Day after purchasing Taycan 4S Electrical system error and bricked car in the middle of the highway.

[festus_mcBitcoin]

This is so sad to say, but because of the potential dangers outlined in comments here, and our great distance from a dealer, we have decided to cancel our Taycan purchase, and ask for a full refund. It makes me very unhappy after such a long process of expectation, but that's how it is. If it's not safe, we won't drive it. We have paid for everything, we have sat in the front seat, we have not driven our Taycan one inch. At the moment it's awaiting a new instrument cluster; no word on any software fixes that can take care of the sudden bricking or dead 12v battery.

Good call. I'm pulling the plug on my upcoming delivery as well. Porsche as a company seems to have "jumped the shark." I invested a lot of time and energy into learning about EVs and the Taycan in particular but, at the end of the day, buying/leasing a Taycan is clearly a dead end. It's a great car in theory, but realistically is totally unsafe for production use.

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[epirali]

I obviously respect everyone decision about what they want, and no one should get a car they feel “unsafe” about. But I will go out on a limb and say this is being blown out of proportion. If this is simply a firmware communication glitch and is resolved with a simple fix then this is more the throwing out the baby with the bath water. The Taycan is an amazing car and a showcase of how a company like Porsche can turn an EV into a true driving sports car. I think some of you will miss out on something that is very hard to describe until you have owned and driven the car.

As I’ve said elsewhere I was NOT a Porsche guy. I thought the Taycan was an commitment by Porsche to EVs, and while waiting for the Audi Etron GT I decided to get one to show my support. And in the time I have owned it I have gone from “this will be fun, why not” to it becoming maybe my second most favorite car (and trust me, my other cars I love a lot).

I only say this as perspective. In my humble opinion there is defining FUD effects and this being blown out of proportion. It may be a simple fix in a complicated set of updates.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[chrisk]

I obviously respect everyone decision about what they want, and no one should get a car they feel “unsafe” about. But I will go out on a limb and say this is being blown out of proportion. If this is simply a firmware communication glitch and is resolved with a simple fix then this is more the throwing out the baby with the bath water. The Taycan is an amazing car and a showcase of how a company like Porsche can turn an EV into a true driving sports car. I think some of you will miss out on something that is very hard to describe until you have owned and driven the car.

As I’ve said elsewhere I was NOT a Porsche guy. I thought the Taycan was an commitment by Porsche to EVs, and while waiting for the Audi Etron GT I decided to get one to show my support. And in the time I have owned it I have gone from “this will be fun, why not” to it becoming maybe my second most favorite car (and trust me, my other cars I love a lot).

I only say this as perspective. In my humble opinion there is defining FUD effects and this being blown out of proportion. It may be a simple fix in a complicated set of updates.

Your mileage may vary.

As another owner (my car already updated to WMA5) I agree that the car is a joy to drive when it is not struck with software bugs but at least in my case I have experienced many bugs and it ruins my experience.

I don't think the debate is about how easy/hard the fix is but how the company is handling the situation and overall its software quality. It took them about a year to fix the 12v drain issue, and the fix (WMA5) bricked several cars during the update process and it allegedly introduced a more serious issue. It is not clear if or when they will fully resolve this new issue. What if it takes another year? What if the next fix introduces another issue?
Personally, I am worried when I have my kid in the backseat while driving on the highway because I don't want to be rear-ended if the car stalls. I do drive on the rightmost or leftmost lane so if I the car dies it will be easier for me to pull on the side. That really affects my experience

Not to mention the numerous other software glitches that go away after restarting the car. I never before had a car that threw so many random errors. All these do not inspire confidence on the software quality.

I really hope Porsche addresses these issues in a prompt and transparent way. I was thinking of replacing my 4s with a CT 4s for practically but I need to see solid progress and better turnaround times when it comes to fixes.

 

[benver]

I fully agree that you shouldn't buy or keep a car that you have no confidence in anymore. On the other hand I also get the feeling that some are blowing it out of proportion.

Maybe it's a cultural thing, some being more relaxed about software glitches than other.

I did not have the highway stall before the WMA update and also didn't have it (yet?) after the update. I do have other annoying issues, but none that big for me to loose confidence in Porsche.

I have been reading a lot about Porsche and am impressed by the devotion they have about designing and building their cars. Yes, they are very expensive and I feel lucky to be able to buy and drive one.

