I find it hard to fathom that it is the tires. My car has done this since I got it in August - unrelated to temperature.

What do I know though except that after owning most every brand of performance cars I have never seen this problem except here.

 

We returned from Xmas vacation and took the car out for dinner the other night, and we had the same 'pops' all night. The car had been sitting in a cold garage (40-45 deg) for almost a week, and it was in low 40s, upper 30s when we went out in it.

But then it's been in the 60s/70s the last two days and every time I take it out I haven't had a single instance of the 'pops'.

Whether it's the tires or something mechanical is probably the main question, but in my mind it's definitely related to temperature.

FYI: I have a P2S (so not just an AWD issue) with 20in TurboIIs & Pirelli P-Zeros. If this is a tire issue, would it be isolated to a specific brand/model, or related to the type (summer v all-season/snow). What kind of tire does everyone here drive on?

 

P Zeros and PS2s on the C2S - skipped when cold; P Zeros on the PTT, skips when cold. Contis on an E46 M3 skipped (no skipping with Alpins), PS2s on the Boxster skipped... do not remember ever running wide, summer only performance tires in the cold without the front end skipping. That has been the regular trigger to switch to the winter wheels - front end chattering, get out the snows... Do have an Audi wagon that I really have to crank the wheel to get it to skip on Summers in the cold, but it does turn like a boat compared to the others. Guess I should have checked the differentials... figured it was just cheaper to change the tires.

 

Hi to All,

I have a Panamera 4S that is in the dealer for one week due to the very same problem. I never experienced such a bump and it is pretty strong sometimes, and gives me nerves!

I have the same tires and wheels on mine; and the dealer told me the same thing you heard from yours. And the symptoms are exactly the same: the thing happens until my “Big Porsche’s bathtub” worms up However, I called Porsche service in Germany, to ensure that if they really have an issue with my car or other Panameras 4wd's they have it registered, and some dealer simply do not bullsh*ts me with tire thing. In such cases it is good to get the explanation in written, preferably from Porsche Customer Service, just in case you need to sue them for product liability in case of an accident caused by mechanical failure. After all, we all chose Porsche because they are reliable at very high speeds, and it is not a $20k car... Right?

Still, reading the postings here, I am afraid that this is a “feature” of the Panamera 4S, as all of us have the same issue.

Do you think Porsche would admit it and have the fix figured-out?

Pedro

 

I have a Panamera 4S and it occasionally has the "problem" when temperatures are low. Interestingly, I also have a VW Touareg that does the same thing when the temperature is low even though the sensation is less because of the tires I have on it. The drive systems and tires in these cars are quite different, so I'm inclined to believe the Porsche explanation.

 

Hi Pmichaelis,
I guess you are right. I will see what the dealer has to say when they return the car to me.
thanks,
Pedro

 

Must be temperature related. Happened to me for the first time today on the PTT. Like much of the country, even we got hit hard with cold weather. Went to get some take-out and it started doing it in the parking lot. Never happened before, but I've also never driven it in such cold weather either.

 

It is the tires making the noise when its cold....these cars run a high amount of caster... around 8 degrees I believe, and have a lot of positive camber gain when turning the wheel sharp angles.... the wide tires with the wheels turned in parking lot maneuvers is riding on the outside tread and not the whole contact patch... what you are feeling is the tire actually skipping across the tread blocks. Go out to your car turn the wheel one direction to full lock and then get out and look at how the tire is resting on the pavement to get a better understanding. You wont notice it much or at all when the pavement and tires are hot..
I tried to find a good picture to better illustrate steering axis inclination but I gave up....

 

I have a 2007 997 TT and it does the same thing. Because its worse when it is wet I am inclined to think it is the tires? Of course dealer says its "normal" I have Michelin PS2's. At times it can be a loud "pop" that shakes the car with the wheel turned all the way to the right or left. Seems like more than 1 wheel is doing it at the same time both front and rear (mostly front though). I have 28k miles and it has done it from day 1. The problem hasn't gotten worse but it is still annoying. My 2005 997 C2S never did this but it was not AWD.

 

does it sound like a metal click or dull ping and only at very low speeds and with the steering wheel at full turns? My dealer is telling me that this is a normal issue with the 4wheel steering and that I shouldn't be concerned.

Please help, first time porsche and panamera 4s owner