[mjw930]

About a week ago the PCM in my 8 month old BGTS started to spontaneously reboot. It also refused to pipe phone audio through and display maps. Took it in and luckily it failed for the tech who documented it, followed all the diagnostics Porsche requires and has forwarded it off to PCNA. The part that sucks, they can't replace it until Stutgart reviews the diagnostics! Now I get to put up with a $90000 car that can't even play a radio station for more than 5 minutes at a time. Hell, I turn the unit off (I know it's never really off) and 5 minutes later it reboots and starts blaring music.

I understand things break but making the customer wait while Germany reviews the claim for a piece of electronics that the dealer SHOULD be able to get from a warehouse overnight SUCKS. The dealer is sympathetic but it's a $4000 part so they can't do anything until the claim is approved. Now I wait..........

 

[RADONCulous]

A buddy of mine who is in this forum had a dead PCM on delivery--he enjoyed his PSE for a week or so sans any PCM function. I'm not too impressed with Porsche quality assurance...


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[RADONCulous]

He posted a thread back in December about it...


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[Noah Fect]

I understand things break but making the customer wait while Germany reviews the claim for a piece of electronics that the dealer SHOULD be able to get from a warehouse overnight SUCKS. The dealer is sympathetic but it's a $4000 part so they can't do anything until the claim is approved. Now I wait..........

I'm not surprised. They probably need the diagnostics in order to determine if the problem is in your head unit, an external amp or controller, a wiring harness, the fuse box, or some other place. The head unit is too expensive to replace without being sure that's where the problem is. Believe it or not, this may actually be the most rational way to get the problem fixed the first time.

 

[mjw930]

I'm not surprised. They probably need the diagnostics in order to determine if the problem is in your head unit, an external amp or controller, a wiring harness, the fuse box, or some other place. The head unit is too expensive to replace without being sure that's where the problem is. Believe it or not, this may actually be the most rational way to get the problem fixed the first time.

I know it is and I don't expect it to take long, I was just venting.

 

[mjw930]

Well, over a week and counting and the dealer claims Porsche has not gotten back to them with approval to replace. Seems this is one of 4 that have failed within the last 2 months at this dealer alone and smells suspiciously like a batch of bad PCM's which is supposedly why Porsche is taking so long to approve replacements. At $4K per PCM it turns into a significant warranty hit if they can't be refurbished.

I finally had to pill the 25A fuse. The unit had lost it's mind so bad that it would reboot after the car was turned off and continue to cycle through the reboots until the battery was so low the other systems pulled power to it. My battery had dropped to 11.4V in 3 days sitting in my garage when I caught it, pulled the fuse and connected my CTEK to recharge the battery.

 

[mjw930]

2 weeks and no replacement authorization from Porsche. Monday will probably warrant a call to PCNA to register a formal complaint. I didn't expect this sort of treatment from Porsche.

 

[Georgeair]

While your initial vent may have seemed a little much since they were supposedly addressing it, in the end it was incredibly prescient. That's a ridiculous period of time for no further resolution, let alone getting back on their service schedule even after they come to a conclusion. I'd definitely figure out how to escalate, hopefully with support of your local manager. They should be your advocate in trying to get some resolution.

 

[Noah Fect]

It means they don't have any replacement units on the shelf. No one but the OEM (Harman America) can fix them, and if Harman is dragging their feet, PCNA is up the creek along with the owners.

 

[mjw930]

Latest update:

Porsche has given the dealer another series of tests they want performance before they approve a replacement PCM. They want the dealer to remove the unit from my car and install it in another car to verify the problem moves with the PCM. It's only then that they will authorize a unit to be shipped under warranty. The dealer will need the car for at least 4 days to perform this unless I make 2 trips to the dealer. Because of that the dealer is arranging for a Porsche loaner but that pushes the date I can take mine in to March 3rd. The dealer is NOT HAPPY with this and has a call into the regional service rep to see if they can get a PCM pre-shipped to the dealer so it's there on the 3rd so they can do everything at once.

It's obvious they are having a lot of issues with the PCM's as of late and the dealers aren't correctly diagnosing the problems and it's costing them some money.

At least there's movement but it's glacial at best.

 

[808MGuy]

My PCM is also resetting but not that frequently until last week. It would happen maybe 2-3 times week regardless of the source. Last week, anytime I switched to USB, it would reboot instantly. Coincidentally, the uSB has always been plugged in so dealer asked me to try to leave the USB out and see what happens. No reboots since which might be a corrupt file on the USB.

