PCM install problem

Hey, I just put in the PCM into my car, same part number as the one Ken installs. Have absolutely no issue with the PCM starting or showing any errors, went from a Bose car to another Bose car. BUT I get no sound! cd is playing fine, or radio, but no sound. If I put in CDR24 , everything works fine. Any ideas? Could it be the fuse on the back? But I don't imagine the thing would even turn on if the fuse was blown. How can I tell if a fuse is blown? Thanks, Suneet

Nevermind, it's not the fuse. I swapped the fuses and checked. I get no canbus errors, everything works fine and even the track info and RDS comes into the center stack ok. Just no sound

For some reason it thinks it's on a sound package plus car, the options I have in the sound menu say SDV (speed dependent volume) and loudness, where as they should say surround, and audio pilot. Can anyone confirm this for me? That the SPP PCM 2 says SDV and loudness, whereas the Bose counterpart says surround and AP. Thanks.

I can't add anything useful, but I'm just posting so that you don't have to make the whole thread on your own.

lol, thanks swancoat. For now I put the CDR24 back in, I will try and find an independent shop that has PIWIS or PST2 , we all know the relationship I have with my local dealer... I've tried all solutions that I could try myself, disconnecting battery for several minutes and stuff. I love how the PCM actually looks in the car, even the sport chrono and trip features work perfectly. Just no sound...

Suneet, Has your car been on a PIWIS at all since the installation? If so, I'd like to compare your PIWIS settings to mine. In my trip menu "Sports Display" does NOT show up so no way to see lap times despite us turning on about every setting we could find in PIWIS . I got sound right away, but my car is a non- Bose car. I'll have to see what my menu settings say for loudness, etc. and report back. I'm still thinking that the "coding" of the PCM unit determines whether it sees PCM or not, but no one has been able to confirm that yet. sounds like we still have some things to learn about PCM / PIWIS , etc.

Ken, I will definitley see what I can do. I have to find a place that can do it for me. I have a "sports" display menu on my PCM from which I can control the stopwatch and see stored data, and my cars never been to the PIWIS . What I really need is a good place to take my car, I have a very sour relationship with All Pro at the moment, and Brumos in Jacksonville wants $250 but claim they're not sure they can get it to work because they've never done the work before. They want to put the cdr24 in, copy the codes, and move it to the PCM . I thought it was a menu in the PIWIS system and they would simply have to enable the right options? - Suneet

Suneet - I recommend you go to Reeves Porsche in Tampa. I have been having Porsche 's serviced there since I moved to FL four years ago and find them to be consistently excellent. They are located right off 275 North of Tampa. If you are in the Ocala area, which I am guessing since you have been dealing with All Pro, it shouldn't take you much more than an hour, even with a car still in break in.

YS, I'm in Gainesville, so about two hours, but I go to Tampa a lot because my brother lives there and I've heard great things about Reeves. Update: Contacted Reeves, might be making a trip there tomorrow to get the PCM \car coded to work with each other, I have my fingers crossed that the coding will make everything work properly. Thanks, Suneet

I installed the PCM and everything worked for a while and I was happily listening to MP3s when all of a sudden the CD player stopped working altogether. Haven't got it coded yet, I'm seeing if a NEO car audio unit will work with it tomorrow and if it does the single CD can go to hell and I'll be ipod like a madmad from now on. If it doesn't its out with the PCM and into the bin it goes followed by a reinstall of the basic haed unit and a dension install. Somethings got to work. I do love the PCM though. Love the startup. Hate to have to pull it. Maybe I'll try the battery thing and see if that works. P>S silly question, but wheres the battery ?

Good luck tomorrow, Suneet. I'm betting the folks at Reeves will get you squared away in no time. They got rid the clunk in the trunk on my CS and previously took great care of my 993. Steve

Reeves Porsche has one of the cleanest and most organized shops I've seen in a long time. Great service. I wish I bought my car there but Bert Smith was closer to work and was more willing to bargain.....

You guys are so right, Reeves has an AMAZING service department! They had me squared away in under an hour, including a wash that I asked for. Also they only charged 1\2 hour labor as they had promised, even though the tech worked longer. These guys really know customer service, shortly after I left, the service writer called me to get my PCM part number so he could call Porsche and try to get the sport chrono code for me, which like in Ken's install, has disappeared since our cdr-24 cars shipped without the code already in memory. Well PCM install and coding is done, I finally have sound. Like I mentioned earlier, Sports Chrono menu is gone for now; but all other functions are present. I have DRL, auto lock, interior lighting, etc control from the PCM display. Got the part and the coding done under $700 so I'm very content. Hopefully will be getting Dension into the mail soon and will report on that install plus satellite radio through the aux port. Thanks everyone, Suneet

That is certainly great news for us. My install was done by a Porsche Dealer (Roger Jobs), everything for the PCM is working, but no Sports Chrono menu, no DRL, auto lock & lighting adjustments? If you can ask Reeves what this coding fix service is called, I can get the local guy do it to my PCM . (As i don't think they know this is possible when installing the PCM ) Thanks. Suneet: Did you install the Nav with your PCM ? PS. also anyway of getting the instruction book on the Sport Chrono Plus?, as the PCM instruction did not come with this info.

