Air Tempurature Display under speedo... - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

CJ_Boxster · 08-24-2006, 04:33 PM

I seen a photo someone posted here of there gauges..I noticed they had there Interior Air Temp being displayed under there MPH digital read out...

Does my 1997 non-S have this feature, if so how can i get it to display the Temp below cause right now theres nothing displayed below the digital MPH read-out.

RandallNeighbour · 08-24-2006, 04:41 PM

I have a 97 as well and it depends on if your car was an early production model or a late production model. Mine was one of the first off the assembly line and there is no temp sensor in the front bumper. One must have a temp sensor to get the reading.

You can turn this feature on by asking your dealer to enable the OBC (On Board Computer). if you hook a switch up to your dash, you can also get other things on that part of the display such as miles per gallon, miles until empty, etc.

http://www.whiteson.org/boxster/mods/obc/

AUDIOGUY · 08-24-2006, 06:11 PM

Is having the OBC a function that is turned on and off? Or does your car have to have the proper module and or option. I have an 01S does my car have the on board computer just not activated?

MNBoxster · 08-24-2006, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ_Boxster

I seen a photo someone posted here of there gauges..I noticed they had there Interior Air Temp being displayed under there MPH digital read out...

Does my 1997 non-S have this feature, if so how can i get it to display the Temp below cause right now theres nothing displayed below the digital MPH read-out.

Hi,

Randall is correct. What you saw was the Exterior temp being displayed, not the interior one. It is one of the modes of the On Board Computer System (OBC). The '97 model OBC had 5 modes: Ambient (exterior) Temperature, Avg. MPH, Avg. MPG, Range, Max. Speed Alarm. Additional modes were added in '01.

The DME (ECU) contains the OBC hardware/software and all cars have it. But, it takes a switch to scroll through the various modes. The default mode is the Ambient Temp. If the dealer turns on the OBC (which many did as a courtesy to those who didn't order the OBC option) the temp is displayed.

If your car contains the OBC, you can have the dealer turn it on, but you can also add a switch to be able to scroll through the modes and have the full function. You can buy the OEM switch (which is a 4th stalk located underneath the Turn Signal Switch on the column), or some have used a dash mounted MO (Momentary ON) switch such as a 996 Spoiler Switch. New, I believe the OEM Combination Switch is around $200 new. I got one from a Porsche Dismantler for $100. The OBC Stalk is added on with just a screw, so I removed the 4th Stalk and re-sold the rest of the Combo Switch on ebay and got $110 for it as a 3-stalk unit making my total hack cost on my '99 - $14.

To prevent you from circumventing the Dealer or the Options List, Porsche will not make available the motronic wires necessary to clip into the wiring harness. But, Volkswagen also uses the same part and you can get it from them for under $10, or you could simply splice or solder it in (not recommended).

It took me about 45 min. to do the Hack which consists of removing the Instrument Binnacle (to access the wiring harness) and to add the 4th Stalk. If you replace the entire combo switch, figure more like 90 min. because you need to remove the airbag and steering wheel.

There's a very good photo-illustrated installation guide at: http://www.whiteson.org/boxster/mods/obc/obc.stalk.pdf This will give you a better idea of what's involved. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

MNBoxster · 08-24-2006, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUDIOGUY

Is having the OBC a function that is turned on and off? Or does your car have to have the proper module and or option. I have an 01S does my car have the on board computer just not activated?

Hi,

See my previous post...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

CJ_Boxster · 08-24-2006, 10:18 PM

What is the production start date for 97 boxes that have an OBC?

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

I have a 97 as well and it depends on if your car was an early production model or a late production model. Mine was one of the first off the assembly line and there is no temp sensor in the front bumper. One must have a temp sensor to get the reading.

You can turn this feature on by asking your dealer to enable the OBC (On Board Computer). if you hook a switch up to your dash, you can also get other things on that part of the display such as miles per gallon, miles until empty, etc.

http://www.whiteson.org/boxster/mods/obc/

Tool Pants · 08-25-2006, 05:46 AM

The pictures in the link are of me and Dan when we did 6 OBC retrofits at the same time at Bruce's house. They were taken years ago and I do it a bit differently now.

The OBC is in the instrument cluster.

The very early cars did not have the temp sensor in the grill. There is just a rubber plug. If you turn on the OBC on a car without the sensor then what you see is - - - (three dashes). No temp display because there is no sensor.

A few years ago I retrofitted the sensor on a December 1996. We also have a local November 1996 that does not have the sensor. My late January 1997 has the sensor. So I think cars made prior to January 1997 do not have the sensor.

But, and there is always a but. An early car without the sensor might have had one put in early in it's life. Somehow this sensor also has something to do with the a/c. Back when the 1997s were new Peter Smith had a customer with an a/c problem. PCNA told him to retrofit the sensor.

On the December 1996 Peter turned on the OBC and all we saw was - - -. About a week later we put the sensor in while the bumper cover was being replaced. As soon as I hooked up the sensor we saw the temp. We did not install the stalk or switch for the other OBC features, as the owner just wanted the temp display.

You need to look at your car and see if it has the sensor in the grill. If you do then you just need to have the OBC turned on with a PST2/PIWIS.

RandallNeighbour · 08-25-2006, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ_Boxster

What is the production start date for 97 boxes that have an OBC?

Like ToolPants said above, all boxsters have OBC. But cars built before Jan 1997 (like mine) did not have an outside temp sensor in the front bumper, which is why my outside temp reads: ---

I turned it off after I found this out because it just pissed me off. There isn't even a wire leading to the bumper so I can wire one up. I think my boxster must have been one of the very first ones off the assembly line... which answers a lot of my questions about the car's reliability!

Ah, to do it all over again and look at build dates, etc.!

