Re: bad snow day!!!

Hello all, we are currently in the middle of a snowpocalypse here in Missouri. I drove my porsche today because I wanted to, and it actually seems to work better than my other car. Anyway, On the way home I got stuck a litlle and i was barely creeping along with plenty of tire spin. After slipping around quite a bit, my ABS and my PSM lite came on. also i got a warning message something about brake fluctuation or something. Then when I got home, my engine lite came on. Any ideas?
Thanks all,
Shawn
Oh, it is a base model 2007

Quote
flipper
Hello all, we are currently in the middle of a snowpocalypse here in Missouri. I drove my porsche today because I wanted to, and it actually seems to work better than my other car. Anyway, On the way home I got stuck a litlle and i was barely creeping along with plenty of tire spin. After slipping around quite a bit, my ABS and my PSM lite came on. also i got a warning message something about brake fluctuation or something. Then when I got home, my engine lite came on. Any ideas?
Thanks all,
Shawn
Oh, it is a base model 2007

and never had any ABS (the car doesn't have PSM or traction control) light come on, nor any check engine light, so I'm kind at a loss as to what's going on.

If the car's battery charge is low due to lack of use, old age, or less likely a marginal charging system these various system lights have been known to come on from a battery problem.

Another possibility is a build up of snow/slush on the wheels or even around the hubs/calipers may have affected one or more ABS wheel speed sensors.

Or all that slipping/sliding and wheels spinning at different speeds may have overwhelmed the ABS/PSM systems.

You might just wait and see if the lights clear on their own.

If the check engine light is on though you need to have the diagnostics codes read. Never happened to me but if the car driven in deep enough snow snow might have been in contact with the exhaust system, the converters, even build up around the sensors, and this cooling effect can trip a check engine light cause the sensors and converters need to be hot to work right.

Have the codes read or buy a tool and read them yourself. Be sure to write them down and post them here -- if you want to of course. Once we know what they are we can offer some suggestions as to what's the problem (if any) and what you might do about it.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Where are you in Missouri?

I am in Springfield. We just missed 20 Inches of snow by about 30 miles. We still go about 8 inches, was out in the box this morning and was surprised at just how good it got around!

Hi Greg, I am is Springfield as well. I left downtown at about 3 and barely made it out to republic. have not had a chance to look at the problem yet.

I'd do the simple checks first--check the gas and oil caps. I added some oil to my car and was more annal about getting the oil can drawing straight, which left the cap somewhat loose, but thought is was tight. On popped the CEL. Felt like an idiot once the shop told me. The same can happen with the gas cap if not properly secured. The fuel system I believe works on a vaccum, and if air seeps in, it messes things up.

So, if you topped things off, or checked fluid levels before your journey, it could happen. What appears to be a short trip was really a longer one due to all the wheel spinning. Your wheels and engine went much further than you and the rest of your car.