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Mostly non-functional radio / infotainment PCM system...
Hello fabulous Porsche pros!
The radio / infotainment PCM system onboard my 2013 Porsche Boxster S is now mostly dysfunctional! The following features no longer work:
- I can pair my phone but can no longer select 'Aux Bluetooth' so my phone controls the music.
- I can make a phone call with the PCM still managing the call but the other person can't hear me and I can't hear them.
- No sound is heard on the speakers regardless of input function or volume.
- Pressing the 'Source' button multiple times, I cannot change the 'source input'... no matter what I select between AM / FM / Satellite / Disc / Jukebox / Aux / Aux Bluetooth it always returns to what was there before (radio)
- Similarly, pressing the 'Tuner' button to cycle between AM / FM / Sat or Disk / Jukebox / Aux / Aux BT does not change the input
- Trying to scan for radio stations, only one is found and I cannot hear it anyways as there is no volume!
The following still appears to work:
- The map and navigation functions.
- I can pair / unpair Bluetooth devices
- Most other controls to configure the sound, the map options, the phone options, the car compass, etc
All of this happened about a half and a month ago, and I think all of the above symptoms all showed up at the same time (as opposed to increasing dysfunction over time)
I have tried resetting the PCM with the 'Factory Reset' and 'Vehicle Handover' several times and no dice. (I have also tried two different cell phones with same problems). I also notice that my phone can pair for audio and calls so I don't think it's related to either my cell phones but the problem is probably on the car's side.
Thoughts?
Last edited by JPPoulin; 01-20-2023 at 03:20 PM.
Reason: Added images
The radio / infotainment PCM system onboard my 2013 Porsche Boxster S is now mostly dysfunctional! The following features no longer work:
- I can pair my phone but can no longer select 'Aux Bluetooth' so my phone controls the music.
- I can make a phone call with the PCM still managing the call but the other person can't hear me and I can't hear them.
- No sound is heard on the speakers regardless of input function or volume.
- Pressing the 'Source' button multiple times, I cannot change the 'source input'... no matter what I select between AM / FM / Satellite / Disc / Jukebox / Aux / Aux Bluetooth it always returns to what was there before (radio)
- Similarly, pressing the 'Tuner' button to cycle between AM / FM / Sat or Disk / Jukebox / Aux / Aux BT does not change the input
- Trying to scan for radio stations, only one is found and I cannot hear it anyways as there is no volume!
The following still appears to work:
- The map and navigation functions.
- I can pair / unpair Bluetooth devices
- Most other controls to configure the sound, the map options, the phone options, the car compass, etc
All of this happened about a half and a month ago, and I think all of the above symptoms all showed up at the same time (as opposed to increasing dysfunction over time)
I have tried resetting the PCM with the 'Factory Reset' and 'Vehicle Handover' several times and no dice. (I have also tried two different cell phones with same problems). I also notice that my phone can pair for audio and calls so I don't think it's related to either my cell phones but the problem is probably on the car's side.
In case there could be a relation, note that I have have had some FOB issues as detailed here and the above problems appeared a couple weeks after I was no longer able to lock the car (due to fears of not being able to unlock it again due to FOB issues)
Thoughts?
how old is the battery in the car? Low voltage can cause random issues which can cause the fob issue. I would replace the battery in the fob, then if the issue persists look at your main car battery voltage and see if the issue remains when the car is running and voltage is above 13.5v. If the battery is OK then the head unit needs servicing.
I'm pretty sure the car's battery reaches 13.5V but will double check. (I've changed the FOB battery a couple days ago, tried a full factory reset / handover of the PCM, locked and unlocked the car but still no dice... Totally strange problem.
When you say the "head unit needs servicing"... do you mean the PCM infotainment system or some other main computer onboard my Boxster?
Originally Posted by Paul Quilter
how old is the battery in the car? Low voltage can cause random issues which can cause the fob issue. I would replace the battery in the fob, then if the issue persists look at your main car battery voltage and see if the issue remains when the car is running and voltage is above 13.5v. If the battery is OK then the head unit needs servicing.
I'm pretty sure the car's battery reaches 13.5V but will double check. (I've changed the FOB battery a couple days ago, tried a full factory reset / handover of the PCM, locked and unlocked the car but still no dice... Totally strange problem.
When you say the "head unit needs servicing"... do you mean the PCM infotainment system or some other main computer onboard my Boxster?
Interesting. I have seen similar issues to you (no volume, unable to change the source) before on my Cayman.. Probably twice before, but it hasn't remained messed up all the time.. It will fix itself after sitting/restarting the car..
I will say I recently put in a new battery and I have not seen the issue since the new battery went in.. but that has only been maybe 50 miles. so the jury is still out
My original theory was that the internal HDD was going bad in the PCM and causing it to "lock up" like how a PC would when the HDD starts hitting bad sectors on the drive..
