981 multifunction steering wheel replaced

[AnthonyR]

This process seems to have been going on for ages but thanks to Richard I am now largely sorted.

I ended up having to buy the 981 clockspring, my original one definitely did not have the pins in the connector for the heating so it had to go, I then took the car to Richard who after quite a long while working out which combinations of options we needed, managed to get the multifunction and the heating working 

Unfortunately on the way home I discovered that the cruise control had stopped working, Richard thinks that the activation code to this was lost when the new clockspring was installed, so its back to the Russian guy for me for another code, we originally though that there might be a chance of getting the code out of the old unit but on further investigation by Richard this turned out to not be possible.

I don't think I would have got this far without Richard's help, so many many thanks to him.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i5vtb7jwefi4zu4/IMG_6241.JPG?dl=0

[mneil]

Glad to hear that you have your new wheel activated😃. Makes such a difference to the interior, a MF wheel that doesn't look like it came off a 1960s Merc🤭😅.

[AnthonyR]

My car is now 100% sorted thanks to Richard. 

Just a word of warning to anybody who does this in the future, my factory fitted cruise lost its activation code when the clockspring was changed meaning I had to buy a new code, another expense on top on what was a far from cheap upgrade!!

Edited September 6, 2019 by AnthonyR

[Hotfire 2000]

Can a 981 none-MF wheel have the 991.2 with MF fitted AND the controls work?  

[AnthonyR]

Yes, that is exactly what I have done, all controls work as they should

[Hotfire 2000]

Bloody excellent, thank you Anthony but dare I ask who you used & what it ended-up costing? 

[AnthonyR]

All in the info you need is covered in detail in this thread.

 

In summary;

 

Steering wheel: I used a GT Sports heated multifunction wheel from a 718/991.2 bought new from Porsche £790 ex. I needed a manual wheel there are lots of PDK wheels on eBay

Airbag: The old one won't fit, new from Porsche about £500 ish ex

Clockspring: I needed a new one as I wanted to add heating you shouldn't need to change it if you just adding multifunction, make sure you get the right one, I bought the wrong one from a 718 first, it didn't work. £276 ex new from Porsche. The right 981 part numbers are listed by Richard in this thread

Adapter: I needed an Adapter X but it depends which wheel you choose. £407 from https://gpsadapter.us/collections/all Currently out of stock I see

Activation codes: Choose the ones you need from https://www.code-porsche.com/ $100 per code, I ended needing 3 as my cruise got lost in the process

You also will need to get it all coded in by somebody with either a PIWIS 2 or 3, I used 2 different people but Richard in this thread was the one who finally got mine sorted.

I fitted everything myself, there are some pretty good instructions on the GPS Adapter site for not just fitting the adapters but the clockspring as well, it's really quite easy, I ended up being able to fit a clockspring in less than 10 minutes as I had had plenty of practice by that time

[david25455]

My update was a little cheaper, I think (2015, Boxster 981, PDK, Cruise)

New MF Steering wheel (Paddles but not GT style or heating) at £850, including the airbag

Adapter from GPS at £290 (USD 349.00), plus £22.00 duty

1x Activation code £83.00

Coding by Richard!

I later replaced the stalk assembly to remove the redundant Computer stalk at £60.00 from Porsche Club member, Brian, or from OPC at £190.00

As with AnthonyR, I fitted the stuff myself using the guides with no problem (not disconnecting the battery either for the airbag change and stalk removal = no error codes!)

[BrianJ]

Hi David, glad the stalk assembly did the trick!

[robporsche]

such a good upgrade and totally changes the cabin.  I will definately want to do this to the car im getting next week. 

[Patt]

You will be surprised when on a journey how often you access the PCM.  

It's on my "to do" list, once warranty expired

[irb]

Hi

Just for future reference for those doing this retrofit - i think it should be possible to avoid the extra cost of cruise control activation code by reading out and writing in the old steering wheel module coding into the new module, as in a straightforward module replacement.

This should theoretically programme any newly fitted steering wheel / clockspring ecu to the state of the previously fitted one, and then then extra functions can be added on after this has been done preventing the extra $100 code to restore a previously fitted option - which i imagine is a bot galling after forking out for all the new hardware !

Thanks

 

[Richard Hamilton]

I did look at the manual, about changing the clockspring, and it said to read/write the coding data. However, it also said that if you have cruise, MFSW, etc, then you need to get the activation codes from PIWIS online and re-enter them.  Of course, Porsche dealers can do this if it was a factory fit, or an official retrofit, but us mere mortals can't get them. 

Also, the only reason AnthonyR had to change the clockspring is because he retrofitted a heated wheel. 

Edited September 15, 2019 by Richard Hamilton

[mneil]

9 hours ago, Richard Hamilton said:

 

Also, the only reason AnthonyR had to change the clockspring is because he retrofitted a heated wheel. 

Yes when I changed wheel from the old MF to the 781 MF it was a simple plug and play. Got a pair of gloves, much cheaper, 😅 but then I am from Yorkshire.

