PSE ashtray switch DIY
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 823
Likes: 151
From: Lansdale, PA
PSE ashtray switch DIY
My factory installed 997.1 PSE has been great, with my only desire being the option to quiet it down or make it loud on command. (Especially when paired with AWE sport cats) After searching various threads for bits of information, I installed a switch in my car last night.
You will need:
- Spool of 18 gauge wire
- Wire cutter/stripper
- Switch (I used: )
- Male/female bullet connectors ( )
- Cordless drill with very small bit and a dremel
- 6mm hex, 10mm socket, T30 torx, and a bit of dexterity in order to maneuver around the back seat area.
STEPS:
- Tilt both seats forward and set to the furthest forward position to give yourself room
- Follow instructions here for accessing the rear ECU area
- Locate large wiring loom running from the center of the car going back into the engine compartment. Unwrap a 5" section of the black tape to allow yourself to locate the grey/green wire. It is GREY with a small GREEN stripe. You can look at your PSE plug on the vacuum solenoid in the engine compartment to get an idea of what it looks like. It is the ONLY grey/green wire in that loom so it makes finding the right wire relatively easy.
- Cut the wire and attach a male/female bullet connector to each side respectively. Attach a male/female connector to the two leads of your 18 gauge wire respectively.
- Wrap connectors with a small amount of electrical tape for good measure. You can now return the rear ECU/seat area back to normal if you'd like as you're done with the wiring back there.
- Remove your ashtray and route your two wires to underneath that area. I ran them down the passenger wheel well area, along the bottom of the carpet and up into the rear of the center console and then forward to the ashtray. Simply tuck the wires neatly along the edges as there are plenty of little crevices to conceal them without any permanent modification.
- Remove cigarette snubber from ashtray. (it pops right out) Fit your switch where the snubber used to reside. Remove ashtray door and trim with Dremel 2mm from underneath where it would slightly interface with your switch when closing. Drill a small hole (big enough to fit your two wires through) in the front of the ashtray underneath your new switch.
- Route wires under and up (tricky!) through the forward most hole in the console where the ashtray sits. Now you can route the wires up into the ashtray, connect them to your switch, fit the switch in place, and reinstall the ashtray.
- Marvel at your work. You can now control the PSE solely at your discretion without any DME interruption.
NOTE: This procedure can be reversed any time you'd like as essentially no permanent modifications have been done to the car. Remove your switch, re-fit the snubber (you'll never see the small hole under it), remove your wiring, and reconnect the grey/green wire with the male/female bullet connector. No reason TO remove it, but if you're **** about permanently modifying your car (as I am), it's nice to know.
Enjoy!
Photos
You will need:
- Spool of 18 gauge wire
- Wire cutter/stripper
- Switch (I used: )
- Male/female bullet connectors ( )
- Cordless drill with very small bit and a dremel
- 6mm hex, 10mm socket, T30 torx, and a bit of dexterity in order to maneuver around the back seat area.
STEPS:
- Tilt both seats forward and set to the furthest forward position to give yourself room
- Follow instructions here for accessing the rear ECU area
- Locate large wiring loom running from the center of the car going back into the engine compartment. Unwrap a 5" section of the black tape to allow yourself to locate the grey/green wire. It is GREY with a small GREEN stripe. You can look at your PSE plug on the vacuum solenoid in the engine compartment to get an idea of what it looks like. It is the ONLY grey/green wire in that loom so it makes finding the right wire relatively easy.
- Cut the wire and attach a male/female bullet connector to each side respectively. Attach a male/female connector to the two leads of your 18 gauge wire respectively.
- Wrap connectors with a small amount of electrical tape for good measure. You can now return the rear ECU/seat area back to normal if you'd like as you're done with the wiring back there.
- Remove your ashtray and route your two wires to underneath that area. I ran them down the passenger wheel well area, along the bottom of the carpet and up into the rear of the center console and then forward to the ashtray. Simply tuck the wires neatly along the edges as there are plenty of little crevices to conceal them without any permanent modification.
- Remove cigarette snubber from ashtray. (it pops right out) Fit your switch where the snubber used to reside. Remove ashtray door and trim with Dremel 2mm from underneath where it would slightly interface with your switch when closing. Drill a small hole (big enough to fit your two wires through) in the front of the ashtray underneath your new switch.
- Route wires under and up (tricky!) through the forward most hole in the console where the ashtray sits. Now you can route the wires up into the ashtray, connect them to your switch, fit the switch in place, and reinstall the ashtray.
- Marvel at your work. You can now control the PSE solely at your discretion without any DME interruption.
NOTE: This procedure can be reversed any time you'd like as essentially no permanent modifications have been done to the car. Remove your switch, re-fit the snubber (you'll never see the small hole under it), remove your wiring, and reconnect the grey/green wire with the male/female bullet connector. No reason TO remove it, but if you're **** about permanently modifying your car (as I am), it's nice to know.
Enjoy!
Photos
5th Gear
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
My factory installed 997.1 PSE has been great, with my only desire being the option to quiet it down or make it loud on command. (Especially when paired with AWE sport cats) After searching various threads for bits of information, I installed a switch in my car last night.