I took it in once and dealer did a reboot per PCNA. Second time they replaced the USB connector and cable per PCNA. That time they had to keep my car over the weekend to work on it and gave me a Panamera loaner for the weekend. Then a few days after I got it back the latest incident happened with the system resetting as soon as I switch to USB. I'm continuing to monitor it without the USB plugged in but its been good so far. My dealer has been pretty good about getting this sorted out quickly so far. Hopefully that continues if I really do need a PCM replacement.

 

[sdpauly]

I don't know about your phone problems, but I had a similar problem with the PCM rebooting and I found the solution and posted it to this thread.

Hope this helps!! http://www.planet-9.com/981-cayman-and-boxster-problems-and-complaints/109649-stereo-pcm-shuts-down-resets-while-listening-music-usb.html?highlight=usb

 

[mjw930]

I don't know about your phone problems, but I had a similar problem with the PCM rebooting and I found the solution and posted it to this thread.

Hope this helps!! http://www.planet-9.com/981-cayman-and-boxster-problems-and-complaints/109649-stereo-pcm-shuts-down-resets-while-listening-music-usb.html?highlight=usb

Yeah, I looked at that and all other threads in multiple forums and tried everything. Mine is so brain dead it won't bring up maps, won't store stations, won't connect to my phone. Basically it's toast. It started as intermittent reboots, it's progressed to complete uselessness to the point I've had to pull the fuse to keep it from draining the battery.

That's the point the dealer is trying to make with PCNA, it's not an intermittent problem with some sub system, the unit itself has cratered.

 

[808MGuy]

I don't know about your phone problems, but I had a similar problem with the PCM rebooting and I found the solution and posted it to this thread.

Hope this helps!! http://www.planet-9.com/981-cayman-and-boxster-problems-and-complaints/109649-stereo-pcm-shuts-down-resets-while-listening-music-usb.html?highlight=usb

I wouldn't call shutting down another system that is supposed to work a fix.

 

[sdpauly]

Shutting off something I never use, to prevent the problem from ever coming back.

I suspect there is some kind of bug with the digital signal processor that makes it panic when receiving an HD radio signal while playing back mp3s. Maybe they figured it out and fixed it in a later software revision... Sounds like OP has a bad unit, hopefully you can get the dealer to replace.

The whole point of forums like this is to share information with others. I fixed the problem to my satisfaction and shared that info with others. Make of it what you will...

 

[K-Man S]

Yeah, I looked at that and all other threads in multiple forums and tried everything. Mine is so brain dead it won't bring up maps, won't store stations, won't connect to my phone. Basically it's toast. It started as intermittent reboots, it's progressed to complete uselessness to the point I've had to pull the fuse to keep it from draining the battery.

That's the point the dealer is trying to make with PCNA, it's not an intermittent problem with some sub system, the unit itself has cratered.

Might I suggest that you take out the PCM unit and while you have it on a bench in your garage if a bunch of random copper filings make their way into the back of the PCM unit along with various random liquids then that might "fix" your problem. :hilarious:

Seriously though, best of luck with the replacement and sorry they are taking so long.

 

[mjw930]

Well, after a month PCNA has finally approved a replacement PCM.

You won't believe the diagnostic Porsche REQUIRED to approve the replacement. They had to remove the PCM from my car and put it in another car to prove the problem moved with the PCM. Sure, that makes perfect sense but now they have had to tear into the dash of another car and swap radios in and out which someone will eventually buy totally oblivious their dash has been opened up. Swiping parts is lazy diagnostics, I'm surprised Porsche stooped to that level.

I still don't have the car back, they are waiting on a replacement PCM from Germany, but they did give me a Cayenne loaner.

 

[JohnnyQuest]

That does smell very fishy. You'd think Porsche would have wanted the unit themselves so they could be sure the test was done right. At least you're finally getting it fixed. On a side note, I had a torn weather stripping. I emailed a photo to my dealer, he emailed it to Porsche, and they authorized the replacement instantly. I guess because it was low cost. They replaced both sides enevthough only one was torn.

 

[Gordan Shumway]

Glad you are finally getting the problem fixed. The thing I can't figure is how something roughly 10 years behind the times in capability can cost $4000.

 

[ELP_JC]

Hope 2016 units are better. I don't have a dealer anywhere close, and since all are in a different state, no loaner for me. Hope my car is not saddled with something like this. But made the decision to buy it knowing it's possible. Even after driving it for only 100 miles so far, it was a good decision. He he. Good luck, and hopefully that was it. Wonder what could have been wrong with it. How many miles on your car? I assume you have Bose, right?