Ploc, I have a listing of codes for most everything (but Sports chrono ), but it's at home right now, and they're stored within your car anyways. Your installer needs to go to Special functions >> vechile handover >> Control Units >> PCM >> PCM 2 MMI >> Control Unit replacement >> Write coding (at this point he will see a list of all the codes stored within your car, for vehicle type, pcm unit, instrument cluster, amplifier, etc) >> select coding >> select equipment >> then he goes through and selects installed for the components you have, chooses what side driving, tuner location, etc. This should allow for everything but logbook and sports chrono to be activated, which will need the tech to contact Porsche and get them to generate codes for the car using VIN number and Part Number. Also, I didn't install the navigation, I might later on if I can source parts on ebay inexpensively; I'm a cheapskate. And I don't know how to get the manual for Sports Chrono plus, or if there is one... perhaps there's a section on it in the users manual for the car. - Suneet

Suneet: Thanks for the info! I will wait until all your PCM issues are sorted b/f going to my dealer. Please continue to post your findings, i m sure in time we will get to the bottom of this matter, where all of us will benefit from ALL PCM functions. Thanks again.

Ploc, sure thing, my dealer and Ken's are both working on getting a code for the Sports Chrono Display. What's funny is that my car actually had the display and it was working perfectly before they did any coding, but once they got the sound working, poof, gone. - Suneet

Suneet, Great to hear that the Reeves recommendation worked out for you. This is exactly the sort of exceptional service I have received there for years. Good luck with your new CS! Steve

OK, I have to ask. How did you get the PCM for under $700?

Damn, I've been looking on Ebay for the past 2 months, and the only ones that I could find were ~ $3000. Nice buy.

Yea, I made an offer 5 days left in the auction w\ no bids of $600+ shipping. I wasn't expecting them to accept it . Ebay seller is LNS motorsport, racing outfit in Knoxville. Great customer service, offered a return when they heard of my issue, or they said I could send it back at their cost and get the software version updated. - Suneet

So, the PCM 2.1 w/o nav is plug and play with my Bose CS? Also, do all PCM 's have to be hooked up to the PIWIS in order to be operable? This isnt something that durametric can fix is it?

It's definitely not a Durametric fix... if you have a Bose CS, any model of the PCM can be programmed to work with it but only a small range of units are made that are Bose only and those are probably the only ones that work without any PIWIS coding.

Gotcha...thanks.

There are two types of PCM 2.1 , those with BOSE and those without. The part numbers are common across all 911 , Cayman and Boxster models. Porsche distinguish between Bose and non Bose models for a particular reason , so I would suggest its best to get a bose specced PCM if your car has bose or a non bose specced unit if you dont. Whilst all PCM units have the MOST bus capability to allow for CD changers , Navigation or phone modules to be added, i'm not convinced they all have the drivers for the bose amplifier . There are a number of revisions of PCM as the units have developed over the years and the firmware has been updated with options such as MP3 playback added. There are a number of tech bulletins on renntech that detail the differences in part numbers between Bose and non bose units , or you can check on the online parts catalogue. Typically its a value of 3 in the part number for the 9th digit that prescribes the unit as being a BOSE unit . eg 997 642 143 02 is a BOSE PCM , 997 642 141 02 is a non BOSE PCM 2.1 , both have MP3 capability and are version B level 3 software.

Hello everyone, I would just like to add that I did the retrofit and own a 06 Cayman S , the PCM I used was part number 997.642.141.03 my CS already had the Bose package with subwoofer and after messing around with PIWIS and telling PCM that I have extrernal Bose Amp it worked right away. So it looks like Bose or non Bose most if not all PCM can be coded with PIWIS to work with any OEM Sound System configuration. Hope this helps.

That is incorrect. You can use just about any PCM in a Bose car, but require a very specific one if you have a non- Bose car. You happened to be on the lucky side.

Would this suggest then that the NON bose PCM units have an internal amplifier to allow the speakers to be driven direct from the PCM , whereas BOSE enabled units do not ? The BOSE amplifier is part of the MOST loop, this is required by default on all 987 model vehicles to allow connection to the CD changer and the navigation module on PCM equipped cars.

Dear PCM experienced gurus, I have a Bose system from the factory with CDR24 . I plan to purchase a used PCM 2.1 code number 997.642.141.10 Will the PCM work plug and play or will PIWIS reprogramming be required? I don't plan to add the Nav or CD changer Thank you for your kind input