I think it would help a lot if Porsche would communicate more with its buyers and also if the cars would inform us more about issues by showing fault codes and software versions. Now it's too much of a guessing game what's really going on.

I am trying to find a (Porsche approved) OBDII dongle that we can use in the Taycan to get those fault codes and software versions.

 

[Scandinavian]

I think it would help a lot if Porsche would communicate more with its buyers and also if the cars would inform us more about issues by showing fault codes and software versions. Now it's too much of a guessing game what's really going on.

I am trying to find a (Porsche approved) OBDII dongle that we can use in the Taycan to get those fault codes and software versions.

I agree with you. Most of this is a communication issue, both to us as owners of the car, but very much more a huge issue in communications with the service centres. Several times now I have had more information about updates and software than the service department has. That is completely unaccepatble. Only when enquiring about the matter, he’s the service guys got the information. Porsche France seems unwilling to share any information with the dealer.

 

[Scandinavian]

Not to mention the numerous other software glitches that go away after restarting the car. I never before had a car that threw so many random errors. All these do not inspire confidence on the software quality.

There is a huge difference between some software glitches and warnings that can occur in the car, and a complete lack of power and being bricked. For those of you that have had that horrible experience, I feel for you. I know it isprobably only a small percentage statistically, but there are too many reports and photos of these issues now.

I can live with the other glitches and fault message from the PCM etc. But drive train issues or other issues that endanger peoples lives, is totally unacceptable.

I never before had a car that threw so many random errors.

You have probably never owned an Aston Martin then. If the 12 volt battery is old and weak, the dashboard can light up like a Christmas tree at times!

 

[JimBob]

It's not the end of the world. They will be making Taycans next month and next year. There will be opportunities to return when you feel more comfortable.

Porsche has a huge incentive to fix whatever is wrong given how important the Taycan has become to them.

 

[kreshi]

I'd rather have sudden powerloss and easily coast away than have the feeling that everytime I use ACC my car might crash into a stationary vehicle.

If someone rearends you because your car suddenly decelerates, then that same car would've crashed into you for just breaking.

Not trying to downplay this, but I'm trying to balance the people out that blow this out of proportion. Reading this thread makes the Taycan look like a death trap...

 

[benver]

I'd rather have sudden powerloss and easily coast away than have the feeling that everytime I use ACC my car might crash into a stationary vehicle.

(I am just trying to understand what you mean) Why do you have that feeling ? Is the car not slowing down enough when there is a stationary car in front of you while you drive towards it with ACC on?

 

[kreshi]

(I am just trying to understand what you mean) Why do you have that feeling ? Is the car not slowing down enough when there is a stationary car in front of you while you drive towards it with ACC on?

Sorry wasn't talking about the Taycan. I was comparing the powerloss issue to Teslas driving full speed into stationary vechicles that resulted in a couple of deaths.

 

[Chris8536]

Sorry wasn't talking about the Taycan. I was comparing the powerloss issue to Teslas driving full speed into stationary vechicles that resulted in a couple of deaths.

Taycan is safe because Tesla isn’t? This guy…

 

[fullmetalbaal]

Taycan is safe because Tesla isn’t? This guy…

Comparing the two issues also makes no sense at all...

If ACC is unreliable, don't use it. Done. Especially for a Porsche, that should be a non-issue, since presumably you are happy to drive the car yourself.

If the car can randomly lose power - the only thing you can do to avoid that is not drive the car...

 

[Dan3141]

It's not the end of the world. They will be making Taycans next month and next year. There will be opportunities to return when you feel more comfortable.

Porsche has a huge incentive to fix whatever is wrong given how important the Taycan has become to them.

Yeah, thats exactly how I see it. In two years this will be an awesome car.

 

[chrisk]

FWIW the number of NHTSA complaints for power loss are now 19 (15 for MY2020 and 4 for MY2021). Last week it was 9.

Everyone can make their own assessment for how widespread the issue is..

 

[kreshi]

Comparing the two issues also makes no sense at all...

If ACC is unreliable, don't use it. Done. Especially for a Porsche, that should be a non-issue, since presumably you are happy to drive the car yourself.

If the car can randomly lose power - the only thing you can do to avoid that is not drive the car...

I'm comparing them because Tesla drivers are not returning their cars. I was being extra provocative since people in here are really being extra dramatic about this. It's gotten so far that multiple people cancelled their order. It is 100% right to spread awareness and push Porsche to solve this, but some people are going too far -in my opinion-.

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