There is a process and screen in the Porsche test tool (PIWIS) to code the PCM information, so you would need access to one to do a proper swap/replacement of the PCM.

 

Thanks buddy, I guessed Porsche wouldn't make it easy. That process is way too much hassle for me so I'll be removing the Isudar board and re-installing it in my wife's Cayman. Assuming that this new head unit is all it's supposed to be, of course.

 

Looks dope, congrats!

Hint: you can set CarPlay for right hand drive mode in the iSudar settings and the search etc controls will be on the right side, easier to access.

 

Excellent, didn't even think of that as an option!

 

Is anyone else having trouble getting support from iSudar? I emailed them to ask for help with updating firmware because my fob range decreased drastically with the iSudar installation and have heard that others have had luck resolving it with a firmware update (I suspect it's the fix they made to have the unit turn off more quickly after the ignition is off). However, they told me that's it not possible the iSudar is causing a decrease in range and stopped communicating.

 

I don't think the remote key transponder/receiver has anything to do with the PCM, which is the only component impacted by the installation of the Isudar board. The remote unlocking and ignition works even with the PCM completely removed from the car, so it's hard to see how the PCM can affect the range of the key fob. The transponder in the Porsche key communicates with a small RFID chip inside the car, which is separate from the PCM. For obvious reasons, it is quite difficult to locate the chip, so if this has developed some sort of fault, a trip to an OPC is probably needed.

It is possible, however, that radio frequency interference can affect the remote locking/unlocking/ignition. But the Isudar board only has antennae for bluetooth and wifi, and it's unlikely that either of these will operate on the same frequencies as the RFID in the car/key.

There have been no reports of key fob range issues made in this thread - where did you read that others have had a similar problem?

I assume you have done normal troubleshooting for remote unlocking problems - changing the battery in the fob is the most obvious. Does your other key have the same issues? If so, it is unlikely to be a problem with the fob(s) and more likely an issue with the receiver in the car, I'd expect.

A quick (but annoying) way to eliminate the Isudar from the troubleshooting sequence would be to remove the PCM completely from your car and then see if the fob range is restored. I can't imagine it would be, but who knows - and it will eliminate the Isudar board from your enquiries if the fob range is still poor. If removing the PCM makes no difference to your problem, then clearly changing the FW in a unit which has been removed won't fix things.

Something has affected the range of the fob for sure, and it must have started immediately after you installed the Isudar board for you to suspect it is the cause. Did the fob range decrease the very first time you tried to use the key after the board was installed? Or was it 'around that time'? It could be a coincidence.

I hope you get to the bottom of it but installing new FW isn't likely to the solution IMO and could cause additional issues with your Carplay etc.

 

I have not noticed any decease in range for the Porsche key fob sice installing the Isudar board. Besides the Isudar board uses BT and WI-FI, the Porsche remote does not.

 

Thanks for the replies. I've definitely tried the obvious troubleshooting, and both my fobs with new batteries are impacted equally. It is also very strongly correlated to the iSudar. It started immediately after install, and I have even done A-B testing after by removing the unit, observing great range, and reinstalling it and observing it drop again. I've also noticed that whenever I go to unlock the car (ie. the PCM is powered off) the range is excellent- I can unlock it from 100+ feet. Similarly, if I try to lock the car after waiting a few minutes after turning the car off, the range is also great. The only time I have issues is trying to lock it immediately after turning off the car. I understand that the 2.4G that WiFi and BT operate on is a different band than the 100s of MHz that keys operate in. However, that does not completely eliminate the possibility of interference, and the device could be radiating in the UHF band through other means as well.

Since it seems not many people have experienced the same, it could be related to how I routed stuff during install or it could be the 400MHz transmitter I installed in the car (just kidding). That said, even if it's completely unrelated and I'm just a stupid customer trying to blame the product, I'm not sure why the bar is so high to update the firmware. Presumably there are other things that have been fixed/improved in the last year and half that I've owned it that I would be happy to benefit from. Generally, my electronics don't demand that I plead my case or provide justification for wanting an update 🙃

Ps. I misspoke; the others that had similar issues with this were folks in our local cayman group and not something I read here.

 

It's certainly very odd. From what you say, it has something to do with how the PCM powers down. The part I don't understand is that this delayed power-off is standard OM for Porsches, with something like a lag of several minutes between switching off and the car going properly to sleep. As far as I know, the Isudar board hasn't impacted this. This would point to some sort of interference, but I can't think of what it could be. My father-in-law is a car electrical systems design engineer - I will ask him if he has any ideas.

EDIT: If the only time it's an issue is when trying to lock the car right after turning it off, I can't quite get why you need ANY range at all for this, as you'll be standing right by the car. But I can understand that you want it to work properly, regardless.

 

I agree that it has to do with the power down. More specifically, I remember there being some issues with the iSudar remaining on for hours after powering the car off (as long as it was able to maintain WiFi). My phone doesn't remain in range of the iSudar so I don't have this issue, but I wonder if somehow that's impacting the range.

I honestly wouldn't care if it didn't inconvenience me, but when I say the range is bad, I mean it's bad. I have to be adjacent to the car, and even then, often need to hold the button and wave it around. If I don't press the button before I'm at the rear end of the car, I need to walk back to the front door to get it lock. This is contrast with 100+ feet when approaching the car after it's been off for a while.

 

I have had the fob remotes for both of our Porsche's act like that long before Isudar was ever in the Macan, and on my 718 it will do it when the Macan is quite literally in another city..

 

I have to admit that would drive me nuts. Given that it seems to be related to the powering down of the car, and that others reported a FW updated fixed the issue of wifi refusing to let go (which may have been as a result of the car refusing to shut down), I revise my earlier view and would say that giving the FW a try might improve things. I still don't fully understand how this could affect the range of the fob, which should work regardless of whether the car is fully shut down or not, but updating the FW is another potential cause out of the way.

If Isudar won't send you the FW update, you will have to try to 'borrow' it off someone. Be sure to check your current version info first so you can get a compatible FW. Good luck.

 

Yeah I'm hoping to not have to try borrowing but we'll see if they get back to be after repeated prompting. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm all ears

 

Aside from the Isudar wifi hijacking when I'm home, I also have had issues with remote door locking/unlocking. I've actually had to use the hidden key a few times to access the car. This is what prompted the purchase of the Krando unit, which has yet to be installed and actually may be going back. But that's another story. What I've recently done is to disable Isudar wifi and any association with BT. I then used the USB dongle to connect a CarLinkiT wireless adapter. Amazingly this works. The dongle, connected via USB utilizes the Isudar board for CarPlay and has eliminated most of the issues including the home wifi hijacking.

 

So you are using a third-party USB wireless adapter plugged into the Isudar USB cable?