siberian

Came home last night, went over a minor dip getting into the garage and the DRL's started flashing like crazy with error messages to check left side DRL (light switch was on Auto). I turned the lights to ON manually and then the right side DRL warning came up. This only happens with the lights on or on AUTO.

Just hooked up the Launch and though I have no MIL or DTC light on, warning messages about the DRLs are still showing and codes: 880B0E and 880C0E show up (left and right DRL inop). These are the standard LEDs (not swapped out from OEM).

Anyone come across this? I'm thinking of disconnecting the battery for a few minutes and seeing if this may remedy it, any thoughts? TIA

siberian

The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

siberian

So continuing my investigation into this weird problem, the DRL's seem to be fine and working UNTIL you set the light switch to ON or Auto - meaning that the headlights try and come on. It's at that point that the DRL's start strobing.

Switch? I haven't disconnected the battery yet in an attempt to reset the system; wonder whether that would do any good. This is really weird. If anyone has any ideas or come across this...

siberian

The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

siberian

Disconnected the battery and shorted the leads for about 40 seconds to ensure any and all capacitors were discharged; alas no change. Launch x431 error DTC's are simply codes with no meaning as far as Porsche goes and just basically say "I'm lost but here's a likely place to look by saying "DRL inoperable".

Not sure there's anything else I can try. Even though it screams to replace the light switch, it's an expensive trial if it isn't the culprit. I guess it's time to consider shipping it to Anchorage for warranty. Real disappointed as this is the second electrical snafu in 5 months with barely 2,884 miles on the clock.

siberian

The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

CarGuyNVA

Sorry to hear that. I don’t recall hearing of a similar problem. This is a long shot, but I assume your battery’s in good shape?

It sounds like quite an ordeal for you to get this to your dealer for service! Wishing you the best of luck with it. Please keep us updated as you track this down.

siberian

Thanx for your comment, and btw neither has the dealer or their certified Gold Tech.

I guess after a certain point there's only so much you can do short of sneaking into a dealer and "borrowing" their PIWIS. It could at this stage be:

* The switch

* Sensor

* Module

but nothing more I can test alas. I'm working with the dealer to see how to get the car there given the distance involved as well as I'm sure they won't have any parts available which means hotel stays etc it's easier to flatbed the car. I'll post as soon as I know more.

Another reason I'm never selling my 2008 V8 Touareg

siberian

The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

DIYDanCars

Whenever I have had weird headlight problems like flickering and not turning on, it has always turned out to be the ballast.

siberian

I believe after this recent test, it could be the ballast or the light sensor. All the trials were done up to now in the garage, thus a semi darkened environment where as soon as I turned the switch to Auto or ON the flickering/strobing began. So I took the car outside in bright daylight and set the switch to Auto. No flickering or strobing. Truning the switch then to ON and forcing the headlights on caused the flicker. So there is something either in the sensor or the headlights/ballast that when they go on causes the LEDs to strobe.

Thanx for your thoughts, I'll post as soon as I get more info.

siberian

The best long distance runner eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

BIG smoke

Siberian - what kind of light source do you have in the garage? incandescent? florescent or LED?
Florescent pulse, especially if you don't have cold start. and LED pulse and bar, undetectable to the human eye. Is the car having a seizure with an undetectable pulsing light. Thus sending the car sensor into a tizzy?

siberian

Hi Big Smoke and thank you for your help. Precisely for the reason you mention, I belatedly took the car out in bright sunshine to test.

So to recap.

AA) Disconnected the battery and shorted the leads for 40 seconds twice (ensuring no lights were ON in the cabin and then checking that the clock had reset to Midnight) to ensure any previous stored data would be cleared.

1) In garage with a mix of LEDs and fluos, when switch was in AUTO or ON, DRL's would strobe.

2) With lights OFF or in Parking Mode, DRLs work fine no issues

3) Taking the car into bright sunshine:

a) Switch to AUTO: No problem, no flicker, DRL's are on normally and no warning message on cluster

b) Switch to ON: Flickering begins.

I conveyed these findings to the dealer suggesting that perhaps the ballast or sensor might be at fault but they claimed that these findings didn't help them at all. That it could be many other things (computer...).

I realize that two ballasts screwing up would be weird, that the switch doesn't seem to be the issue. Bulbs? Again both sides? Loose connection? Nope, checked that first by disconnecting and reconnecting (with an audible click), no change.

The Launch in this case was of no help, and other than the cluster warning messages (Check right/left DRL) no CEL or MILs were triggered.

At this stage I called Road Side Assistance and hope the vehicle will make it to Anchorage tomorrow latest. Excellent service from Porsche btw, car was picked up within 35 minutes. I'll keep folks posted.

