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Probably bad door handles (I have WAY too much experience with them on a 958 '11 Turbo).
They eventually crap out due to the weather. On the 958 they like to fail closed, which screws up the locking system. On the 958 replacing them isn't cheap - it's about $500 each per KESSY handle from Porsche. I found on eBay Chinese auto parts store selling them for around $120 each. They arrived and were absolutely identical to the ones from Porsche - so I got 4 handles for the price of one from Porsche. Even the tiny marking saying "Made in Poland" was the same. From China. Go figure.
They come unpainted (primed but no color/clear coat). On the 958 that's not a big issue - the plastic comes off the exterior of the old handle and will screw right onto the new handle. There's one little piece that ends up not painted, but it's underneath the handle and can't be seen except by looking up at the bottom of the handle (an unlikely thing to do.)
You can confirm if this is your problem with a Porsche specific diagnostics tool. The Foxwell NT530 should read out the state of the switches (depressed/not-depressed) so you can check and find which ones aren't working.
Good luck, let us know how you make out!
They eventually crap out due to the weather. On the 958 they like to fail closed, which screws up the locking system. On the 958 replacing them isn't cheap - it's about $500 each per KESSY handle from Porsche. I found on eBay Chinese auto parts store selling them for around $120 each. They arrived and were absolutely identical to the ones from Porsche - so I got 4 handles for the price of one from Porsche. Even the tiny marking saying "Made in Poland" was the same. From China. Go figure.
They come unpainted (primed but no color/clear coat). On the 958 that's not a big issue - the plastic comes off the exterior of the old handle and will screw right onto the new handle. There's one little piece that ends up not painted, but it's underneath the handle and can't be seen except by looking up at the bottom of the handle (an unlikely thing to do.)
You can confirm if this is your problem with a Porsche specific diagnostics tool. The Foxwell NT530 should read out the state of the switches (depressed/not-depressed) so you can check and find which ones aren't working.
Good luck, let us know how you make out!
I have a 2015 Cayenne S with the same exact problem going on. Porsche Warwick RI currently has a new handle ordered for me, and when it comes in they are painting it and replacing it under CPO warranty. I was astounded to hear they are going through all that instead of just replacing what I would have thought was a switch in the door handle.
Regards
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I have 5 handles sitting next to my desk.. if I'd had known I would have sent you one. The painted parts of the handle can be swapped from the old one to the new one. Only one section doesn't swap and it's below and behind the handle - not visible unless you're underneath the handle (unlikely). The Porsche price for the handles with switches (KESSY handles) is over $400 each. A standard handle is around $180 each. I found handles on ebay from a parts store in China - $110/each for Kessy handles. The 4 handles cost about what 1 new one from Porsche would cost, and they're the exact same handles, right down to the date cast into the plastic and the words "Made in Poland".. (which I think is unlikely since I bought them from China.) I swapped the plastic over and didn't paint a thing.
The reason the handle has to be replaced is - the switch membrane is glued into a recess in the handle (under the painted plastic) and sealed in place, then the wiring runs through the handle to a connector. There would be no way to get the connector through the handle (it must be installed after the wiring is run through the handle body)..., so a KESSY handle needs the complete handle assembly. They're not difficult to replace until one of the connectors from the door to the handle decides to pop back into the door - that turns a 10 minute job into about a 4-5 hour job (have to disassemble the door, and boy is there a LOT of disassembly needed.) DAMHIK.
Great explanation Don. Thank you. Glad my S is still under CPO and they are dealing with it this time including the labor. I and going to have to bite the bullet at some point and learn how to tear down those doors. I just bought my wife a CPO 2014 Turbo, and my daughter a 2013 base. Lots of doors for things to go wrong.
Regards
Regards
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