You’ll find this part on the front of the engine, located right behind the transmission, and the failure most often comes from long-term wear.

When these bearings become worn, you will usually notice issues in handling and in the transmission, and if the bearing fails completely, then serious damage to the engine will not be far behind. Get the IMS bearing replaced on older models to help prevent this so you can enjoy your Porsche another one or two decades instead of running up a massive bill for engine replacement.

Transmissions

Occasionally transmissions can give issues to Porsche owners. If you notice it’s getting harder to get the Porsche into gear or shift on manual transmission, then you should get it checked out. Issues here be created by the earlier IMS bearing issue or can stem from other wear and tear. Either way, you want to get it checked out early to avoid bigger problems later.

Contact Us Today!

If your Porsche needs any work and you live in the University Circle, Chagrin Falls, or Cleveland area, it’s time to give us a call and get your appointment set up. Larchmere Imports is your source for experienced and highly rated Porsche repair specialists who can take care of detailing, maintenance, and repairs to get your vehicle looking and performing its absolute best once it’s back out on the pavement!

Chagrin Falls Location: (440) 591-5488

Cleveland Location: (216) 229-8000