Changing OBC Display Units on '99 and Earlier Boxsters

[rockymount1]

I own a '99 Boxster that was originally from Canada. The outside temperature was showing so I knew the previous owner had turned on the OBC. I completed the OBC hack last week using a switch (plug into the Display Down and Reset functions). However, the units displayed are liters/100km, KM to go, etc... I could probably get use to these units but I'm an old man and can't learn new tricks :) .

Does anyone know how to change the displayed units? From a 00' Boxster Manual, I see you can change the display units using the "set" command, but that version of the OBC is not applicable to '99 and earlier Boxsters.

[Tool Pants]

You need a USA instrument cluster. Or, just live with it.

[rockymount1]

I'm not sure, but I think I do have a US instrument cluster. The speedometer (not the digital but the gage) is in MPH. Can you tell me how I can tell?

[rockymount1]

You need a USA instrument cluster. Or, just live with it.

Hey Tool Pants,

I was looking at The Babblers Forums for answers to my problem and found this from 2002 -

2-17-02, 05:43 PM

Re: OBC KPH to MPH Conversion

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know you can change the outside temp display from C to F, so I assume the other displays of the trip computer are changed at the same time. However, the change has to be made with the dealers PST2. They change the country coding for the instument cluster, such a chaging in from Canada to USA. That is how it is done for the outside temp display.

Peter at our local dealer has offered to turn on Gary's trip computer with the PST2, so I will verify the all the displays for the trip computer can be changed from metric to US.

Jeff

It was left by Tool Pants (which I assume is you) - Did this work? There was no final reply on the forum.

Thanks in Advance

[Loren]

It is easy to do with a PST2 or a PIWIS tester - this has been covered here many times (with pictures).

[Tool Pants]

There is only one Tool Pants. :blush: That was a long time ago.

I have a US car and did the OBC retrofit. I asked Peter Smith if he could change the OBC from English to metric on my car with the PST2. He tried but was not able to. If he was able to do it then there was a local owner with a Canadian car with OBC and I would have asked him to change her metric display to English. Tim Benson also has a PST2 and he was not able to change her display.

Peter tried this many years ago so I do not know if something has changed since then.

If you look in PET for North America US and Canadian clusters have different part numbers.

[rockymount1]

There is only one Tool Pants. :blush: That was a long time ago.

I have a US car and did the OBC retrofit. I asked Peter Smith if he could change the OBC from English to metric on my car with the PST2. He tried but was not able to. If he was able to do it then there was a local owner with a Canadian car with OBC and I would have asked him to change her metric display to English. Tim Benson also has a PST2 and he was not able to change her display.

Peter tried this many years ago so I do not know if something has changed since then.

If you look in PET for North America US and Canadian clusters have different part numbers.

Thanks for the reply. I will live with the Canadian units unless I see a bargain on e-bay. If you noticed your post in 2002 didn't say you were successful, just that you would try. After looking closer at my gages, I realize the speedometer is in MPH, but the temperature gage is in °C (strange?). I am use to using °C so I never noticed. For the record, I'm not old and I can learn many new tricks (since I have complete 4 hacks to-date on my Boxster).

Again, thanks and I really like both forums. I bought my Boxster in December '06 and sold my Miata, both are '99s. My Miata had 95000 miles on it, while the Boxster has 28000. Here's a pic. The winter has been soooo bad in Colorado, that I haven't driven it very much and the tops been down only twice. Can't wait for spring!! :renntech:

[Tool Pants]

We tried 5 years ago with no luck, but maybe I should give it another try. I have something like a PST2 but I would like a Canadian car to try it on. The local gal with the 1999 Canadian car is gone. We both have the old style cluster used 1997-2000.

If you have the OBC as an option or did the retrofit send me pictures of all the displays you see as you move the lever or push on the switch. Also take pictures of the entire cluster that shows all the analog gauges.

When the UK guys started doing the OBC retrofit I was suprised at the pictures. UK is a metric country. This is Grant's new style cluster - I think a 2003 - that he did the retrofit on. The analog speedo is miles. The digital speedo is miles but that you can change with the knob. The odometer is in miles. But the temp display is celsius.

[rockymount1]

We tried 5 years ago with no luck, but maybe I should give it another try. I have something like a PST2 but I would like a Canadian car to try it on. The local gal with the 1999 Canadian car is gone. We both have the old style cluster used 1997-2000.

If you have the OBC as an option or did the retrofit send me pictures of all the displays you see as you move the lever or push on the switch. Also take pictures of the entire cluster that shows all the analog gauges.

When the UK guys started doing the OBC retrofit I was suprised at the pictures. UK is a metric country. This is Grant's new style cluster - I think 2003/2 - that he did the retrofit on. The analog speedo is miles. The digital speedo is miles but that you can change with the knob. The odometer is in miles. But the temp display is celsius.

Here are my pics. Some are a little defocused (I guess I was too close). I have the same units that you describe for the UK guys. They are also a little faint (since the top is DOWN!!! - Finally a warm day in Colorado)

Edited March 4, 2007 by rockymount1

[Tool Pants]

Your analog speedometer reads in miles but the water temp gauge is metric. I don't remember the other 1999 Canadian car being like that. The 1999 owners manual I have shows KP/H on the speedometer for a Canadian car.

For grins, see if you have C36 on the option sticker. That is the code for Canada. Also look at the black sticker on the door and see if it Canadian specs. Do you have daytime driving lights? I would ask you to pull the cluster and give me the part number, but I think that is a bit much.

Where are the other Canadian members on this board, eh?

[rockymount1]

Your analog speedometer reads in miles but the water temp gauge is metric. I don't remember the other 1999 Canadian car being like that. The 1999 owners manual I have shows KP/H on the speedometer for a Canadian car.

For grins, see if you have C36 on the option sticker. That is the code for Canada. Also look at the black sticker on the door and see if it Canadian specs. Do you have daytime driving lights? I would ask you to pull the cluster and give me the part number, but I think that is a bit much.

Where are the other Canadian members on this board, eh?

Option sticker (I assume you mean the one under the front hood) 139, 340, 502, 535, 550, 551, 584, 696.

I know that 535 is the Alarm, 550 is the Hardtop (which wasn't sold with the car), 551 is the Windstop, 696 is the Radio with CD. All the others, I have no idea.

I don't know what you mean by the black sticker on the door. There is a black and white sticker that states the car was imported by FMC, inc. Also, the sticker states the car meets all US Federal standard at time of build. I do know the car was first purchased in Vancover per Carfax.

Finally, I do have daytime driving lights but I haven't looked at the fuse box to see if the relays are present or someone just did the hack.

Although I won't get to it until next weekend, you've now got me interested enough that the cluster is coming back off this weekend. It only takes about 5-minutes to get the cluster off.

[Tool Pants]

The country codes start with the letter C. This one is C02 for the US.

This is the black sticker on the door.

[rockymount1]

The country codes start with the letter C. This one is C02 for the US.

This is the black sticker on the door.

Here is what I find on my car. One is under the front hood and the other on drivers door. Am I looking in the wrong place?

[Tool Pants]

Hard to read the white door sticker but looks like it says imported by FTW INC. I take it that is the company that imported it to the US and/or the company that Federalize the car. Never imported a car so I don't know

You should have a black sticker but maybe it is covered by the white sticker, or maybe the black sticker was removed by the importer. First pic is the black sticker on the drivers door for a 1999 US car. This sticker is put on by Porsche since Porsche certifies that it meets the standards of the country where it is being sold. I think an importer makes it's own certification.

Your option sticker does not have a country code. I don't see a C followed by 2 numbers. The plot thickens. Still trying to figure out why your analog speedometer is in miles. You can buy a kit and replace the gauge faces but then why is the water temp metric.

As an example, the second picture is a car from Mexico that came up to California to visit his local Boxster friend, and they both went to a local tech session that I also attended. I took a picture of the option sticker at the tech session because I had never seen a Boxster with Mexican specs. This sticker has C34 which is the country code for Mexico. The third picture is the metric instrument cluster.

If you have the maintenance booklet look and see what dealer sold it when it was new. Also look at all the air bag warning stickers and see if they are in English and French.

[Tool Pants]

I just spoke to Peter and most of the mystery is solved.

To Federalize the car he thought that all that had to be changed is the speedometer face, and that is why your water temp face is still metric.

He checked the warranty computer and your car was sold 10/22/98 by dealer #2212. He also said something about dealer 7670 but I forget. I do not have a way to look up this number to find the name of the dealer. My local dealer was #120 and when the dealership was sold to Penske last year it became #150.