[robporsche]

hopefully just bought a Porsche GTS GT2 GT3 GTS  MF steering wheel with paddles and airbag.  I already have the MF and paddles on the black plastic wheel.   

So just read through the whole thread,  I just need the adapter and its a straight swap over?

[mneil]

9 hours ago, robporsche said:

hopefully just bought a Porsche GTS GT2 GT3 GTS  MF steering wheel with paddles and airbag.  I already have the MF and paddles on the black plastic wheel.   

So just read through the whole thread,  I just need the adapter and its a straight swap over?

From my experience it should be just plug and play.

[david25455]

Yes, same experience here too, just the adapter from the guy in China. I didn't bother to disconnect the battery either to make it simpler still.

[robporsche]

52 minutes ago, david25455 said:

Yes, same experience here too, just the adapter from the guy in China. I didn't bother to disconnect the battery either to make it simpler still.

Oh really that's good to hear.   I had a few issues when I disconnected the battery for fitting the seatbelts but issue resolved after a long drive.

[daz05]

I personally would disconnect your battery before attempting this, especially when playing with the airbag!

[david25455]

You should do what you feel comfortable with!

I've changed the airbag on the steering wheel several times now without disconnecting the battery and also the door airbags when I've changed door cards. I asked a mechanic friend initially and he said he never disconnects the battery as if the ignition is off, the airbag wouldn't fire anyway, which seems good logic. I'm sure the recommendation from Porsche would be to disconnect the battery, but the only time I did this I had issues with psm and the steering angle sensor initialising and the pcm lost its settings,  so I just find it easier to take the risk!

When I did my wheel upgrade of the 981, I changed the stalks (from 4 to 3) too afew weeks later, to complete the job, again without disconnecting the battery.

[robporsche]

quick question as im about to purchase airbag and wheel.     they are from different companies.

 

the Wheel is a Macan MF with heating and paddles.

I have in my 981 S a MF steering wheel without heating and paddles.   

 

Would this just go straight on, im not worried about the heating so i guess that would be redundant but is that ok  when the wheel is plugged in will it give me any errors ?

[mneil]

16 hours ago, robporsche said:

quick question as im about to purchase airbag and wheel.     they are from different companies.

 

the Wheel is a Macan MF with heating and paddles.

I have in my 981 S a MF steering wheel without heating and paddles.   

 

Would this just go straight on, im not worried about the heating so i guess that would be redundant but is that ok  when the wheel is plugged in will it give me any errors ?

Way beyond my security level!

As regards the wheel and the airbag, I purchased both from my local OPC, they came with the "Porsche" tax however!!

It is important for them to match-up; model and serial numbers, so I was told.

My 981s is a manual, so I did not have to think about extra paddles. However, if your original MF wheel as the buttons instead of paddles maybe you will be fine.

[david25455]

Hi RobPorsche

I fitted a MF (no heating) wheel, 718 style, but probably from a Macan to my 981, which didn't have either MF or heating, so I needed the 'Chinese' adapter to get it to work. I think I recall a thread where someone had upgraded 981 paddle to Macan (718 style paddle) and they needed the adapter to make the new style work with the old mechanism. See https://gpsadapter.us/pages/steering-wheel-type

Also; there is a setting in PIWIS to change from non-paddle to paddle, I didn't bother with this initially and it worked and I didn't get any errors. Secondly from my experience on other areas on my cars, fitting a heated unit, where a non heated unit was specified will most likely cause issue, either with function, error or both. 

But you could give it a try and always go back. Try e-mailing the 'Chinese' adapter guy, who I found very helpful and he will be able to confirm I expect. 

[robporsche]

55 minutes ago, david25455 said:

Hi RobPorsche

I fitted a MF (no heating) wheel, 718 style, but probably from a Macan to my 981, which didn't have either MF or heating, so I needed the 'Chinese' adapter to get it to work. I think I recall a thread where someone had upgraded 981 paddle to Macan (718 style paddle) and they needed the adapter to make the new style work with the old mechanism. See https://gpsadapter.us/pages/steering-wheel-type

Also; there is a setting in PIWIS to change from non-paddle to paddle, I didn't bother with this initially and it worked and I didn't get any errors. Secondly from my experience on other areas on my cars, fitting a heated unit, where a non heated unit was specified will most likely cause issue, either with function, error or both. 

But you could give it a try and always go back. Try e-mailing the 'Chinese' adapter guy, who I found very helpful and he will be able to confirm I expect. 

OK great thanks,   i thin it will work my only issue is that as the new wheel has a heating button and my old car doesnt will that cause any issues or faults if not its only a tiny button so i can jus fit it with the adapter but i'll ask that guy and see what he says

 

thanks

[robporsche]

2 hours ago, mneil said:

Way beyond my security level!

As regards the wheel and the airbag, I purchased both from my local OPC, they came with the "Porsche" tax however!!

It is important for them to match-up; model and serial numbers, so I was told.

My 981s is a manual, so I did not have to think about extra paddles. However, if your original MF wheel as the buttons instead of paddles maybe you will be fine.

Thanks I didnt know that, im buying the airbag and wheel from two different places.