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I would like to add the Homelink feature to my Cayenne.
I might be able to get my hands on a VW Passat sunvisor with the integrated homelink-module
and Gert from carnewal.com sells the cover with the buttons:
What do you guys think, do I need anything else? Will someone with medium "wiring-skills" be able to accomplish this and are there any hidden traps I should be aware of?
What does the WireMaster (TBP) think of this idea?
Let me know how it goes as I want to retrofit my 04 GT3 with Homelink as well. I ordered my incoming Cayenne S with the Homelink as part of the electric comfort package but noticed all the Cayennes at my local dealer have the buttons whether or not they actually have Homelink! Of course, the Toureg came with Homelink standard
If you have the buttons, there is a transmitter installed already. Matt, I'll dig through the wiring diagrams tonight and see what I can find. I remember briefly looking at it, but it's been long enough that all I can remember now are D1S xenon bulbs and front sub-part harnesses!!
Matt,
Speaking as an electrical engineer (geek), on paper it is a simple task.
Electrically and from a wiring diagram persepcgtive, you need to merely connect the switches from the Cayenne overhead console to the switches on the visor homelink. 2 wires per switch. In this manner, pressing either switch will activate the transmitter. Optionally, you can remove the switches on the visor homelink, but electrically you don't have to.
Mechanically, the hard part will be opening up the visor Homelink and soldering the wires to the correct locations; you will also have to find mating connectors to the Cayenne overhead console switches or solder to them as well. I don't know how difficult this disassembly and reassembly will be. You will also have to power the Homelink once removed from the visor and mount that somewhere; preferrably up high to maximize range.
An alternate solution would be to install a rear view mirror with Homelink built in (autodimming AND a compass as well). Here is an example, quickest I could find thanks to Google: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2467209308
In this application, you merely need to wire switched 12V and Ground and you're done. This should be readily available in the overhead console, as Cayennes with electronic comfort package have the rear dimming mirror and switched power is fed down the windshield to the mirror from the overhead console location. Alternatively, there have been other posts for FM modulators, radar detectors, etc which tell you which fuse location in the Cayenne will give you swtiched power.
Of course, I will defer to the Cayenne WireMaster; Toby could give classes to the Porsche factory workers at this point
Originally posted by ltc Of course, I will defer to the Cayenne WireMaster; Toby could give classes to the Porsche factory workers at this point
If only I weren't BLIND from poring over these diagrams for the past few weeks. It's very clear that some younger computer-centric person designed the network on the Cayenne. Mixing and matching control unit feeds and purposes, control units for this and that, it's pretty amazing. God help us all if the computer control unit network experiences a glitch!
AND THAT'S A SENTIMENT COMING FROM A CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER!
Thank you very much for that extensive and interesting lesson. You could certainly assist Toby with his classes in Leipzig
The idea was not to replace but to disassemble/destroy the visor, remove the transmitter and install it behind the new cover (with the buttons wired of course).
Matt,
Yes, it does make sense.
The only problem may be in opening the Homelink transmitter in order to attach wires to either the switches (or directly to the printed circuit board). Hopefully you can open it, attach wires for switches and 12V/GND, route them outside and then close up the unit. Or you may be able to just remove the top cover and switches completely, leaving only the bottom half of the transmitter housing. More a mechanical task than an electrical one.
Once wired, I'm sure you can find switched 12V in the overhead and mount the transmitter somewhere up in there (behind eyeglass compartment perhaps?)
I'm sure that via digital photos, posts and PM's, the members of the forum will be able to guide you thru it
You can buy the internals for the Homelink system from the Mito corporation. I looked into this awhile back. Homelink is a division of Johnson Controls who manufactures all the units for all the car manufacturers, including Porsche, according to the customer service rep I talked to. I think the cost was around $150.
With the gracious help of Gert from carnewal.com and Toby, I was able to make some progress in my attempt to add the garage door opener to my Cayenne. Please keep in mind that I haven't been able to test any of following possiblities yet. So you'll be doing anything at your own risk.
The pic below shows the layout of the roof console. To open it, pull down the cover of the interior light (just held with clips on either side) and unscrew the two screws between the bulbs. Then there are two more screws in the sunglass holder. Finally, the whole console can be pulled down on the back end.
The car is prepared for Homelink, so there's no major wiring needed. The figures on the picture indicate
- the power source (1)
- the mounting bracket for the original transmitter (2)
- the place where the buttons and the circuit plate are installed (3)
Now, there are three ways to go:
The easiest and most painless way is to order all the original Porsche parts. Gert offers a kit including the cover, the buttons and the circuit plate for € 55 (~ US$ 68). In addition, the transmitter, 2 screws and the wiring harness from the circuit plate to the transmitter are needed (about € 450 ~ US$ 560 according to Gert). Be aware that there are two different transmitters for USA/Canada and ROW models using different frequencies. Once you have all these parts, the rest should be just plug and pray. There's a separate fuse for the Homelink system in the right fuse box. It's slot no 42 and requires a 5A fuse (haven't checked yet whether the factory inserts one).
Required parts:
From Gert: P55 Hardwire Buttons for the Roof Console
From Porsche: 1 x Transmitter 955 618 039 00 (RoW) or 955 618 038 00 (USA/Canada); 2 x Screws 909 151 01; 1 x Wiring harness 955 612 502 00 (please have your parts guy check that again before ordering)
Well, spending over € 500 just for adding the Homelink seems to be quite an investment. So an other possiblity would be to wire your own transmitter to Gert's kit and hide it somewhere up there in the console. But since these portable transmitters are usually battery-powered, you'll either need a "power-converter" (12V to whatever the transmitter requires) and tap into a power source or you'll have to open up your roof console on a regular basis to exchange the batteries.
But hold on, there's a third possibility, buy the button kit, find a Homelink transmitter on eBay and wire it to the circuit plate. Just be aware that not all the visors with homelink-buttons do also have the transmitter built-in. Audi for instance, installs the transmitter somewhere near the front bumper. Certainly, this setup requires the most skills and knowledge in soldering and electronics. Someone has done just that on his 911 and posted instructions on renntech.org. They might be quite helpful:
My favorite is the last one. However, I'm still looking for a used European Homelink transmitter. They are quite rare so I might end up buying the original Porsche parts. I'll keep you posted.
Wow, I never thought I'd spawn a bunch of nerds in this forum trying to imitate a Bi-Xenon upgrade. But I figure I've found the perfect rat hole, umm I mean gauntlet, to throw down before the masses.......
Reviving this thread as I reached out to Gaudin Porsche and discovered there's a retrofit kit: 955-044-900-27 (US) or 955-044-900-26 (EU). Here are the parts that come with, looks like everything one would need.
US Version
EU Version
Last edited by RealPolItiK; 03-24-2023 at 03:39 PM.
If it helps anyone looking to retrofit this in the future, I bought an overhead console on eBay that had the Homelink module and buttons, and followed the attached instructions to add power to the correct harness pin. Works perfectly, although since it's an older Homelink, if you have a newer garage door opener you'll need to buy one of these compatibility bridge units: https://www.chamberlain.com/homelink...OMELINK+RPTRMC
03-15-2004, 11:56 AM
Homelink-Project
It's very clear that some younger computer-centric person designed the network on the Cayenne. Mixing and matching control unit feeds and purposes, control units for this and that, it's pretty amazing. God help us all if the computer control unit network experiences a glitch! 
