outside temp indication - dumb question... - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

bagwell · 10-23-2006, 08:24 AM

guys, new 01 owner here with no owners manual of course --
I know there's an outside temp sensor in the right front grill - but how do I make it indicate on the dash?

thanks!

Tool Pants · 10-23-2006, 08:41 AM

The instrument cluster changed in 2001. With the older cars you could turn it on with the PST2 and see the display.

If it is turned on with your car you will not see anything unless you retrofit a switch or the stalk. The reason is that starting in 2001 the trip odometer display is shared with the OBC displays. You need a switch/stalk to cycle from one display to the other, as you cannot have both on at the same time. The OBC display on the older cars was not shared.

RandallNeighbour · 10-23-2006, 08:42 AM

Mike, did you do a thread search on this question? This is covered many times over...

You need to ask Hans to turn on the OBC (on board computer) on your car for you with his PST tool... or take it to the dealership and probably pay through the nose for it unless you're having other work done.

Here's a link to a site that helps you get the other features the OBC provides:

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

PS - if you ever get down to Houston, we should meet up! I live in the Heights and work in Garden Oaks, just north of the 610 Loop at N. Shepherd. We also have a member who lives in Magnolia (Houston C4S is Mark's screen name) that I've been meaning to visit. He's become a good friend of mine.

bagwell · 10-23-2006, 09:22 AM

thanks for the reply guys; excellent info!!!
(I didn't search for this becuz I haven't had much luck with the search tool on just simple things)

I iamagine I'll make it down to Houston sooner or later....but I just HATE I-45 with a passion!

mwh98 · 10-23-2006, 10:12 AM

I did the hack that Randal cites and it works great!! My only regret was that I did not wire the other side of the switch. I used a spoiler swith (On-Off-On) and followed the directioins of the hack. It will work by getting you: the outside temp, MPG, average speed, limit speed, and trip odometer. With the hack only the trip odometer will reset, so I have the lifetime average speed of 30 mph ansd MPG of 23.5 ............ I believe you can enable the other side of the switch to allow a total reset and set the limit speed (you just need another VW jumper wire to the correct harness slot).

I had the oil changed, a key coded and the tires balanced by the dealer and they charged me and additional $50.00 to enable the temp and felt bad when they could not get it to pop up on the dash. All I did was reach in and press the switch a few times and it poped right up. They were kinda out of it for techs......you would think they know the car in and out.

The hack was easy if you feel comfortable working on your car (i.e. can install a stereo, hard wire a radar detector, etc...) I just takes some time and GUTS to begin the dis-assembly process. you would be surprised at how our cars are put together, kinda reminds me of my old high school 1971 Karman Ghia. My fiend that just bought an 06 Carrera thinks I'm nuts, but I no longer have a warranty to hinder my exploring.

Mark
01 Seal Gray 986
San Antonio, Texas

MNBoxster · 10-23-2006, 10:28 AM

Hi,

I did the Hack with the 4th Column Stalk which I bought from a dismantler for $100, incl. S/H. When it arrived, it was the full 996 4-stalk Combo Switch complete with all the Trim Pieces.

I removed the 4th stalk (only one of the 4 which is attached with a screw) from the 996 Switch and transplanted it to my existing 3-Stalk Combo Switch, swapped the Rubber escutcheon from the 996 unit for the one on my 986 one and sold the 3-stalk 996 Combo Switch on eBay and got $130 for it. Not a bad deal, got my 4th Stalk and cleared $25 (counting eBay Fees) in the process...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Tool Pants · 10-23-2006, 05:43 PM

The funny thing about the link to this "hack" is that it did not work for the owner of the car and his website first time around. So I got Peter Smith to "fix" it. That was about 4-5 years ago.

I do not think we do it that way anymore, like in the pictures. I am in some of the pictures, working on Bruce's 2000 S.

RandallNeighbour · 10-23-2006, 06:11 PM

Hey Jeff, for the life of me I can't make out how he wired up everything, even with the detailed wording and the pix. I sure wish I had a diagram for the dash switch hack (vs. the 4-stalk installment).

Tool Pants · 10-23-2006, 06:56 PM

You can contact him and buy one of his wiring harnesses, if he still makes them.

I had to fix a few.

ukchris · 10-23-2006, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Hey Jeff, for the life of me I can't make out how he wired up everything, even with the detailed wording and the pix. I sure wish I had a diagram for the dash switch hack (vs. the 4-stalk installment).

Do you mean a regular dash switch? It operates as two momentary switches with a common ground. As you look at the back you attach the ground to the middle pin and a control wire to each of the pins either side of it. If you want lighting run the outer pins to another switch. Same with a second switch if you want all four functions...

Regular spade connectors fit the back of the switch pretty well.

Hope this helps and I haven't lost the plot on the thread!

Chris.

Tool Pants · 10-23-2006, 09:58 PM

These are the parts needed for the dash switch deal.

I took this pic about 4 years ago. When the local group filmed the DIYer DVDs.