Cayman Boxster heated steering wheel

[furnacehouse]

My car has heated seats but not a heated steering wheel. It has the button for the heated wheel. Since the buttons are on both heated and non-heated wheels I am curious to know if the wheels also have elements fitted to all them and can be activated in software, or if the wheel needs to be replaced?

[davek_964]

furnacehouse said:

My car has heated seats but not a heated steering wheel. It has the button for the heated wheel. Since the buttons are on both heated and non-heated wheels I am curious to know if the wheels also have elements fitted to all them and can be activated in software, or if the wheel needs to be replaced?

What button?

My (2003) Cayenne has a heated steering wheel, but that comes on with the heated seats - there is no separate button for it. Did that change with later cars?

[Richard Hamilton]

furnacehouse said:

My car has heated seats but not a heated steering wheel. It has the button for the heated wheel. Since the buttons are on both heated and non-heated wheels I am curious to know if the wheels also have elements fitted to all them and can be activated in software, or if the wheel needs to be replaced?

You don't say which model you have, but non-heated wheels are not fitted with the heater button on the back of the centre spoke. It might be that the wheel has been retro-fitted (perhaps a standard wheel replaced by a MFSW with heating). Depending on the model and year of car, you may need to fit a new steering wheel control module, "clockspring" contact unit, and have the car coded, to make it work.

[davek_964]

Richard Hamilton said:

furnacehouse said:

My car has heated seats but not a heated steering wheel. It has the button for the heated wheel. Since the buttons are on both heated and non-heated wheels I am curious to know if the wheels also have elements fitted to all them and can be activated in software, or if the wheel needs to be replaced?

You don't say which model you have, but non-heated wheels are not fitted with the heater button on the back of the centre spoke. It might be that the wheel has been retro-fitted (perhaps a standard wheel replaced by a MFSW with heating). Depending on the model and year of car, you may need to fit a new steering wheel control module, "clockspring" contact unit, and have the car coded, to make it work.

My Cayenne does have a button on the back of the wheel (two in fact, one each side) - but that is to turn off the illumination of the steering wheel controls when the lights are on. It doesn't affect the steering wheel heating. I wonder if that's what the OP has?

[furnacehouse]

Mine is a 2009 Cayman S PDK. As mentioned it has heated seats, but it also has the square button on the rear of the bottom steering wheel spoke. Nothing appears to happen when I press it and I cannot see a blank indicator in the instrument panel that might illuminate when it's on. Are we sure that the PDK wheels only have a button if the heating is fitted?

[SFO]

steering wheel heating was not available on 987 cars.

availability started on 981 cars

[Magic919]

There is no light to show it's in use on my 997. I just get the text in the LCD display when it comes on or goes off.

[Richard Hamilton]

SFO said:

steering wheel heating was not available on 987 cars.

availability started on 981 cars

Sorry, but it was an option on 987.2 cars:

Edited by Richard Hamilton on Tuesday 17th February 18:54

[Richard Hamilton]

furnacehouse said:

Mine is a 2009 Cayman S PDK. As mentioned it has heated seats, but it also has the square button on the rear of the bottom steering wheel spoke. Nothing appears to happen when I press it and I cannot see a blank indicator in the instrument panel that might illuminate when it's on. Are we sure that the PDK wheels only have a button if the heating is fitted?

Yes - I have both standard PDK steering wheel and MFSW without heating (which I retrofitted), and neither have a button. I also have a faulty heated MFSW which I intend to fix an fit, and it (obviously) has the button.

[thegoose]

davek_964 said:

What button?

My (2003) Cayenne has a heated steering wheel, but that comes on with the heated seats - there is no separate button for it. Did that change with later cars?

My 2006 Cayenne S has a heated wheel (and the buttons on the back for illumination on/off) but the handbook says it comes on automatically when the temperature drops low enough - this seems to be the case although now you've mentioned the seats I shall have to see whether they have an influence or not (if it's cold enough for the wheel to heat up I will have already put the heated seats on so I won't have noticed).

[furnacehouse]

Thanks Richard. So it sounds like my wheel is fitted with the heating element since it had the button, but it is either broken, does not have the correct contacts in the boss or requires software activation. I shall investigate further and post my findings.