Now back to my oil leak on my RS5... just doesn't stop...

siberian

The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

PSEE

Since the trouble began just after you passed over/through some dip, it would seem to me that there's
a loose/bad connection somewhere.

That, after all, seemed to be the trigger for this issue.

If/when you get it to stop, drive across the dip again and see if it triggers things (again).

siberian

Thanx PSEE, I did that several times when taking the car out for various tests, and of course check the connections first thing. No I didn't of course check ALL of them and it really is a small break between the gravel/dirt and the lip of the concrete of the garage. I'll keep that in mind when I get the car back. OTOH it could just be a red herring that it happened when it did.

For some unknown reason the RS5 stopped leaking...need to get some ultra purple oil additive to trace where this quart leaked out from as I have a friend's garage/lift Saturday.

siberian

The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

siberian

Just heard back from the dealer. They checked everything out and there was nothing abnormal (supports the fact that no CEL or MIL light was triggered); other than the flashing of the lights of course. They elevated the issue to Porsche NA who suggested that they reflash the headlight/DRL control module. They did and, from what they told me, it's working normally now.

The only conclusion (and I really don't understand this) is that there was some corruption in the code which on reflash cleared and reset everything. It's clear that should the headlights not have been used (as is the case now since we're getting close to our summer equinox and 22+ hours of daylight) it would never have occurred/been noticed. But since I picked the car up in January (with 21+ hours of darkness) why it didn't trigger it then instead of now is ... one of those mysteries I guess you take on faith. They will continue to monitor it (ie drive it for another half day), then repair the DigiShield damage and send the car back

So here is what it wasn't:

1) The bump entering the garage that coincidentally triggered the flashing (loose something)

2) Ballasts/ignitors

3) Bulbs/LEDs

4) Connections (loose)

Hope this helps someone if this happens and if no further updates from the dealer, we'll consider this closed.

Thanx for everyone's help/suggestions

siberian

The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

siberian

Given Porsche doesn't pay to ship the vehicle back, the transport company won't haul it up until they fill it with ten vehicles (could be a week to 10 days) leaves me no other option than catching a flight tomorrow morning and driving the 450 miles or so back. I remember a similar problem in January when I flew down to pick it up as no transporters were available.

It seems the flashing has been fixed, the Car Connect which sales forgot to enable, when I picked up the car in January, hasn't as the dealer sends me to PNA and PNA sends me to the dealer. As the only person capable of verifying doesn't come in until 11 and I'm not going to hang around for 2 hours, I'm not going to bother with it. Tech guys did fine the sales./CS once again...but my FF miles are improving

siberian


The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

siberian

Must say it was an absolutely gorgeous drive back with Mt. Denali (formerly McKinley) just peeking through the clouds and snow still clearly visible. Roads were the pits (with heaves all over at one point causing the Macan to turn into a graceful glider) and a couple of road works to slow the warp speed down a tad.

So what was marked in the work sheet by the dealer following the above mentioned incident of flashing lights:

" Incorrect coding for Headlight Control Unit. Created value(s). Performed automatic coding for entire vehicle and performed vehicle handover. Headlights now working as deigned"

No code was actually read or downloaded and when I asked whether the recoding was from a newer software version from the original load I was told they're not told that but simply where to get it from.

When it mentions automatic coding for entire vehicle it of course means he cleared any and all codes one had so diligently entered.

So what is baffling and neither the Gold Tech nor the SA had any idea is how this bug or incorrect coding happened given the following.

1) Car was picked up from the dealer early January and even though the lights were used as would be expected having then come out of 22 hours of darkness no issues were triggered

2) Suspecting a corruption of x431 codes? Possible but unlikely for the following reasons.

a) All coding was accepted with no Faults triggered

b) Mods were done weeks if not months prior to the headlight problem

3) No CEL or MIL error code was triggered. Neither the x431 nor their PIWIS detected any meaningful code and it was only on escalation up the chain that Porsche NA suggested reflashing the headlight CU

4) The list (off the top of my head) of mods were:

Passing blinks from 3 to 5; Driver seat belt disable, silence the hatch alarms, rear lights enabled with DRL that's all I can remember (I've got the list somewhere and add if needed)

If by reloading these mods, the flashing recurs then we can surmise that there is a design problem between a modification and the headlight CU. If it doesn't then it is what it is.

A last point. In resetting every code for the vehicle what wasn't affected:

Seat and key settings (folding mirror on close...), garage door (rolling) code

HTH

siberian

The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow

siberian

Re-coded all the mods, with x431, that were present prior to issue (the above list is correct), and so far so good no flashing/strobing.

siberian

The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow