C4 computer in luggage compartment

[Ronnie38]

There is a computer mounted on the passenger side of the compartment under a plastic vent looking cover. Does anyone know what it is for?

[creekman]

That computer, I've heard people call it a ECU and a DME, but what ever that little box runs just about everything in the whole car. It does all the magical things that run the engine, it also runs everything from your instruments to the engine room blower. The Porsche electrical system utilizes a CAN Bus system. CAN = Controller Area Network. It's a way that one wire can act as a computer cutting down the number of wires you would need if you didn't use the CAN Bus system.

Bottom line our electrical system is no longer a couple of positive and negative wires, it's a very complicated electrical system. I'm guessing just about any accessory on the car is either run or tied into the ECU some way.

Hopefully someone else can you give a more definitive answer on this...

Edited December 27, 2013 by creekman

[Richard Hamilton]

A bit more info on model and year would help, but it sounds like the radio amplifier to me.

[fpb111]

Is it in this picture?

[PTEC]

Well its not the DME, the DME is located inside the car behind the rear seats. I can't think of anything that should be in that general vicinity off the top off my head. If you take a picture of it I could probably identify it, if it was a factory part anyways.