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I just changed the oil of my 2017 4-cylinder. I enjoyed looking over all the underneath engineering and design. I found a few surprises and a few mysteries. Since not everyone has the time, inclination, or a lift for DIY, few people ever get to see the important bits under their car - so I'm providing some photos. For fun, I'm challenging folks to identify these parts, explain what they do, or otherwise provide some elaboration.
Starboard is the right side of the car when you're facing forward.
A: This is looking up towards the radiator. OK, the thing with the wires probably drives the fans, but why so many wires?
B: What's the gray boxy thing? It has a lot of heavy wires entering the starboard side. View is "ALF" - aft looking forward.
C: This is a shot of the starboard steering knuckle - no mystery about that. Except for the nub sticking out with nothing attached - what for?
D: Another view of the gray boxy thing in "B", showing the wires.
E: This is an easy one, but more difficult is explaining it's odd profile. ALF.
F: Looking up. Ignore the rings, please.
G: This really is a mystery to me - the black box with the wires entering. ALF, port-side suspension strut in view
H: There's an easy answer about this item, fitted to either side of the front suspension. ALF. But you might not get the explanation quite right.
I: You're viewing (ALF) a plastic cover over a major suspension bushing, starboard side. It extends further starboard and aft. The puzzle is that there is no such cover on the port side bushing.
Guess on B and D is that it's some type of power converter/transformer.
On E, the dent may be to accommodate bracing on a different car that uses the same component.
F is the transmission mount rubber bushing insert.
H are headlight levelers.
Very cold on B and D.
It's the tear drop shape of E that had me puzzled, not the dent, but that's puzzling, too.
Bingo! F is the transmission mount. Seems quite elaborate, doesn't it?
H - you might be on to something, but more explanation is needed - we're rather far from the headlights here (I do not know the answer). Credit for not suggesting it's part of the air suspension system - my car does not have that option.
Regarding H - you state your car does not have AS. Are those links and associated sensors to be found on the rear?
The part with the green arm and associated module, including the link, is listed as 'self-levelling sensor' - for both the
front and rear of the (Macan) vehicle.
Thanks, Mark. It seems appropriate that the Rennlist Macan forum should be more technical then the other one.
Regarding H: They are indeed level sensors - the puzzle is what are they for? I don't have air suspension. They are only on the front suspension. I do have PASM and Bi-xenon lights (which I understand are required to have a leveling system). It would be a cute trick if the PASM detected a bump at the front, and stiffened the rear shocks momentarily - but does it? Perhaps it includes PFHD - Porsche Frost Heave Detection, very useful around here just now.
I could give a clue about the gray boxy thing, but I think there are plenty in the photos so I'll hold off. I will say that its appearance is ... deceiving.
I'm pretty sure the level sensors are for the headlights. I've seen them on the GTI with adaptive headlights before but they were on the rear. When you accelerate or brake, the front lifts or dives accordingly and these may be to keep your headlight beams level. Also possibly for turning.
As for the transmission mount, I have a RS 5 that has nearly the exact same component. I replaced mine with a milled aluminium piece from 034 Motorsports to take out the slack on gear changes.
I'm trying again on the gray box with fuel filter.
I should have mentioned that my car has the PDLS option that moves the headlights left and right for corners and up at high speed. Still, the most frequent reason for a car becoming unlevel is putting something heavy in the back.
Even Porsche - masters of over-design - would not have so many wires going into a fuel filter. For what the thing does, it does indeed seem to have more wires than necessary, unless.... [klaxon sound]
Haha...I see that it is actually mounted horizontally now. I thought it was transversely along the bottom at first and those black connectors look a lot like the fuel line connectors that ran to my GTI fuel filter and I just chalked up the brown harness to another sensor.
I Googled and pretty sure it's the electronic power steering module.
Haha...I see that it is actually mounted horizontally now. I thought it was transversely along the bottom at first and those black connectors look a lot like the fuel line connectors that ran to my GTI fuel filter and I just chalked up the brown harness to another sensor.
I Googled and pretty sure it's the electronic power steering module.
Bingo on B & D! I’d have never guessed myself, without seeing the rods. But the wires - why all the wires for something that just has to move the wheels left and right?
OK, we'll get out from under the car for this one: During the new car lecture, my service advisor was stumped when I asked what the "rest" meant on the "auto" button. Do you know? Have you used it?
02-25-2018, 01:35 PM
The "What is this?" thread
