Dealer can't program OBC?
 

First post, but read through most of the messages here....

I have a 03 Boxster. It has Cruise Control and standard wipers (no auto rain sense).

I added the OBC stalk and wired it with Woody's harness.

I took it to the dealer to have the OBC enabled. They claimed they could find a way to enable it. I even showed them the screen shot from the Pelican site on with the menu. They said they tried with the older Porsche diagnostic system and the new one.

Has anyone had a 03 (or really any model) that the OBC could not be enabled?
Was there something else they needed to do?

Thanks
John

The dealer is probably blowing smoke up your skirt. Dealers are under orders from PCNA not to activate options that where not included in the original build, unless you pay for them first. So the dealers come up with all kinds of dubious excuses rather than get in the middle.

I would suggest looking for a qualified independent shop to do the task.

The dealer told me they would do it if I can tell them where to enable it, so not sure that is their motivation.

I watched the service manager go through the menus on the newer diagnostic tool (stood right beside him) and we could not find an option to enable it. I was not allowed to go back to the service department, but he took the car back with the photo from the Pelican site to try their older system. He said the screen did not show it being an option.

Can't you now do this on the Durametric?

Thanks for the heads-up on the Durametric. Ordered and will post the results when I get it.

John

I mean, I hope I was right. You'll use it regardless, but I was more asking for confirmation that I was correct.

I have an 03 S that came equipped same as yours. I bought the stalk and PDwight's harness, did the install myself and took it to my independent shop to have the OBC enabled. They did it 1-2-3 with no problem. Maybe you need to find an independent specialist, it could be that all the technicians at the dealer were all in grade school or high school in 2003 and they aren't familiar with these models any more.

It needs to be the Durametric Pro version, the Enthusiast version does not do it

Ok, that's right. So if you go to an indy mechanic they should be using the pro version and should be able to do it for you.

My enthusiast has the option to activate the OBC

So does mine.

It was Cruise Control I was thinking of that requires the Pro version

Jay (or anyone else in this thread), maybe you can answer my cruise control question. I plan on adding cruise to my girlfriend's '03 986 S (which already has the OBC), is there anyone that makes the simple 4-wire harness that goes from the stalk to the instrument cluster, or is it more/less complicated than that?

The obc stalk is the only one that's removable, so to add cruise you'll have to buy a complete unit, which will include the wiring.

I did that mod. You will need the stalk (it didnt come with wiring) follow the pelican instructions and it is a piece of cake. You will need the durametric pro to turn on the Cruise.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/92-ELEC-Cruise_Control/92-ELEC-Cruise_Control.htm

If the option for OBC in the instrument cluster does NOT show up in PIWIS, it's probably because the "Option Code" had not been keyed in for the DME. Go to DME and put in 986320 for a Boxster S.... Then go back out and do a full module scan, then go back to the instrument cluster and the OBC will show up.

Just went through this with my Boxster...

...joe

(Copy of email I sent to Durametric support - hope maybe someone here may have an idea)

I just received my Durametric Enthusiast.

I was able to connect it to my 03 Boxster. No codes (Yay!)

I have installed the OBC stalk, and it appears to be installed correctly. If I move the stalk in any of the directions at start up the oil level screen goes away.

I have tried to enable the OBC via the Durametric but have been unsuccessful.

The first time I try I get the following error:
Coding Change Failed

If I try again I get:
Did not receive the correct number of bytes from the control module.

If I try a third (or any consecutive) time it states that it is enabled (but it is not)

Same happens when I try to disable it.

Any ideas?

Make sure the big connector on the back of the instrument panel is seated all the way...make double sure

The white one used with new harness?

Did that a few times.

I wonder if this has been sorted out.

Same "Did not receive the correct number of bytes from the control module" error message here with Durametric Pro on a 2001 Boxster S

Thanks

Tried again to create and send a log to Durametric and sometimes it said "OBC is already enabled". Other times it just threw the usual "Didn't receive the correct number of bytes ..." error.

Exactly the same as what happened to littlewiggler.

Durametric said my OBC is enabled but why can't I use it then? I've done all the wiring and keep pressing all the buttons.

Just to make sure my wiring is correct.

I wired buttons to terminals 21, 22, 23, 24 of the grey connector on the back of the instruments cluster. These should be shorted to ground to navigate in the OBC menu.

As my new instrument cluster is the new version with the digit speedo in the left gauge I think these are the correct pins.

Can someone please confirm this.

The old cluster's wiring should be 20,21,22,25. My car was registered in 2000 but according the VIN it is 2001 and has the newer cluster.

Yes. 2001 and up OBC controls are on the gray connector.

21 = lever front
22 = down
23 = up
24 = lever back

Thanks. Definitely not enabled then. No idea how to make Durametric really enable it.

Dme
 

Have you re-programed your DME or installed a 996 gauge cluster?? If so, the Cars original program must be loaded into the DME then turn on your dash computer and then re-install the DME program you want to run your car with..

Thank you but no I have the original 986 gauge cluster and no I haven't reprogrammed the DME. I don't know if a previous owner has done that. Can it be checked?

Tried with a different laptop running a different OS today. Same result: "Didn't receive the incorrect number of byte ..." 20 times "OBC already enabled" 3 times and a new one that others here also had "coding failed" or something similar. I'm sure it does not do anything except throwing random error messages.

I finally got mine working by taking it to the dealer. He had to reprogram using PWIS.

Thanks, littlewigger.

Here's how mine just started working:

As the tech guys at Durametric analyzed the rare OBC is already enabled message between the lot of error messages and said that based on one byte in the response from Durametric my OBC was clearly enabled, I disconnected the battery to check the wiring once again.
Once it was reconnected my buttons started working. Porsche is just like Windows lol. Needs to restart when nothing else helps.

Never heard that one before. Glad you got it working ;)

Thanks, it's me. Unexplainable and zero probability events that never ever happen to anyone else keep happening to me daily. I'm a technical jinx, spending day and night fixing all the gadgets around me. People on forums usually don't even understand my problem because they can't imagine what I describe can happen. Even the simplest things can fail for me.

I had some issues having the CC turned on and found that the missing part was entering the "Order Code". It was in the DME/Vehicle Data/Order Type until that was put in the PST2 would not activate the CC in the cluster. I don't know if OBC is the same but it might be worth seeing if it is.