Posted on 12/02/2025 6:09:45 AM PST by fruser1
Drivers have complained that their vehicles have suddenly locked up, lost power and refused to start, as owners and dealerships warn of a growing wave of failures that has left hundreds of vehicles stuck in place.
The nationwide meltdown hit Porsche models built since 2013, which are all fitted with the brand's factory VTS satellite-security unit.
The vehicles have been 'bricked' with their engines immobilised, due to connections with the satellite system being lost.
Rolf dealership service director Yulia Trushkova said 'all models and all engine types' are impacted.
The company does not rule out that the malfunction may have been caused 'deliberately', according to sources in Moscow - with suspicions cast towards the West.
It also warned that Porsche motorists with internal combustion engines may find their cars completely unresponsive for no clear reason, forcing mechanics to step in.
While some drivers were told to try a simple workaround by disconnecting their car batteries for at least 10 hours, others were advised to disable or reboot the Vehicle Tracking System, known as the VTS, which is linked to the alarm module.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
OMG that is hilarious.
Another reason why our 1997 Silverado is such a sweet vehicle.
My ‘05 F350 V8 turbo-diesel is looking awfully pretty too..
A beat up old Lada that gets you where you’re going is still better than a Porsche doing a great impression of a traffic bollard.
CC
Yes, it’s hilarious until a vehicle you own is remotely disabled due to your political beliefs.
I have no sympathy for the Russian elites.
But this technology is troublesome. It will be turned against Americans by our Deep State one day.
Need to have at least one old car or figure out how to pull out the antenna.
In Russia, Car Does Not Drive You.
Exactly.
Yes, it’s hilarious until a vehicle you own is remotely disabled due to your political beliefs.
**********
Well I am guessing Porsche, a private company, is doing the disabling to Russian owners for supporting the Russian government and for being Russian oligarchs supporting the Russian government. So I think that is pretty funny.
Secondly, I would never own a German vehicle ever again. When I was married to my previous husband, who was not a nice or loyal person-my mistake, he wanted BMWs and had no problem supporting the progeny of the Nazi nation, but I did.
Anyway, hopefully Russian oligarchs will get the message and bring pressure to bear where it needs to go. It’s a master stroke.
And from President Trump's son, Don Jr., as counterpoint to another Will Stewart article:
"I was actually in Monaco earlier this summer … and every other car there was an Italian supercar, like a Pagani, Bugatti, and they all had Ukraine plates … They didn't just all magically get $5 million supercars. They're stealing that money, and it's just one big corrupt scandal.”The theme then? Rich Russians? Rich Ukrainians? Rich?
The real theme? Automobiles with "connectivity" and EULAs and inhibiting electronics connected to satellites. My old, well-maintained Dodge RAM just doesn't care.....
Sounds cool until they do it to your vehicle for whatever reason.
I don’t care about rich russians but they will do this to Americans too at some point. All this spyware they put in cars should be made illegal
Some AI queries.
Number of vehicles in Russia about 57 million.
Porsche ceased sales in 2022, and they have tried to sell their assets in Russia and have failed. Which generally means or has meant for other industries that local buyers are not willing to pay what they want. This happened to McDonald’s where all of their local facilities had to be sold for not much more than $1 and they were plenty of local buyers to pick up those facilities and continue selling food.
It essentially turns into butchery for the companies that try to divest from the company since 2022. They cannot get the price they want. This particularly butchered Exxon in the Kara Sea.
Porsche sold about 6,000 vehicles in 2021 in Russia. Because they have not been able to sell their facilities they have chosen to continue to honor warranties and perform required repair work. Note this is out of 57 million vehicles on the road. That’s called insignificant.
When they ceased sales, and when other car companies ceased sales, Chinese car companies have quickly replaced them. But best to be aware that the primary, overwhelmingly primary source of cars in Russia is Lada with a 30% market share. Also be aware that companies like Renault did sell all of their facilities in Russia which were picked up for a tiny price and have continued to produce cars for sale. They have a different brand name because Renault was sold to the city of Moscow. I think they’re called muscovite.
Overall point being, it’s best to ask AI these questions because the search is so much faster and you will instantly get better information than the journalist writing articles who did not bother to do that.
After my electrical “fun” with the Mercedes that I was stupid ehough to purchase a while back, I came to the conclusion that the “Spirit of Lucas” had descended on Germany. It appears that I was correct.
If, rather than misfortune, this was the result of a Ukrainian hack attack - imagine the implications.
It an adversary could disable a nation's transportation system infrastructure it would wreak havoc with the population and apply pressure to its government.
Well, well........ You guys make me feel good this morning.
My wife drives a 98 Civic showing about 175k miles. The brake light is on but the problem is the sensor for whivh there is no replacement
My truck is actually an ‘06 Sprinter diesel van showing around 370k miles.
It’s probably Putin who has disabled the satellite system. He has been shutting down the internet and GPS for security.
“...and they drove with pride...”
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