Got a notice today for an urgent safety recall for our 2019 Taycan Turbo because the auto braking system settings do not comply with US required parameters. Has anyone done this service yet? If so how did it go?

 

Honest question: As a Tesla fan I have no clear idea of what Porsche's OTA limits are. This is it is just a set of settings? Sounds like an OTA thing. If not, does it need to go into the dealer or is this something that the users could do after receiving a flash drive with the latest settings instead?

I am just wondering if the dealers are really necessary for just changing some settings. Or is an independent witness needed to prove the changes are done, I can see why the law may require that.

Earl Colby Pottinger (BEVs lover)

 

If you are talking about the AMC1 recall, it is not auto braking itself, but that the hazard light activation function during an emergency braking maneuver does not comply with FMVSS standards (i.e. it activates too much).

I don't think it is a big deal and your dealer can probably do the recall when you next take the car in for servicing.

 

I hope it is simple, the car was in the shop for more than a month for the last recall. And the dealership tells me they have no loaner cars available any longer, they will pay for an Uber to take you home.

 

the OTA capabilities up to now have been very limited, mostly map updates. for any other sort of update a lengthy visit to the shop is required. IMHO this is a massive fail on the part of Porsche

 

it is really bad service and now no loaner cars.

 

The lack of loaner cars seems pretty widespread. I had the same problem, no loaners, for the last couple of maintenance visits for my wife's Acura (it has never been a problem getting a loaner until this year). I find it particularly irritating since it is a 70-mile drive to the dealer. Hopefully, the situation will improve by the time my Taycan is delivered.

 

So it is not a recall where you MUST bring your car in as soon as possible, but instead a required update whenever you do bring your car in for some regular service? That sounds like no problem for anybody, just part of maintenance then.

Earl Colby Pottinger (BEVs lover)

 

I had this service done and it took less than an hour from arrival to departure. The update itself probably took about 15 minutes. And I doubt that Porsche will ever address recalls or potential safety issues with OTA updates and not sure I'd want them to. But I do love how worst case scenario becomes the widespread assumption with prolonged service calls, no loaners, and the sky is falling. If that's your experience you may want to find another dealership.

 

easier said than done, the next closest dealership to me is more than 75 miles away.

 

This looks like something that can wait until the next scheduled maintenance comes around. Why should I care about the US Safety Standard for a warning light? I am guessing that whatever is programed in the car works for all of the other places Porsche sells cars around the world.

 

Yes, you are used to OTA updates with Tesla. This is not possible with a Porsche Taycan as the entire arcitecture for the digital vehicle electronics is different. Updates made to the Taycan vehicle control modules need to be made via the dealer using the PIWIS-III diagnostic and programming tool. There is a very large amperage draw when programming the various control modules and the onboard 12V system is not capable of sustaining it. Additionally there are many security checksums that need to take place between each of the individual modules that are risk to failure because each of the modules has separate encryption.

It can take up to an hour to program a Porsche and there needs to be at least 14.7 volts at 30ish amps available to sustain the draw. Tesla is very unique in the automotive world as their entire systems architecture was developed from the ground up for OTA updates.

There is a reason Space-X is putting rockets into orbit and VW/Audi/Porsche/Siemens/Bosch are not.

 

I am surprised it takes so much power to do the reprogramming, that explains a lot. Especially why a lot of things are not done OTA.
Thank you for the information. Everyday I learn more and more, keeps life interesting.

Earl Colby Pottinger (BEVs lover)