I just purchased an 06 C2S cab, midnite blue with ***, Nav, Sport Chrono, SSK, stone gray full leather interior, parking sensors, etc etc. I love it. I bought it in Denver and had it shipped to Southern Cal, arriving this past Friday. This is my 3rd 997, the first one being an 05 C2S cab, the second being an 07 Targa 4S, and now this one which I bought as a keeper.

I'm finding a few issues with the PCM on this one, and before I go to the trouble of taking it to my local dealer for fixing, I thought I'd enquire from the knowledgeable people here to see if I'm missing something obvious. I don't yet have the PCM manual (it is being sent by the dealer in Denver).
1) I can't directly input a radio frequency for a radio station. For example, if I try to input 640 for a local AM station, it takes the 6 and the 4, but instead of 0 it defaults to 8. If I scan for 640, it goes to 639 and the station (640) is clear. It appears that there are discrete frequencies (639, 648, etc) and nothing else. I've never seen this before.
2) I only have one choice for the center position of my display under the tach. I'm used to displaying the radio info there, but when I try to "set" the info, the only choices are "remaining range" and "empty".
3) I can't find other special settings in the PCM setups, such as daytime running lights.

The software version of my PCM appears to be 3.3 (??).

My car was registered in March 2006, and was just CPO'd in December by the dealer I purchased it from.

If I'm not missing anything, I'll just take it in. I'd just like to save the hassle if possible.

Oh, one more thing: my car has courtesy lights under the dash over each footwell. But they never come on with the doors. I can't remember if my last 2 cars had these lights or if they worked. Should they come on with the doors being opened? Could be another reason to go to the dealer.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

For the courtesy lights, make sure that the overhead light rockers are at their center positions. (These are the ones near the garage door opener buttons). If rocked the wrong way those lights won't come on.

For daytime running lights you can access that through the main display (being as you have the Sports Chrono). (If you don't have the Sports Chrono you can't do that at home).

The freq issue sounds like someone messed with some of the defaults. As these cars are designed for a global market, they have to be able to handle a variety of frequency differences. As I vaguely recall, the freqs may be different in Europe and thus there is a custom capability to select a couple of choices. Try and start out on the main display and choose default--see what that does, and then start to customize it to your specific needs.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. The courtesy lights don't work in any switch position. I have Sport Chrono, but don't see the normal menu for enabling daytime running lights. I've tried all options in main menu to restore factory settings etc., but the default station frequencies persist. I think with all these issues, I'll just have to take the car in and see what they can do to resolve them.

 

Ken,

I wonder if you are inadvertantly trying to recall a station from the preset memory instead of entering it directly? (I know it's a bit of a long-shot...)

If you are in the direct frequency entry screen, and you rotate the rotary ****, what does the frequency change by?

 

In the direct frequency entry screen, if I rotate the ****, the frequencies jump to these weird presets, like 639, 648, etc. They don't go up in single steps like they should. The screen for presets shows no preset stations in the 10 positions. Very weird. Thanks for trying.

 

It seems like here, the AM stations are all divisible by 9:
576 630 702 ... 873 954 ...1269 etc
I think it is a standard 9 KHz seperation
The bands are likey wide enough to accomodate above and below the central frequency in AM without distortion.

 

Thanks for pointing that out. Obviously, my PCM must be set to a European standard and I just have to find a way to re-set it to the North American standard for radio station frequencies.

 

Hi Ken -

First of all, congrat's on what looks to be a beautiful car. Love that color on the 911 and love those wheels. Many happy, safe miles to you.

Edgy hit on the courtesy lights so it looks like you need to take the car into the dealer already.

I can't help with the radio settings but I had a similar issue to what you are experiencing in the center cluster after my guage cluster was replaced. Turned out my replacement cluster was also bad so the car had to go back to the dealer. I suspect you might be in the same boat.

Again, congrat's. Hope the dealer works this out for you quickly and painlessly.

 

Unfortunately, many of these custom features (like daylight running lights) are only found with some effort. The man machine interface is rather poor. It's there, but you need to keep looking for it. I'm heading out in a bit with mine, so I'll check it out and report back soon.

 

Dan: Since you're good at this stuff, and you have an 06 cab, would you be able to take a photo of your PCM screen that shows the personal settings menu that includes setting the daytime running lights? Perhaps you can remind me what combination of buttons is needed to bring up that screen. Also, a photo of your center cluster where the radio information can be displayed in the center field under the tach. Currently, my only choice there is either a blank field, or a display of miles to empty. My previous 2 997's allowed numerous choices in that field.

Pictures may help me explain to my dealer what the problem is with mine, otherwise I'm afraid they may use the typical excuse "yours looks normal".

BTW, I've still had no luck activating the foot-well courtesy lights.

Thanks.

 

Ken - I read on another thread somewhere that changing the language or some such thing on the PCM also changes the AM radio steps. Sorry, can't help more than that as I have a 2009.

 

Will go check that out and photograph.

 

Handover procedure needed?
do seat heaters work,does homelink keep codes, is sport chrono light on all the time?

 

3) I can't find other special settings in the PCM setups, such as daytime running lights.

It's been my experience that dealers can often forget to reprogram all the capabilities of these cars. For example, I had a PCM replaced under warranty and they simply forgot to activate all the codes that that car was entitled to have, e.g., Extended Navigation, and Sports Chrono.

For example, if you don't have the enabling code plugged into the PCM that tells it that you have Sports Chrono. it will not give you the capability of Individual Memory on the main page. (That code is 17dfd7a821961170).

Everything starts from the MAIN display. From that one you select "SET" and that will give you picture #2. Within that menu you will get the option choices of PCM system, Main display, Individ. Memory and finally Steering wheel. Choose Individual Memory. Then you get the choices of Light, Wiper, Climate, Lock and Factory Setting (defaults).

Within Light you can select Day run. lights and a couple of other options.

 

Bingo Dan! I'm missing the "Indiv. Memory" option in that menu shown in your second photo. I knew I had seen that on my Targa, but wondered if I had just forgotten how to find it. I'm wondering if the "orientation lights" feature allows control of the footwell lighting I've been unable to get to work.

Regarding Larrytrk's comments, my seat heaters work, and my sport Chrono isn't constantly illuminated. I haven't dealt with the homelink codes yet.

I've booked an appointment with the dealer on Saturday morning so will hopefully get to the bottom of all this craziness. I can't wait to get it resolved so I can install my new SmartTop.

Thanks for everyone's help. If nothing else, these issues raise the awareness of the quirkiness of these systems, and perhaps some viewers learned about options they may not have been aware of.