Tool Pants · 08-25-2006, 08:26 AM

I forgot your money pit did not have the sensor. What month is it?

As Randall said, if you do not have the sensor then you just do not go out and buy one and plug it in. There is nothing to plug it into.

CJ_Boxster · 08-25-2006, 12:28 PM

I think i seen it whiel washing my car a week ago, does it look like a small black cyclindar shaped peice of plastic that might be molded into the passenger front grille?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tool Pants

The pictures in the link are of me and Dan when we did 6 OBC retrofits at the same time at Bruce's house. They were taken years ago and I do it a bit differently now.

The OBC is in the instrument cluster.

The very early cars did not have the temp sensor in the grill. There is just a rubber plug. If you turn on the OBC on a car without the sensor then what you see is - - - (three dashes). No temp display because there is no sensor.

A few years ago I retrofitted the sensor on a December 1996. We also have a local November 1996 that does not have the sensor. My late January 1997 has the sensor. So I think cars made prior to January 1997 do not have the sensor.

But, and there is always a but. An early car without the sensor might have had one put in early in it's life. Somehow this sensor also has something to do with the a/c. Back when the 1997s were new Peter Smith had a customer with an a/c problem. PCNA told him to retrofit the sensor.

On the December 1996 Peter turned on the OBC and all we saw was - - -. About a week later we put the sensor in while the bumper cover was being replaced. As soon as I hooked up the sensor we saw the temp. We did not install the stalk or switch for the other OBC features, as the owner just wanted the temp display.

You need to look at your car and see if it has the sensor in the grill. If you do then you just need to have the OBC turned on with a PST2/PIWIS.

CJ_Boxster · 08-25-2006, 12:38 PM

So, say i were to just have porsche activate the OBC...but not install the switch, Would the OBC display the outside air temp by default...i just wouldnt be able to scroll through other modes???? Would this be correct?

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

I have a 97 as well and it depends on if your car was an early production model or a late production model. Mine was one of the first off the assembly line and there is no temp sensor in the front bumper. One must have a temp sensor to get the reading.

You can turn this feature on by asking your dealer to enable the OBC (On Board Computer). if you hook a switch up to your dash, you can also get other things on that part of the display such as miles per gallon, miles until empty, etc.

http://www.whiteson.org/boxster/mods/obc/

MNBoxster · 08-25-2006, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ_Boxster

So, say i were to just have porsche activate the OBC...but not install the switch, Would the OBC display the outside air temp by default...i just wouldnt be able to scroll through other modes???? Would this be correct?

Hi,

Yes you are correct. If you have the Temp sender (and it sounds as if you do), then the Dealer can turn on the OBC and you'll get the outside temp and no other functions will be accessible or controllable without the combo switch w/ 4th stalk. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

CJ_Boxster · 08-25-2006, 02:37 PM

They looked at the grill and i do have the sensor...production date of 7/97 for my 1997 Boxster.

They sent me home after waiting for 1 hour, The mechanic took my VIN# and emailed it to some porsche tech place and made a request for my Dash ID#, which he claims that he needs in order to make this work.

I have to take my car in on monday, by then the mechanic said he should have the Dash Cluster ID# from porsche and he can go ahead and activate the OBC for me.

Tool Pants · 08-25-2006, 03:26 PM

No clue what a dash cluster id number is. Has this guy ever turned on the OBD on another car?

It takes 5 minutes to turn it on with the PST2/PIWIS. You simply modify the instrument cluster coding to tell the cluster it has OBC, which then turns it on. The PST2/PIWIS simply tells the cluster it does or does not have the OBC. No id number is involved.

CJ_Boxster · 08-25-2006, 04:12 PM

Thanks for the info, i called the Mechanic and told him and he said Oh ok, well coin monday and ill do that for you...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tool Pants

No clue what a dash cluster id number is. Has this guy ever turned on the OBD on another car?

It takes 5 minutes to turn it on with the PST2/PIWIS. You simply modify the instrument cluster coding to tell the cluster it has OBC, which then turns it on. The PST2/PIWIS simply tells the cluster it was or does not have the OBC. No id number is involved.

CJ_Boxster · 08-25-2006, 04:13 PM

Would i be able to do this myself with a odb2 scanner, i have this pretty little scanner that cost over $7k. I think its called a Solaris or something that sounds like Solar.

MNBoxster · 08-25-2006, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ_Boxster

Would i be able to do this myself with a odb2 scanner, i have this pretty little scanner that cost over $7k. I think its called a Solaris or something that sounds like Solar.

Hi,

Sorry. Aside from Mandated OBDII Codes (which by law are accessible through aftermarket scanners), Porsche uses a proprietary software and code reader called the PST2 or PIWIS. They give you only what the Gov't mandates, but wants to wet the Dealer's beak for the rest...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

CJ_Boxster · 08-25-2006, 05:00 PM

crud, ok thanks for the info.

Tool Pants · 08-25-2006, 08:30 PM

If you have no luck and find your way to San Jose then let me know and I will turn it on for you. I have the thingy to turn it on. An OBD scaner/code reader cannot do it.

longhorizon · 01-09-2007, 07:17 PM

When I took my car to the dealer for a new battery I asked them to turn on the outside temperature display (reference section 7.6 under Boxster FAQ site - http://www.986faq.com/7-0/default.asp). When I got the car back they said they tried and failed. They had similar (unsuccessful) results with another customer's car once before. I should have realized this wasn't necessarily as smooth as described on the FAQ site (or on this forum). The digital speedo readout is in the speedometer, not in the bottom of the tach. In any event, my real problem is that now the instrument digital readout (odometer, etc) lights up as long as the car is unlocked (even with the car off and the key removed!). Any suggestions?
My car is a 2002 S, stock. Many thanks.

longhorizon