WTF, Porsche Center couldn't code cruise controll? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

evan9eleven · 08-13-2015, 10:52 AM

Hey guys!

I've just completed the 4-stalk switch install and wiring in my 2004 Box S per Wayne's book. I had OBC already, but want cruise control. Switch install went... well... by the book! No issues, everything functions as before. Figured coding the cruise control would be a piece of cake for the dealer's workshop. NOPE! They tried for over an hour and gave up finally, saying they could get as far as the last step but that the coding wouldn't go through.

They politely tried to blame my wiring and want the car in for a day to take it apart. Yeah right! I double checked the connections when I re-assembled and they were done per Wayne's wiring chart for the 2004.

Correct me if I'm wrong: shouldn't it be possible to enable cruise control in the DME and cluster regardless of the switch being installed?

Anyone done this with the pro version of Durametric?

TIA for any replies!

-evan

JFP in PA · 08-13-2015, 11:22 AM

You are going to find dealers reluctant to activate options that did not come with the car. Porsche has instructed them not to do so until Porsche is paid for the options and acknowledges payment, at which time the dealer is free to activate. So Porsche gets the big money, the dealer gets the lesser activation fees, and you get screwed.

Either find an indy with the right equipment to do it, or use the Durametric Pro, which will also activate it.

evan9eleven · 08-13-2015, 01:17 PM

Awesome Jeff, thanks. Turns out my Indy has Durametric Pro (I didn't know before heading to the dealer that the pro version would code or that my Indy had that version) so I hope it works. Anything you can think of that might actually be hindering the coding by the way?

Not sure why the dealer accepted the job and handed me paperwork clearly stating the work to be done and then spent over an hour of shop time on it if they had an issue with actually doing the work. FWIW this is a Spanish dealer and not the USA, not sure if that makes any difference. I was treated with respect from start to finish and they didn't charge me anything.

JFP in PA · 08-13-2015, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evan9eleven

Awesome Jeff, thanks. Turns out my Indy has Durametric Pro (I didn't know before heading to the dealer that the pro version would code or that my Indy had that version) so I hope it works. Anything you can think of that might actually be hindering the coding by the way?

Not sure why the dealer accepted the job and handed me paperwork clearly stating the work to be done and then spent over an hour of shop time on it if they had an issue with actually doing the work. FWIW this is a Spanish dealer and not the USA, not sure if that makes any difference. I was treated with respect from start to finish and they didn't charge me anything.

The only thing that would prevent activation is an incorrect connection on how the stalk & wiring was installed. If you are absolutely positive it is all correctly wired, it should be a simple process to activate it.

apswater · 08-13-2015, 05:26 PM

I just did the same upgrade on my 2000 S. I bought the Durametric pro and it was a breeze. You just go into the DME and enable Cruise control (it was the only thing you could change there) and it comes right on.

evan9eleven · 08-17-2015, 12:32 AM

Update: Durametric shows cruise active in the DME, however when I try to enable it in the cluster nothing happens. No error message, no progress message, nothing. (Remember this is a 2004 so the cluster must be enabled separately from the DME.)

I should also mention that the dash lamp for cruise does not come on with the key (lamp test) and it never has in the two years I've owned the car. I'd better check some fuses perhaps? Or could I have a cluster issue?

Just trying to rule out possibilities before I take everything apart again. Its rare I miswire something but hey it happens.

evan9eleven · 02-06-2017, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

The only thing that would prevent activation is an incorrect connection on how the stalk & wiring was installed. If you are absolutely positive it is all correctly wired, it should be a simple process to activate it.

So its been a long time since I started this thread, and I want to get back into the project and get the cruise coded.

Since my last post I disassembled the cluster again and double checked all my wiring. Its done exactly as in Wayne's book. I also checked with my voltmeter to make sure that things were in the right place, and that I get 12V when the stalk switch is activated. Everything checks out based on the info I have available...

