Just bought 944 S2 - Help please on some niggles.

[Blackrain]

Hi Everyone,

I would be grateful if anyone could help a newby....

My girlfriend just bought herself a 1991 944 S2 Convertible and there are a few small problems that she would like to get fixed:


1) The interior light doesn't work - is this a bulb or could it be something more problematic? How easy is it to change?

2) At a standstill or at very low speeds the steering / wheels 'grind' - what could be causing this?

3) The cigarette lighter doesn't work - not that she smokes but her satnav / ipod needs to charge etc.

4) Are engine management system chips worth the money?

5) Is it worth replacing the headlamps with brighter bulbs OR brighter whole units including wiring etc?

6) The backlight on the dashboard seems very faint even with the brightness switch turned up full - is this normal or can it be improved?

Thank you to anyone who can help...

Best,

[Mike968]

Hi, Paul and welcome!

1) It's dead easy to change the interior light. Gently prise off the lens (between the sun visors) and remove the bulb ('festoon' type - available everywhere)

2) Could be power steering on the way out... Check the fliud reservoir and top up if necessary. Operate the the steeering lock-to-lock a couple of times and recheck the fluid level.

3) Could be a blown fuse. Fuse box is under the bonnet up close the to windscreen on the LHS

4) Unless your GF's a speed freak (in which case why buy a cabriolet...? ), probably not..., but it's your/her money...

5) It's much easier and cheaper to change the bulbs for 'high brightness' ones.

6) The dash lighting is pretty pathetic. You can use 5 W wedge bulbs in place of the 3 W originals, but they do get very hot and can melt the fitting. LED bulbs don't seem to be much better, but you could try the 'stacked' 5×SEM (at least)... Also the silvering on the light guides in the dash module can crack, flake off, discolour, in which case no bulbs will help...

[Blackrain]

Hello Mike968,

Thank you for the very rapid feedback; I think we're pretty lucky as the car is immaculate having covered 'only' 54500 miles from new with hardly any wear on the interior. No modifications either, just a nice, well looked after example.

Needless to say my GF may become a speed freak but at the moment she is using lots of energy up on her smile!

I am surprised at how well it drives and delivers the power (I used to own a 993 C4 pre-varioram).

Best

Paul

[Sean Smallman]

Paul

Cracking car the S2 Cabby, I really enjoyed the one we had.

So much so I wish I had kept it, even more so now that I have spare bays in the garage.

They are pretty bullet proof if regularly serviced and looked after.

[Blackrain]

3) Cigarette lighter doesn't work.

I checked ALL the fuses in the car including for this one and the cigarettes lighter will still not charge my tomtom even though it works in my other car.

I have bought Ultra Brillance new bulbs for the Main Headlights and Extra Headlights at the front. Now just need to fit them which looks easy enough.

Interior light fixed with new bulb.

Grinding on steering still there after top up of power steering fluid.