 | Dash Lights - The dash lights are on whenever the ignition key is on -
this is normal. The dash lights are dimmed by a dial under the dash pod on
the left side. On older cars it is common for the dash lights to be
dim. This is caused either by discolored plastic in the dash or low
system voltage. Replacing the dash light bulbs requires removing the
pod. The knobs on the heater should light up.
(Deduct 1 point for bad dash lights)
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| Warning
System - When the ignition switch is first turned on the self
diagnostic system runs a self check and lights all of the warning lights.
These should be checked against the manual as different years have different
sets of lights. A bad warning light may just be a bad bulb or disconnected
because a problem exists in that system. When the engine is started all of
the lights should go out except the "stop light" which stays on until
the brake pedal is pressed. The center light on the dash lights up when a
warning or error is detected. If the condition is a warning then the
main warning light can be turned off with a button on the center
console. The light creating the warning should remain on. If
the light is flashing or does not turn off when pressing the center
console button then there is a serious error that should be checked before
driving the car.
(Deduct 5 points for each warning light that
does not work. Deduct 20 points for a faulty warning system)
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| Stop
Light Warning - The brake warning system consists of three lights -
the stop light, brake fluid and brake pressure. The brake stop light
should stay on when the engine is started and go out as soon as the brake
is pressed. The fluid and pressure lights should not stay on when
the engine is running. If they do the braking system should be
checked closely.
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| Lights - All of the lights should work - this is a simple thing
the seller should do before selling the car. If there are lights that do
not work it is a possible sign that the problem is more than a light bulb.
In many states car dealers are required by law to have all of the lights on the
car working and the head lights aimed prior to sale. The headlights should
pop up smoothly when the switch is turned on. (prior to testing the
headlights check the arm on the headlight motor for both 'C' clips. If one
of the clips is missing it is possible for the arm to come off and go through
the radiator) When the headlights are up shake each bucket. The
headlights for pedestrian safety are designed to break away with a mild force to
prevent injury. Sometimes the break away pieces fail and cause the
headlights buckets to become loose.
(Deduct 1 point for each light that
does not work up to 5 points max)
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| Outside Mirrors - The outside mirrors are operated from a single
control on the drives side door. There is a switch to select between the
right and left mirror. Both mirrors should operate in all four
directions.
The mirrors are electrically heated. The heater switch
on the dash when twisted turns on the mirror heaters. There should be a noticeable
change in temperature after a couple of minutes of operation.
(Deduct 5 points
for each mirror that does not operate and an additional 3 points for each mirror
that does not heat)
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| Wiper System - The 928 is equipped with a sophisticated
wiper and washer system. Both wiper systems operate independently.
The rear system is operated by a switch on the pod in early cars and a push
button by the power window switches on the newer models. It is a good idea
to spray some water in the glass before operating the wipers. The front
wipers have four speeds - one intermittent and three different speeds. The
time between intervals is controlled by a dial under the right side of the
pod.
(Deduct 1 point for bad wiper blades. Deduct 5 points for each wiper
system that does not work)
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| Washer System
- The washer system has up to three separate systems depending on
options - the main washer system, an intensive windshield system and a
headlight washer system. The normal
windshield washer is activated by pulling back on the wiper switch on the
column. Activating the washer causes the wipers to run a short period of
time. The intensive washer system is activated by a button under the right
side of the pod beside the wiper timer dial. Pushing the button causes the
intensive system to operate for a few seconds. When the headlights are on,
pushing forward on the wiper/washer switch on the column will cause the
headlight washing system to run for a few seconds. One of the weak portions of the washer system is where the hoses
connect to the hood. It is very common for one or more of these plastic
connections to break. It is also common for the jets to become
clogged. These can be cleaned with a fine piece of wire and often can fix
the problem. There is also a set of check valves in the system that
over time become clogged.
(Deduct 3 points for each function of the system that
does not work)
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| Rear Window Defogger - The rear window defogger is activated by
pushing the heater button on the pod. The light on the switch should come
on and stay on for about five minutes and then turn off automatically. The
rear window should feel a slight increase in temperature after a minute of
operation. If the system does not work carefully inspect the grid on the
rear window for breaks or broken wires.