Thanks for sharing this Saabin... glad I'm not going crazy! (But this is driving me nuts! Can't stand not having music while I drive!)
It looks like we're facing the same problem. (If it ever happens again (hopefully never!), try my list of things that don't work to see if the symptoms all match)
A couple precisions please:
Q1: When the problem appeared, did you try doing the PCM 'Factory Reset' and / or 'Vehicle Handover' procedure?
Q2: Did you do any customization to your Cayman such as drawing power for radar detector / dash cam from the fuse boxes?
I am stumped that your car was able to recover by simply sitting the car and restarting it and that my multiple usage of the 'Vehicle Handover' procedure would do nothing... (One would think that the full reset would be way more powerful in resetting problem than a simple warm boot of the PCM)
Thanks for that new data point however... gives me an idea of removing the power to my dash cam / radar detector to see if the symptoms change (given that this appeared a few weeks after my customizations) Will update on this.
Originally Posted by saabin
Interesting. I have seen similar issues to you (no volume, unable to change the source) before on my Cayman.. Probably twice before, but it hasn't remained messed up all the time.. It will fix itself after sitting/restarting the car..
I will say I recently put in a new battery and I have not seen the issue since the new battery went in.. but that has only been maybe 50 miles. so the jury is still out
My original theory was that the internal HDD was going bad in the PCM and causing it to "lock up" like how a PC would when the HDD starts hitting bad sectors on the drive..
I never tried the reset procedure as by the time I got around to troubleshooting it, it already corrected itself.. I honestly think the battery change was conincidental to the whole thing, but just wanted to mention it.
the only custom is my hard-wired radar detector, using a mirrortap for my Uniden. It uses switched power but the detector has been in place for close to 4 years and my issue with the PCM probably first occured about 2 months ago, so I doubt there is a linkage there.
I’ll keep an eye on it, i drove the car this morning and it all worked fine..
I double-checked myself if my power tap on both the driver side and the passenger side was related to the symptoms I have observed and sadly no change. Not too sure what to try next...
Q: Given the same PCM is used for the Cayman / Boxster and I think many 911s, perhaps there is a PCM-centric forum somewhere where I can post this question?
Originally Posted by saabin
I never tried the reset procedure as by the time I got around to troubleshooting it, it already corrected itself.. I honestly think the battery change was conincidental to the whole thing, but just wanted to mention it.
the only custom is my hard-wired radar detector, using a mirrortap for my Uniden. It uses switched power but the detector has been in place for close to 4 years and my issue with the PCM probably first occured about 2 months ago, so I doubt there is a linkage there.
I’ll keep an eye on it, i drove the car this morning and it all worked fine..
In case this benefits someone following this issue with my (still broken PCM3.1 system), I am currently evaluating a possible way to fix this by adding a android auto retrofit kit... (hopefully that $600 product can overcome my issues while providing a (much needed) Android Auto feature?)
------------ Information request email below to the 'Integrative Automobile' people to ask if this would work... Has anyone installed their retrofit kit in their 981?
Hello Integrated Automotive.
I am interested in your IMI-1000 Porsche PCM3.1 Retrofit Carplay and Android Auto upgrade kit listed here.
I have a 2013 Porsche Boxter S (981) with a PCM 3.1 at System Version 4.76.
My PCM partially broke down a couple of months ago, and I am evaluating my options to get my PCM radio up and running again. I have for you below the forum post I placed on Rennlist to get feedback.
A few questions:
Q1: Would your product enable me to bypass the issue I'm having with my PCM? (For example, no volume and inability to change audio source)
Q2: Have you seen such issues with PCMs before? (Would you happen to have a product or solution that can help?)
Q3: What do you recommend I purchase/do to get my PCM healthy again... (My priority is to get music playing again, but I'd love to add Android Auto!)
^ Mine has been behaving itself, but I was thinking along the lines of you when it was acting up.. wondering if I can just get the Android-auto plug in and it would work?
JPPoulin:
Have you found out the solution to your PCM issue?
My '13 981 is doing the same thing . . .
Thanks!
Hi Lagunatich, sorry to hear you've run into this annoying problem too!
Sadly I have not made progress on this issue and have been using external Bluetooth speakers so I can have music in the car... annoying.
Eventually I will attempt to fix this by integrating a PCM 4.0 unit from a newer-gen Porsche into my 981. (how-tos on this are available and it seems kind of pointless to put back another PCM 3.1 as used 4.0s are not too much more money on eBay)
Thanks for your quick reply, JP. I spoke with a PCM repair company today. They recommended taking the car to an independent Porsche garage which has the diagnostic equipment to see faults in the car's electrical system. If the fault is the PCM, I am confident it can be repaired.
I will sort this within the week.
01-19-2023, 04:12 PM
Mostly non-functional radio / infotainment PCM system...