You will need:
- Spool of 18 gauge wire
- Wire cutter/stripper
- Switch (I used: )
- Male/female bullet connectors ( )
- Cordless drill with very small bit and a dremel
- 6mm hex, 10mm socket, T30 torx, and a bit of dexterity in order to maneuver around the back seat area.
STEPS:
- Tilt both seats forward and set to the furthest forward position to give yourself room
- Follow instructions here for accessing the rear ECU area
- Locate large wiring loom running from the center of the car going back into the engine compartment. Unwrap a 5" section of the black tape to allow yourself to locate the grey/green wire. It is GREY with a small GREEN stripe. You can look at your PSE plug on the vacuum solenoid in the engine compartment to get an idea of what it looks like. It is the ONLY grey/green wire in that loom so it makes finding the right wire relatively easy.
- Cut the wire and attach a male/female bullet connector to each side respectively. Attach a male/female connector to the two leads of your 18 gauge wire respectively.
- Wrap connectors with a small amount of electrical tape for good measure. You can now return the rear ECU/seat area back to normal if you'd like as you're done with the wiring back there.
- Remove your ashtray and route your two wires to underneath that area. I ran them down the passenger wheel well area, along the bottom of the carpet and up into the rear of the center console and then forward to the ashtray. Simply tuck the wires neatly along the edges as there are plenty of little crevices to conceal them without any permanent modification.
- Remove cigarette snubber from ashtray. (it pops right out) Fit your switch where the snubber used to reside. Remove ashtray door and trim with Dremel 2mm from underneath where it would slightly interface with your switch when closing. Drill a small hole (big enough to fit your two wires through) in the front of the ashtray underneath your new switch.
- Route wires under and up (tricky!) through the forward most hole in the console where the ashtray sits. Now you can route the wires up into the ashtray, connect them to your switch, fit the switch in place, and reinstall the ashtray.
- Marvel at your work. You can now control the PSE solely at your discretion without any DME interruption.
NOTE: This procedure can be reversed any time you'd like as essentially no permanent modifications have been done to the car. Remove your switch, re-fit the snubber (you'll never see the small hole under it), remove your wiring, and reconnect the grey/green wire with the male/female bullet connector. No reason TO remove it, but if you're **** about permanently modifying your car (as I am), it's nice to know.
Enjoy!
Photos
You will need:
- Spool of 18 gauge wire
- Wire cutter/stripper
- Switch (I used: )
- Male/female bullet connectors ( )
- Cordless drill with very small bit and a dremel
- 6mm hex, 10mm socket, T30 torx, and a bit of dexterity in order to maneuver around the back seat area.
STEPS:
- Tilt both seats forward and set to the furthest forward position to give yourself room
- Follow instructions here for accessing the rear ECU area
- Locate large wiring loom running from the center of the car going back into the engine compartment. Unwrap a 5" section of the black tape to allow yourself to locate the grey/green wire. It is GREY with a small GREEN stripe. You can look at your PSE plug on the vacuum solenoid in the engine compartment to get an idea of what it looks like. It is the ONLY grey/green wire in that loom so it makes finding the right wire relatively easy.
- Cut the wire and attach a male/female bullet connector to each side respectively. Attach a male/female connector to the two leads of your 18 gauge wire respectively.
- Wrap connectors with a small amount of electrical tape for good measure. You can now return the rear ECU/seat area back to normal if you'd like as you're done with the wiring back there.
- Remove your ashtray and route your two wires to underneath that area. I ran them down the passenger wheel well area, along the bottom of the carpet and up into the rear of the center console and then forward to the ashtray. Simply tuck the wires neatly along the edges as there are plenty of little crevices to conceal them without any permanent modification.
- Remove cigarette snubber from ashtray. (it pops right out) Fit your switch where the snubber used to reside. Remove ashtray door and trim with Dremel 2mm from underneath where it would slightly interface with your switch when closing. Drill a small hole (big enough to fit your two wires through) in the front of the ashtray underneath your new switch.
- Route wires under and up (tricky!) through the forward most hole in the console where the ashtray sits. Now you can route the wires up into the ashtray, connect them to your switch, fit the switch in place, and reinstall the ashtray.
- Marvel at your work. You can now control the PSE solely at your discretion without any DME interruption.
NOTE: This procedure can be reversed any time you'd like as essentially no permanent modifications have been done to the car. Remove your switch, re-fit the snubber (you'll never see the small hole under it), remove your wiring, and reconnect the grey/green wire with the male/female bullet connector. No reason TO remove it, but if you're **** about permanently modifying your car (as I am), it's nice to know.
Enjoy!
Photos
The color of pse wire is grey/green?
Or red/purple?
But I have now drill my switch panel!...
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 823
Likes: 151
From: Lansdale, PA
Yes, grey/green is the ground, which we're interrupting. Red/purple is the power.
Drilling two pilot holes in the bottom of your removeable ashtray is cake. Even if you didn't have a switch/snubber in there you'd still probably never notice, they're that small.
Drilling two pilot holes in the bottom of your removeable ashtray is cake. Even if you didn't have a switch/snubber in there you'd still probably never notice, they're that small.
