981 Boxster Wiper Auto Rain Sensors - Hidden Feature?

[tjb]

Just come across a YouTube video on hidden features on the Boxster 981 and it claims that windscreen wiper auto rain sensors are fitted on all 981’s and can be activated by a re-coding if your car was not originally specified with this option. I have not heard or read about this anywhere before and wonder if this is correct and if so has anyone had this feature activated by a re-coding and what does this cost?

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

Yes, it is true, and the same applies to the 718. I activated it on mine, and have done several 981s.

It needs someone with a PIWIS2 or PIWIS3 tester, and it is about a 10 minute job. Some Porsche centres will do it, but many of them don't know how to, as it isn't "in the book".

 

[notechmike]

Anyone in the West Sussex area that could help activate this on my 981?

 

[GeeDog]

Anyone in the West Sussex area that could help activate this on my 981?

Likewise for the Cotswolds or hereabouts?

 

[Davidbf1.com]

I heard about this soon after buying my BGTS in Feb 2017, and so had my local dealership activate it for me when the installed cruise control at the end of that year. Can’t remem the cost as it was a while ago and I had service plus cruise retrofit done. Could have been about £75 got the rain-sensing wiper activation. A lot for a simple plug in and code as Richard mentions, but I don’t know anyone local with the requisite equipment or knowledge.
the YouTube video wasn’t by TPN Rainmaker was it?

 

[tjb]

I heard about this soon after buying my BGTS in Feb 2017, and so had my local dealership activate it for me when the installed cruise control at the end of that year. Can’t remem the cost as it was a while ago and I had service plus cruise retrofit done. Could have been about £75 got the rain-sensing wiper activation. A lot for a simple plug in and code as Richard mentions, but I don’t know anyone local with the requisite equipment or knowledge.
the YouTube video wasn’t by TPN Rainmaker was it?

Yes it was TPN here https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jBDlqPRbWjs&t=300s

 

[tjb]

Thanks for all the replies which confirm the information is correct - What an absolute rip off by Porsche in charging for this as an extra specified option when they already build the main parts and wiring into a standard car specification and all that is required is a simple coding of the cars computer system!!
I would never have known this if I hadn’t stumbled across the TPN Rainmaker video on YouTube.

 

[Davidbf1.com]

[/quote]
Yes it was TPN here https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jBDlqPRbWjs&t=300s
[/quote]


ah, I did wonder. Al is a mate, it was me that mentioned it to him, and that’s my GTS in the vid!

 

[Davidbf1.com]

....What an absolute rip off by Porsche in charging for this as an extra specified option when they already build the main parts and wiring into a standard car specification and all that is required is a simple coding of the cars computer system!!
I would never have known this if I hadn’t stumbled across the TPN Rainmaker video on YouTube.

I’d learnt from people far more knowledgeable than me, this is actually one of the few occasions that the relevant sensor and wiring are in place already.
Id always believed that any manufacturer would just use a small number of standard wiring harnesses to build all the cars of a particular model, regardless of options (and then obviously just add/plug-in those optional items), as surely it would be more cost effective to buy big numbers of a few different types of wiring harness, but apparently not. For as many different permutations of build there are for a Porsche car, there’s almost that number of bespoke harness. Sounds bonkers, but I’m sure this was mentioned on our roadtrip and factory tour in Sept 19, and am colleague is ex Nissan here in the N/E and said they’re now doing the same re wiring harnesses, albeit perhaps not to same extremes as Porsche!

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

I would never have known this if I hadn’t stumbled across the TPN Rainmaker video on YouTube.

It has been mentioned on this forum a few times in the past, but I guess you would never find it unless you searched. Here is one example: https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1076071

 

[tjb]

I would never have known this if I hadn’t stumbled across the TPN Rainmaker video on YouTube.

It has been mentioned on this forum a few times in the past, but I guess you would never find it unless you searched. Here is one example: https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1076071

Okay, thanks for that, wouldn’t have seen that post as only look at the Boxster forum as don’t have the Cayman.
Mines due for its next service in around June so might be a deal breaker on which OPC in my area, Leeds, Teeside or Hull, says they can do this coding for me as well.

 

[Davidbf1.com]

Tim, it was Teesside OPC who coded mine.
david

 

[tjb]

Tim, it was Teesside OPC who coded mine.
david

Great, thanks for that information, they did my last service and I understand the technician that did it is now workshop manager at Hull.

 

[Davidbf1.com]

[/quote]
Great, thanks for that information, they did my last service and I understand the technician that did it is now workshop manager at Hull.
[/quote]

BTW, is that avatar pic taken at the Witton show?

 

[tjb]

BTW, is that avatar pic taken at the Witton show?

Yes it was taken at Witton Castle, probably 3 years ago now.