The local Porsche dealer is trying to figure out why my 08, Champion 700hp
GIAC flash, TT won't start and throws all kinds of codes, PSM,ABS,Indicator
fail, etc..... Started and drove fine the first 2 weeks I got it, first of Nov, then
started having start problems. Of course they want to blame the ECU because
it has an aftermarket flash.

Anybody?

 

Have you tried talking to GIAC?

 

Yes, talked to both them and Champion, neither thinks it has anything to do
with the flash but my local P dealer is not mod friendly and are trying to
blame the software. Nobody seems to have seen an issue like this before,
if it is the ECU I doubt it was the flash as it has been in the car for years.
The Porsche Tech rep is in on it so maybe something next week.

 

When an ECU gets flashed there is no removal of any chips taking place. I can't see how a flash does any harm to the circuit board or any soldered connections.

Dealers are !d!_t$. All they can do is swap parts. No talent at a dealership.

If you need a new ECU, I happen to have an extra one.

 

Yep, the guys here in Salt Lake seem to be of the mind that if you put in an
aftermarket mirror the world will end.

I might need one, more next week, but like you said, I think it's something
else. One would think they could bench test the ECU.

 

Like anything, a PCM can fail. However, it is the last thing that should be blamed. I may advise that you look into some other options aside from the dealer.

If data is cleared from the PCM I wonder what codes are setting first. There is a flow chart to every trouble code, and I hope that the dealer is following the directions. In my experience with gremlins, I would lean towards a ground/corrosion issue.

Good luck

Mike

 

I assume you meant ECU vs PCM

They are telling me, the service writer, haven't talked to the tech yet, that
the ECU is not seeing "fifteen power" and a lot of modules are throwing
fail codes. They changed the PAS (alarm/immobilizer) module but did
nothing. I agree on the power issue, as for some reason the car is seeing
low voltage, but the dealer says they have traced all wires, not sure if I
buy it.

 

It might be worth your while and ultimately cheaper to send the car to GIAC. I have no faith in dealerships, they basically get the cheapest tecs they can get and generally promote out the good ones as they don't want to pay them. All they know to do is confined within the standard car settings and components.

 

Engine control module and power control module are the same to me. Sorry for any confusion.

Mike

 

gas cap on all the way? LOL... I just had my gas cap a little loose on my other car and it was throwing CEL, VSC off, trac off. This is really stupid IMO - a loose gas cap turning off traction and stability control during the snow storm. At least I figured it out quickly enough.

This thread makes me NOT want to get a tune on my Turbo S. Maybe I'll just keep it stock.

 

I don't think it's the gas cap. I also don't think it has anything to do with the
tune as the car was upgraded when it was new, 2008, and never had this
problem and there are thousands of tuned/"chipped" cars out there. I do not
know what the mechanic has ruled out, I am going in this week to talk to
the guy who is actually working on the car and see what codes it is throwing.
I am willing to bet it is something as simple as a bad ground, alternator
issue, voltage regulator, something to do with voltage or a bad module not
the ECU, how often do you hear of an ECU just going bad unless there was
a power surge or something similar?

 

I bet is the battery, when was the last time it was replaced ?

 

I'm with you there. Every time I think of getting a tune, I read posts like this or hear about a dealership denying warranty coverage because of it and I back off. I upgraded my exhaust but think that's as far as I go. Good luck OP in getting your car fixed!

 

Nope, I put in a new battery when it strated doing this and it had a Porsche
batt put in back in Aug..

Again, IMO, it's not the tune. Maybe a bad ground somewhere or a bad PSM
module. I have been reading through some service manuals and am wondering
if the tedh is following proceedure for isolating the problem. Still looking for the
module the clutch switch talks to. Both the brake sw and ABS talk to the PSM
module and those are the fail warnings I'm getting along with brake lights
inop.

 

Update. And this is a weird one, problem ended up being caused by a set of
aftermarket driving/fog lights, they were wired incorrectly into "15" power
and shorting inside the lights causing the CAN bus to show a short and no
"15" power signal being available to start the car. They unplugged the lights
and no more problem. It only took 2 months and numerous hours of trouble
shooting plus 3 techs working on it. The lights are mounted under the factory
front parking lights so with one guy working on it were hard to see, when
another guy was standing in front while one was working the ignition he saw
the lights doing weird things and found the problem.

So, no issues with any of the performance mods just a bad install of driving/
fog lights.

Get the car back this week and have to have the DME re-flashed as they
flashed it to stock for all the diagnostic work.