Porsche’s 911 series has been Porsche’s flagship vehicle for many years, and is the vehicle into which the Porsche designers and engineers introduce most of the technological and safety innovations. The 996 series, produced between 1998 and 2004, saw the highest number of aesthetic and structural changes for the 911 since the 1963 model. It is not uncommon for owners to experience rough engine idling and running.
Issues with the running of the car can manifest themselves in different ways. It might be that your car has an erratic idle, or it might be a shuddering when you accelerate. Some owners say that the problems happen out of nowhere—shuddering, gasping, and a check engine light—and some say that it happens gradually. Most of the time, the car’s various gauges and sensors don’t register any immediate problem (like high engine temp, low oil, etc.), and so most immediate diagnoses are just a stab in the dark.
Depending on the precise symptoms, this issue might be one of any number of things. Is there black smoke coming from the exhaust? Then it might be due to a malfunctioning AOS (Air Oil Separator). This is a more unusual problem experienced by 996 owners, and you are instead probably looking at a failing MAF (Mass Airflow sensor), dying spark plugs, or stuck cylinders. The stuck cylinder option is the most likely if your car began experiencing these issues suddenly and violently.
As you can see, the range of issues goes from the relatively simple (spark plugs) to the potentially life-threatening (AOS). Because you don’t want to find yourself in a situation where things are suddenly far more severe than you initially thought, making an appointment with a nearby Porsche repair expert will allow an experienced mechanic to look over all possible solutions and select the one that is right for your automobile.
Search for a local, independent Porsche repair shop with Porsche mechanics that have dealer-level expertise at a fraction of the expense.