(Deduct 5 points for an inoperable system.
Deduct 10 points for a bad rear window)
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| Door Locks - Prior to 1980 the door locks worked off a vacuum system
and only the driver side lock controlled the system. After 1980 the system
was changed to an electric system that can controlled from either door, In
1984 a central button was added. It is not uncommon for the older vacuum system to not
work. Even in good condition it is not 100% perfect. The most common
failure is the vacuum manifold on the drivers side lock. Both systems are
blocked from working when one of the doors is open. The electric system
can from time to time get out of sync and can be reset by turning off and on the
ignition.
(Deduct 5 points for a malfunctioning lock system)
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| Power Windows - The power window system is a robust and reliable
system. In 1984 the window motors were improved to allow for single touch
operation. The most common failure is the window switches.
(Deduct 4
points for each window that does not work)
|
| Rear Hatch Release - From 1984 on the rear hatch had an electric
release. This is a nice feature that allows the rear lid to be opened
without using the key. The motors and latches often fail.
(Deduct 3
points for a broken or missing rear hatch release)
|
| Power Seats - In the early models power seats were an
option. Most common were power seats with the automatic and manual with
the 5 speed. The mid year 5 speeds had one power seat and a manual
passengers seat.
There were a number of versions of power seats. Pre 1985 had
full wide seat backs with six position seats. In 1985 sports seats with
narrow seat backs were used. With the S4 in 1987 optional lumbar support,
heated seats and a three position memory were added. The seats are made by
Ricardo and overall are very reliable. The weakest part of the system are
the switches. Rarely will a motor fail, but the switches get dirty over
time and stop working. Pre 1985 the switches plugged into the seats and
were very easy to replace. With the sport seat the switches came with a
long cable that either has to be soldered in place or snaked under the seat.
(Deduct 2 points for each switch that does not work. Deduct an additional
3 points if the optional memory for the seats does not work and 3 points for
each optional heater that does not work)
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| Air Conditioning and Heating - The ventilation system on the 928 is a
sophisticated system that can be expensive and difficult to diagnosis and
repair. A combination of mechanical. vacuum and electrical components are
used and have to work in conjunction for the system to function correctly.
On the pre-1980 cars the system was manual. In 1980 a climate control
system was implemented that uses a sensor on the dash and one under the left
front fender. If the air conditioning only comes on when it is in the
minimum position then one of these sensors is either missing or bad. The
heat valve operates on a vacuum to shut off hot water from the engine. If
there is heat overriding the cold air for the air conditioner then it is
possible that the heater valve is bad. The fan has four positions.
On most models the the fan runs on a low speed even when the fan switch is
off. The fan should increase in speed and output for each higher
setting. When selecting the different vent options air should be shifted
from the expected vents. The vents are activated by vacuum actuators that
can fail. If one of the vents is not switching then it is probably a bad
actuator. If none of them are changing the air flow then it is probably a
vacuum problem. It is very common for the slide controls buttons to be
broken.
(Deduct 3 points for each function of the system that does
not work. Deduct and an additional 20 points for a non functioning air
condition system. Deduct an additional 5 points for a non functional
optional rear air conditioner. Deduct a point for each broken control
lever.)
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| Power Antenna - Prior to 1985 the 928 was equipped with a power
antenna on the left rear fender. The antenna should rise when the radio is
turned on and collapse when it is shut off. The shaft for the power antenna can
be replaced, but if it has been broken for any length of time moisture from rain
or washing can get inside of the motor and ruin the unit. For
this reason do not discount the price of repairing the antenna. While the
newer models had the antenna in the windshield they were also wired for a power
antenna in the rear fender and can be retro fit. The antenna in the
windshield has a amplifier that is often not connected. If the reception
is very weak then the antenna is not connected correctly or the amplifier is bad.
(Deduct 5 points for a
broken antenna or poorly functioning antenna)
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| Radio or Stereo System - The sound system installed in a car is really
a personal preference. While the owner can spend many dollars on a stereo
system, unless it is exactly the system you want there is no reason to add extra
value to the car.
(Deduct 5 points for a missing or broken radio.
Add 3 points for an operating CD changer if the installation is sanitary)
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