Ways To Fix Pressure Accumulator Failure in Your Porsche

Porsche has spent many decades refining and fine-tuning how the driving experience feels for their drivers. They are always at the forefront of cutting-edge innovations and technological advancements. This means that when any part of a Porsche starts to fail, drivers will notice the drop in performance quickly. While, of course, Porsche has designed every car they produce to be as reliable as possible, parts do have a projected life span, and once that threshold is reached and passed, part failure becomes much more likely.

To help protect and prolong the lifespan of your Porsche, you need to be aware of some of the signs and symptoms of failure of the important systems of your car, including the pressure accumulator. In this article, we will learn what this important part does, why it fails, and discuss where you can get the issue fixed properly.

The Pressure Accumulator

Your Porsche actually has several pressure accumulators throughout your Porsche. They are, in essence, a hydraulic component that gives your car’s fluid systems the pressure they need to properly perform their jobs.

The most essential pressure accumulator in your Porsche is the ABS accumulator, which provides pressure to your brakes, making hard braking a controlled and immediate response. If you ever think you have an issue with this accumulator, you should seek professional diagnostic work immediately as your car is no longer safe to drive.

Less essential but still integral, pressure accumulators in your car also exist to help the air conditioning, the fuel system, clutch, transmission, and the suspension. An accumulator is able to provide the pressure to fluid when needed by storing energy at times when there is less of a need or an excess of energy, such as when idle. It will then provide the stored energy at times of need, such as when accelerating or braking.

A pressure accumulator is comprises of various parts such as chambers, pumps, pistons, valves, and hydraulic lines. This means that failure can occur in the accumulator because of a variety of reasons. Let’s discuss how to tell if an accumulator is failing.

Accumulator Failure

As mentioned, the pressure accumulator is an assembly of parts. Therefore, a failure of any one of these elements will cause the deterioration and failure of the overall part. The way in which the issue is fixed will depend on the part in question. Some common symptoms of accumulator problems include:

Poor Clutch or Brake Function

Your Porsche’s brake and transmission systems need pressurized fluid to work correctly. Lacklustre brakes or a hesitant clutch can indicate accumulator trouble that needs immediate repair by a trusted Porsche specialist.

A/C Doesn’t Put Out Cold Air

To successfully produce cold air, your air conditioning system needs hydraulic pressure. When this fails, you will only receive low airflow from your HVAC system.

Issues with your Suspension

Porsche uses hydraulic pressure in its suspension to absorb the shock from the road, improving the way the ride feels. When no pressure is provided, the ride will become much more bumpy, which is certainly unexpected from the norm.

Warning Lights

Pressure accumulator failure can result in the illumination of warning lights, such as the check engine light or the brake light. It is important to never ignore these warning signs, as they are intended to keep you and your car safe.

Common Causes of Pressure Accumulator Failure

The main cause of pressure accumulator failure is pressure loss. Pressure loss is usually case of a leaky system, with the most common areas for this to occur being the seals, valves, or hydraulic lines. The leaks will affect the amount of pressure the accumulators can store, reducing their overall function.

Fixing Pressure Accumulator Failure

As there are multiple pressure accumulators throughout your Porsche, and with some responsible for essential safety systems such as your brakes, trying to fix pressure accumulator failure at home is never advised. This part can be difficult to access and requires special tools to fix. Attempting DIY repairs won’t save you time or money, and can leave you wondering if your Porsche is still safe to drive.

Euro Plus Automotive

Euro Plus Automotive services the areas of Canoga Park, Woodland Hills, San Fernando Valley, and Los Angeles County, CA. Our friendly team of experts will be happy to check the status of your car’s pressure accumulators to ensure your Porsche is performing safely and up to the standards you expect. Call us today for a convenient appointment.