Re: OBD 2 readiness codes

Anyone know the cycle to reset the readiness codes on an '04?

Ed B

The readiness codes cannot be reset.
The car does that once you have no error codes and it goes throng 3 full cycles.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

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Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

exists, though maybe not for the Boxster but for the 996.

My experience with my 02 having gone through more DTC code reads/clears which resets the readiness monitors to incomplete than I can count is a 30 mile drive will do it.

If one had a more specific drive cycle it might be done in less time/miles.

My routine is to start the engine cold, let it idle at least until the secondary air injection shuts off, then drive surface streets through town until the engine is up to temp. Then some steady speed cruising at 35mph to 45mph of maybe 1 or so miles followed by getting on the freeway and just driving at a steady highway speed for the rest of the miles, with the last mile or so consisting of more surface street driving.

The above just so happens to describe my home to work or work to home commute and I haven't bothered to try to find a quicker "drive cycle". Now it might not take the 30 miles but I do not have a code reader connected to monitor the readiness code completion state as I drive. I have another device occupying the OBD2 connector.

Check that haven't bothered trying to find a quicker or more specific drive cycle: I just did try using google. I got a lot of hits and the few I checked didn't appear to have what you are looking for but I do not have the time right now to look more deeply into this.

(I used "readiness code drive cycle" in my search.)

You know you might stop in at your local Porsche dealer and ask the SM if he'll ask one of the techs to print this out for you.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Thanks all.

My "local" Bosch Master Tech can reset readiness codes on some vehicles. My "local' Porsche dealer doesn't know the reset cycle.

Marc,
I've driven it, ('04 GT3), several cycles similar to what you describe. Today, some idle from cold, some town, 50+ miles of Interstate, some city and a little idle, to the Bosch Tech. Still failed the state test. He couldn't reset the GT3 readiness codes. Appear to be different than a standard 996. They don't show on my CAN system scanner or the PST2. I now have a state "safety inspection sticker" good for two months but no OBD sticker. Seems silly for a 2004 car with less than 4000 miles. Guess I'll have to drive it more.

Ed B

Quote
Ed B
Thanks all.

My "local" Bosch Master Tech can reset readiness codes on some vehicles. My "local' Porsche dealer doesn't know the reset cycle.

Marc,
I've driven it, ('04 GT3), several cycles similar to what you describe. Today, some idle from cold, some town, 50+ miles of Interstate, some city and a little idle, to the Bosch Tech. Still failed the state test. He couldn't reset the GT3 readiness codes. Appear to be different than a standard 996. They don't show on my CAN system scanner or the PST2. I now have a state "safety inspection sticker" good for two months but no OBD sticker. Seems silly for a 2004 car with less than 4000 miles. Guess I'll have to drive it more.

Ed B

codes can be forced to complete that is news to me.

The drive cycle you followed should have all the readiness monitors all set to complete.

Which ones are still flagged as incomplete?

Now, there might be a kind of a gotcha that delays one or more readiness monitors from being set to complete and that is there can "permanent" DTCs which even though they may not show up as active DTCs (and thus no CEL) these can only be cleared by the DME finding the error condition no longer present and this can take some driving.

So your guess you should drive it more is a good guess, maybe.

BTW, with the right OBD2 code reader the current, pending and permanent DTCs can be read and displayed. The PST2 should support those functions, if the vehicle's DME of course has these. It should, but I've never had a GT3 to do any OBD2 snooping with.

I hope you've been running a name brand top tier gas and buying from a busy station...

Is the car stock?

Oh, just a thought... kind of a long shot too... there can be some mix-up of the model and the tech might have the wrong model selected, either because he's never run into this car before, or there's a bug in the software from which he makes a model selection.

(I kind of ran into something like this when I went to insure my Turbo. The car's VIN came up as a GT2 or GT3 in the insurance company's vehicle/VIN look up database software and this set off all sorts of alarms. This happened with two insurance companies, the last one CSAA. The CSSA clerk went over to the DMV division at the CSAA office and cleared up the confusion by using the DMV vehicle/VIN/model database which apparently didn't have this mix-up.)

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Marc,

Here is some more info.
Readiness Monitors: Air System, Catalyst and Evap System are "not ready". All other systems are ready or not supported. It's been rejected by two separate test stations.
Besides the PST2 I have a Innova 3110 CANOBD2 scanner.

The car is stock and I do run top tier gas from busy stations.

I haven't checked, and I will, could there be a fuse involved?
I'm sure my Bosch tech did everything correctly. He has been in business for a long time. He was head of the Bosch Council for a number of years and is still on the board. He has contacts all one the world and teaches in a technical college. His shop services all exotic makes including GT3s.

I'll get back to the Boxster after I get the GT3 straightened out.

Ed B

readiness monitors to complete.

Just recently they had two GT3s in and both were driven home and back to work again by a senior tech or the GM -- with the owners prior written permission -- and in both cases all readiness codes failed to complete. I spotted one ready to drive home and I offered to drive but of course the offer was declined. Rats!

Anyhow there are 3 critical readiness monitors (this is CA) and then several less critical ones. IIRC the ones your car hasn't set are all critical. All critical ones must be set complete and a min.of one more less critical monitor must be set for the car to pass emissions.

Anyhow the techs said a Porsche dealer with the PIWIS2 can do a 'short' test in the service bay and get the codes to complete. Even then it can be tricky. The computer prompts the tech to turn on the lights (add load) or raise/hold rpms, and these prompts have to be followed closely.

I asked one tech who does a lot of the emissions testing and he said the task can take from a best time of around 15 minutes to 4 hours...

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Marc,

Thanks.
I forwarded your information to my Bosch tech. I'm curious to see what he says.

Ed

My Turbo was in for a road worthiness inspection which turned up front tires getting worn and I had given the ok to replace them during which time I would have tried to learn the drive cycle details but the parts department didn't have the front tires in stock and I decided to press on. The tires are not to the wear bars yet, but close. I might see if the Springfield MO dealer can replace the fronts when I get there in a few days.

Anyhow, that 50 mile "drive cycle" may have too much freeway time and not enough idle time and lower speed (surface street) cruising time.

So you still might just be able to drive the readiness monitors to completion but you probably will have to change your 'drive cycle'.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

I haven't heard from my Bosch tech yet. Since the car is such a blast to drive, I'll try another drive or two with less Interstate and more stop and go.

Thanks,

Ed

I searched Rennlist and found a BMW driving cycle that will complete readiness monitors on 993's. Since the GT3 uses an earlier version ECU than the Boxster, it might work. I'll try it.

Ed B

followed me yesterdy. We'd have the monitors set to complete or be in jail. I drove just about 650 miles yesterday and I passed more bear traps than I could count. Even spotted the infamous bear in the air along I-580 as it turns south to hook up with I-5.

But I'm out of CALI now and heading east. Still going to take it easy, though.

Oh, I had forgotten how bright this early AM AZ sun can be. I need welding goggles.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Marc,
The BMW cycle worked. Hard to drive the GT3 that slow though.
I try to avoid Az in the summer. But it's a dry heat.
Looks like we will be taking the GT3 instead of the 944 turbo to the Porsche Parade in SLC in a couple of weeks. Its got much better A/C.

Thanks again,

Ed B