As I mentioned above, Durametric Pro shows the cruise turned on in the DME, but I can't get the cluster to code. The dash LED does not light on lamp-check when the ignition is first turned on either.

Maybe someone can post the wiring diagram for a 2004 box S, so I can triple check? I'm really stuck and need some help please.

Luckyed · 02-06-2017, 03:12 AM

When I activated my OBC on my 4 stalk upgrade (already had cruise control) my initial attempt indicated my OBC was activated, but it did not work.
I read on here somewhere that someone was able to get the activation to "take" by disconnecting and reconnecting the battery.
I tried that and it worked for me.
You never know......

NewArt · 02-06-2017, 03:28 AM

When I did my OBC, it didn't work after activation. My problem was the connector at the cluster was not properly seated. It needed a fair bit of force to seat the pin fully. I found that the incantation "Get in there you f---er!", while firmly pushing on the pin worked.

achillies · 02-06-2017, 06:09 AM

When I did mine (03) the shop kept skipping over the Order Code to activate the dash. Once that was done all was good.

evan9eleven · 02-06-2017, 02:34 PM

Thanks for the replies guys!

Is the Order Code something that can be accessed and set with a Durametric Pro also, and not just the Porsche tools?

Pirate50 · 02-06-2017, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evan9eleven

Thanks for the replies guys!

Is the Order Code something that can be accessed and set with a Durametric Pro also, and not just the Porsche tools?

Yes, on my '04 the order code needs to be entered to activate the OBC. I was able to do it with the Durametric. The code for base models is 986310 and 986320 for S models if I recall correctly

BYprodriver · 02-06-2017, 05:16 PM

If you have a bad brakelight or Cruise control activated dash bulb the CC will not work.

evan9eleven · 02-06-2017, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

If you have a bad brakelight or Cruise control activated dash bulb the CC will not work.

Ok, I know that a bad brake light switch or clutch switch will cause the coding to fail, and I checked mine with a voltmeter and they seem to be fine. All brake lights operational.

Are you also saying that if the dash bulb is bad the cruise won't work? I have a 2004, so belive this is an LED, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

@Prirate50, thanks, I'll check in Durametric!

evan9eleven · 07-23-2018, 04:27 AM

Finally I can report that my cruise control is working! It only took 3 years... so it goes when the car and I are in 2 different countries and access to the Durametric Pro is an hour's drive away.

Owen at Durametric was quick to respond to an email asking for help. I explained that there was no response when trying to code the cluster, and he sent me detailed instructions for making a log file for them to troubleshoot with. The log allowed them to solve the issue: the version of the software I was running (6.5.5.5) wouldn't work, so he sent a link to download a new version, 6.5.5.8. Using this version, I clicked to activate the cruise control in the cluster and the coding started (message shown in lower left corner) after 10 seconds or so I got a message that the coding was successful. And now everything works!

One small thing: the green cruise lamp does not light. Not with the ignition-on lamp test and not when cruise is activated. This is a facelift car (2004 S) so the cluster is lit by LEDs, and I have confirmed that there is an LED in that spot. So the light in this model does not seem to indicate cruise being coded or functioning or not, and probably has nothing to do with the coding from Durametric working or not. No big deal, I'm just happy the cruise works, I couldn't care less about the green light!

Furthermore, many have commented on threads elsewhere that the wiring must be in place and correct for the coding to work. I can't speak from experience on this but the general consensus is that this is not the case and that the coding should work regardless.

I hope this can help someone else, and thanks again for all the input everyone.

itsnotanova · 07-23-2018, 07:00 AM

I'm going through this same issue on a 2003. I added cruise and OBC and neither work. The OBC switch will only zero out the mileage and the cluster won't activate. If I switch cluster with a spare cluster, the cruise works but then the radio doesn't. I have a pst2 and I'm not finding anywhere to activate the cluster, just the DME. I'm wondering if I might have an older version?