There have been 7 warranty claims. The first 4 were done by PCL which Peter thought was something like Porsche Canada Limited. The last 3 were done by PCNA - Porsche Cars North America.

He remembered trying to change my OBC displays 5 years ago. He still does not know of a way to do it other than buying a US instrument cluster.

The only thing left is why you do not have a country equipment code on the option sticker. C00 is for Germany. C99 is for a country with no specific equipment requirements - but you have no C code. A Boxster without a country....

But Porsche does make mistakes, and I can think of an instance when Porsche made a big mistake on a 996 option sticker.

[rockymount1]

I just spoke to Peter and most of the mystery is solved.

To Federalize the car he thought that all that had to be changed is the speedometer face, and that is why your water temp face is still metric.

He checked the warranty computer and your car was sold 10/22/98 by dealer #2212. He also said something about dealer 7670 but I forget. I do not have a way to look up this number to find the name of the dealer. My local dealer was #120 and when the dealership was sold to Penske last year it became #150.

There have been 7 warranty claims. The first 4 were done by PCL which Peter thought was something like Porsche Canada Limited. The last 3 were done by PCNA - Porsche Cars North America.

He remembered trying to change my OBC displays 5 years ago. He still does not know of a way to do it other than buying a US instrument cluster.

The only thing left is why you do not have a country equipment code on the option sticker. C00 is for Germany. C99 is for a country with no specific equipment requirements - but you have no C code. A Boxster without a country....

But Porsche does make mistakes, and I can think of an instance when Porsche made a big mistake on a 996 option sticker.

I did a Google search on FTW, Inc and final came up with this website:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import..._list010807.htm

It shows a list of importers into the US and FTW is listed as:

FTW SERVICES

B2-7056 PORTAL WAY, BLAINE, WA 98248 604-290-6698 604-526-8333

Which make total sense since I knew the car originated in Vancover.

One last question before this thread is closed. If I buy a US cluster, will I have to get the OBC turned on again (I think I've read in one other thread that the OBC option is controlled by the cluster)?

Thanks for all your help.

Edited March 7, 2007 by rockymount1

[Tool Pants]

Another part of the mystery solved.

A green market Boxstir without a country.

If you buy a used cluster and the OBC in that cluster is on, then the OBC will work when you put the used cluster in your car. If the OBC in the used cluster has not been turned on then you will have to have it turned on after it is in your car.

You would have a mileage issue because the mileage is stored in the cluster, so whatever the mileage is on a used cluster is what it will show when put into your car. A dealer cannot change the mileage on a used cluster. But there are aftermarket companies that can reset the mileage in a used cluster to match your car.

The Boxster model years that work with your 1999 are 1997-2000. Or you can do the 996 cluster swap and get the volt meter and oil pressure gauges.

[Stefan]

TP, I thought the OBC was enabled in the DME, not the cluster. If that is the case, OBC should just work in any 1999-compatible cluster that gets swapped in.

[Loren]

TP, I thought the OBC was enabled in the DME, not the cluster. If that is the case, OBC should just work in any 1999-compatible cluster that gets swapped in.

When Porsche went to the newer (dot matrix) cluster you now have to turn OBC on in BOTH the cluster and DME.

On older cars it is just in the cluster.

[Stefan]

So the correct answer to rockymount1's last question is that if he buys a US cluster he will not have to re-enable OBC. His car is a 1999 which does not have the new cluster.

(I wish you could put the dot matrix cluster on the 1999s but you can't)

[Loren]

Not really - if you buy a used cluster and OBC is on then it is already done. If the used cluster has OBC off then it will have to be turned on.

[Stefan]

Sorry, I misread your earlier post. You're both right.

[Tool Pants]

The early cars are simple compared to the newer cars. Rockymount1 has a 1999. No MOST or dot matrix back then.

Look at what Bill did on a 2003. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=12805

When he still had the Boxster cluster he did the OBC retrofit last year several techs could not get it to work. I gave him Peter's phone number and Peter walked his tech through it, and it worked.

Then he decides to put in a dot matrix and non-MOST 2002 996 cluster in his 2003 MOST Boxster. I expected it would not be easy to figure it out. Sure enough his tech had problems. Another call to Peter and it worked.