[davek_964]

F

thegoose said:

My 2006 Cayenne S has a heated wheel (and the buttons on the back for illumination on/off) but the handbook says it comes on automatically when the temperature drops low enough - this seems to be the case although now you've mentioned the seats I shall have to see whether they have an influence or not (if it's cold enough for the wheel to heat up I will have already put the heated seats on so I won't have noticed).

Actually you're right, I remember reading the same thing. As you say, if its cold enough for the steering wheel to come on I've got the seats on anyway and I'd forgotten the steering wheel wasn't linked to the seat switch.

[Richard Hamilton]

furnacehouse said:

Thanks Richard. So it sounds like my wheel is fitted with the heating element since it had the button, but it is either broken, does not have the correct contacts in the boss or requires software activation. I shall investigate further and post my findings.

If you are anywhere near me (Maidenhead, Berks) I would be happy to hook it up to my PIWIS and see if it is connected/coded. Drop me an email if I can help.

[furnacehouse]

Thanks Richard, that's very kind. You are about an hour away from me (I'm near Sevenoaks, Kent) so it could work. Will PIWIS be able to determine if the issue lies in hardware (the controller, boss clockspring, button) or software (coding)? I am a bit of a cheapskate when it comes to "upgrades" since OPC quote high prices for cheap hardware and a few minutes with PIWIS. I recently managed to get a cruise stalk from the US and had it coded locally (total cost of £80), but if a clockspring or controller is required and I have to pay OPC prices I will likely not bother.

Richard Hamilton said:

If you are anywhere near me (Maidenhead, Berks) I would be happy to hook it up to my PIWIS and see if it is connected/coded. Drop me an email if I can help.

[Richard Hamilton]

With piwis you will be able to check if the button is connected to the controller, and be able to switch on the heating if it is connected. You can also check the part number of the steering column control unit.

If you car is a 2009 and the heating wasn't original fitment, it would need to have had the correct steering column control unit and clockspring fitted for it to work. From 2011 they fitted the same control unit for heated and non-heated wheels, so 2011-12 cars only need the correct clockspring.

Like I said before, I suspect a previous owner may have retrofitted a wheel with heating, but it might be worth checking the option codes on your car, just in case it was original fitment.

[furnacehouse]

Thanks Richard.
You are, of course, spot on. I've just checked the option codes in the handbook and it was not originally specced with Heated Wheel (345). Any pointers as to the part numbers (prices?) of the controller and clockspring? As mentioned previously, if it's pricey I won't bother since it probably adds no value to the car and I can always buy gloves.
Thanks again for all your knowledge and help

Mark

[Richard Hamilton]

Steering Column Control Unit: 997.613.299.02 (or .01) - £206.46 +VAT
Clockspring Contact Unit: 955.652.211.22 (or.21) £59.26 +VAT

[furnacehouse]

I appreciate you are the oracle, but I am curious as to the steering column control module part. Looking at page 74 of the on-line parts catalogue (http://www.porsche.com/all/media/pdf/originalparts/en/E_987C2_KATALOG.pdf) for the 987-2 the picture shows the controller as part 18. Page 77 only lists one part: 997.613.445.03. Part 997 613 299 02 does not feature at all. Any thoughts?

Cheers

Mark

[Richard Hamilton]

furnacehouse said:

I appreciate you are the oracle, but I am curious as to the steering column control module part. Looking at page 74 of the on-line parts catalogue (http://www.porsche.com/all/media/pdf/originalparts/en/E_987C2_KATALOG.pdf) for the 987-2 the picture shows the controller as part 18. Page 77 only lists one part: 997.613.445.03. Part 997 613 299 02 does not feature at all. Any thoughts?

Cheers

Mark

997.613.445.03 is the multifunction control unit which goes inside the steering wheel. The Steering Column Control unit is shown as item 1 on illustration 903-10.

[furnacehouse]

Ah. Perils of my loose terminology: apologies.
Are the parts a pain to fit? I did the cruise retrofit without removing the steering wheel, since I was scared of the airbag.

M