Back-up lights on w/key out?

[pinetreeporsche]

Have had battery problems ('90 944 S2), found 3 days ago that if I left it in reverse when I park it, the back-up lights stay on even with the key out. The Porsche factory cannot have built it this way. What could be making it do this?

[bholmes]

I had a similar experience with my 86' 944 N/A. I pulled into the local ice cream shop and left my signal on and shut off the switch and took the key out. The signal lights stay illuminated until I turned the car on and canceled the signal and then turned the switch off. Must be an inherent Porsche idiosynchrosy.

[pinetreeporsche]

No--the turn signal thing is a common German choice--my 72 and 73 914s do that too--its a warning light when you're pulled pff the road, etc. The back-up I haven't encountered or heard of elsewhere, and it's enough to flat-line a battery if left a long enough time, day or night--and it's hard to notice in the daytime.

[Tidybuoy]

correct...the turn signals are supposed to stay on when the car is off (it you have the turn signal lever engaged). This is a German thing as all Porsches and Mercedes do this - not sure about BMW. I guess this is for having your parking lights on when double parked but only having the traffic side lit.

Even though I know this, I still forget and sometimes leave a turn signal on. And, when I get out of the car I am wondering what is that beeping for.......duh.

[svandamme]

it's not a German thing, it's a legal requirement in Europe

- if you leave your lights ON, with contact OFF
you should have parking lights, eg , a dim light from your headlights
in case of a 944 , the lower lights
in case of an early 911, the white parking lights next to the front turn signals

and the rear lights also have a dimmer bulb for this

- if you put your signal indicator on to one side with the contact off, same thing for the signal indicators of that side, they stay on , but dimmed

backup lights, as far as i know, are not supposed to work with the contact , off

[Eldorado]

agreed.
but he's saying (i think) the switch was on, he turned the car off, turned the switch *off*, but the light remained on.

I dont think that's right. I thought it was supposed to stay on as long as the switch was engaged. once the switch was off, the lights go off... at least, that's how it works in my car.

[svandamme]

like i said , if it's the reverse(backup) light, the white one in the rear, that comes on with reverse gear, then it should not stay on with contact off...