Hey guys, I just received my icarscan from China. I mainly bought it to reset the oil and maintenance intervals on my '14 Cayenne base. I didn't want to get a Durametric because it is only for P-Cars. Settled on the icarscan after much research.
Saw in another thread that a few users got the x431 oil reset tool. The icarscan is made by the same company, Launch, but it does way more that what the oil reset tool could do.

I filmed this last night to check some functions. Sorry for shooting in portrait, it was easier for me.

Feel free to ask any questions about its functions and I'll check it tonight.

 

Since the reset, I've put about 100 miles on it but strangely, the oil maintenance mileage countdown does not decrease. It's still at 10,000 miles. The day countdown works though.

What about you guys with the x431?

 

x431R counts down as it should on mine

 

I'll keep an eye out on when it starts the countdown.

Then I'll try to do it via the actual Porsche app and see what happens.

Actual oil change will be done in August.

I was able to find the setting for the battery change option last night. This thing is pretty neat.

 

Nice review..

What did the battery change option offer? It should offer picking between AGM and a flooded-cell (wet-cell, old fashioned) battery since they have different charge characteristics. Did it offer anything beyond this?

 

I'll plug it in and check it out tonight. I'll take screenshots as I go along each screen.

I grew up in Belmar!!

 

9000 - if you're still in the area, I could swing by sometime. Just changed the battery..

 

Don,

Unfortunately, I moved down to New Orleans about 3 years ago.

Here are the pics:

Main Menu. It's listed under Gateway:




To change, select the Special Function:




Instruction will pop up after tapping "Battery Change":




You will need to populate all the valves:




Listed under battery size:




Listed under the battery manufacturer:




Type in the battery serial number:




Type in the battery part number:


Status should turn OK if everything checks out.



I also reset both the 10,000 and 20,000 service interval via the Porsche app instead of the generic oil reset app about two weeks ago just to test it. It took literally seconds and the countdown is working correctly. Pretty good investment.

 

Interesting. It appears that they are trying to record the battery info - dunno why. I can see the entry on battery capacity and type (AMG vs PB - which is a flooded-cell battery) since the different types can require different charging rates.

I think seeing this:

1. I've gotta save for this tool. Looks great!
2. I have nothing to worry about with the new battery - it's identical in capacity/type/size/etc to the one that came out. The same charging parameters should work just fine with it.

Thanks much!

And love New Orleans.. wife keeps trying to think of excuses to visit again..

BTW - thanks a BUNCH for taking the time. Your screenshots took a worry off my mind..

 

I would reset it anyway. I know when I replaced the battery in my wife's Z4, then later took it in for 40000 mile service, they asked if I had done this with the computer. They said it needs to be done, because as the battery ages, the charging parameters change for it, so it was basically charging it like it was an old battery and that would shorten the life. damn computers!

 

Mike - as I said to 9000 in a PM (we've been chatting backscreen..)

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Quote:

Originally Posted by MEEE

I am monitoring the voltage the system is putting to the battery - and so far it's not doing anything I can see as really harmful. After starting it goes up to 14.4-14.6V charge for about 10-15 minutes, then gradually drops down into the mid 13's (13.4-13.8V). Those are fairly normal numbers for an AGM battery. It also interestingly bumps up the charge voltage to the low 14's when I stop for a light. I'm guessing there are some things going on with the ABS that consume current so they bump up the charge rate to avoid voltage drop on the battery.

But - being **** and OCD - I'll likely have it registered next week.. I just can't stop myself. Was hoping to DIY, but not having to fret about it for 20 days is probably worth paying the $$ to have a dealer do it.

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The 20 days is what it took 9000 to have one delivered from China..

 

Don,

I would say get it reset as well. We just don't know how the system is handling the charging system when it's an unknown battery. Does it use the same setting as the previous battery? Does it default to another setting when it's an unknown?

 

I agree - it will get reset, but it doesn't appear to be doing anything harmful to the battery - charging voltages are well within acceptable AGM limits.

I know there was one report of an exploding battery - blamed on not getting the reset done. Looking at the charging voltages I am about 99.99% certain that wasn't the cause of the exploding battery. Much more likely a defective battery, or a flawed installation (like not connecting the vent tube or plugging the unused vent port on the battery - hydrogen IS made when a battery is charged, that's the reason for the vent tube.. to get it out of the vehicle.)

But - whatever - I'll be getting it reset. And ordering an iCarscan.

 

New observation - which if a few people can try something we can perhaps figure out what's going on...

OBSERVATION: The charging system charges roughly 1V higher when the sport button is depressed. At least on my turbo.

I was watching the charge voltage - and in "normal" mode - it was around 13.4-13.6V at around 1,500 RPM (70 MPH). I thought I'd see if the alternator was at full output at that low RPM, so thinking how sport mode usually drops the vehicle a gear or two, I pressed sport. To my surprise - the voltage started climbing - eventually settling around 14.4-14.5V. Just about 1V increase.

I thought this must be due to the higher engine RPM. If I switched sport mode off - the transmission shifted up to 8th gear, and the voltage dropped again down around 13.5V. I repeated this several times, and the pattern was consistent.

Interesting I thought.. and as I was cruising along in "normal" (non-sport) mode, I thought lets see what happens if I use Tiptronic to drop down a gear or two. So I did - dropped down to 6th gear, which at 70-75MPH is about 3,000 RPM. The voltage display remained constant at 13.5V.

What the heck? I repeated this several times - same result.

Final try - while in "normal" mode in 6th gear at around 70 - with 13.5V showing - I pushed the "sport" button. The truck remained in 6th gear - but the voltage climbed again to 14.5V. It remained above 14V even at low speed and low RPM.

So - what I'd love to see is a few people repeating this test. It's easy to do - just set one of your lines in the multi-display in the dash to read voltage. Then go for a drive. Please try what I did above and let us know the results.

My theory as to why? Fuel economy.. it takes power to drive the alternator, and more power to produce more current which results in a higher charging voltage. I suspect Porsche tuned the car for max MPG when driving umm.. conservatively (non-sporty.) But since the MPG ratings aren't based on "sporty" driving mode - they allowed the alternator to put out full output when "Sport" is depressed.

Just a theory, but given the lengths they go to for even a small increase in fuel mileage, I'd bet it's correct.

Oh - upside of the discovery - I hadn't been in sport mode much at all on the Turbo, really just tried it on the test drive. I had forgotten just how powerful and responsive the almost two tons of SUV can be. It not only tightens up the suspension, and throttle response, it also pre-loads the brakes so they start working as soon as my foot touched the pedal. It even felt like it tightened up the steering a bit.

It's really impressive that such a big heavy thing can perform like it does. It makes me miss my BMW M-Coupe a bit less..

 

Talked to service at the local dealer this AM about binging it in for "registration." He asked if there were any warning lights, warnings showing? I said no - he said "No need to.. if you bolted it in and no warnings are showing, registration will do nothing useful.."

So - happy dance!