PIWIS and the Taycan J1.2

[ebarron]

I can't find anything definitive on PIWIS and the Taycan J1.2, so I'm starting a thread to discuss.

If you're looking to use PIWIS with a J1.2 - In my case a 2026 4S CT, both what is required and what is possible?

Use case 1: For Basic maintenance, to reset service timers, run diagnostics, nerd out on your car?

1) What version of PIWIS is required? I hear its a version >=4.43
2) Can this be done without an PPN Account? If it requires one, can it be done w/hourly pay?
3) Which OBD is proven to work? (I hear its different for the J1.2, and pricier)
4) Any one had luck with a specific vendor?

Use Case 2: Coders, folks making changes

My understanding is this requires:
1) a PIWIS 4 version,
2) a PPN account,
3) the same equipment as above?

About the PPN account:

The PPN account may or may not be easily acquired by folks looking to do their own work.
The PPN account may be charged by the hour.

Will update this and consolidate any community wisdom as it becomes clear.

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[Shug]

A PPN account is necessary if you want to have access to PIWIS though Porsche, be aware that this is expensive and also is an online version of PIWIS which is incredibly slow.

PIWIS that can be sourced from non-Porsche sources is a hacked version of the software that Chinese Porsche main dealers were given access to, that was bypassed by some clever people.

My guess is that the older - say PIWIS 41.xxx will still work fine on a 2026 car, but may not offer all the options that the later versions can.

It might be better for you to explain why you want PIWIS and what you hope it will deliver for you?

 

[prj]

My guess is that the older - say PIWIS 41.xxx will still work fine on a 2026 car, but may not offer all the options that the later versions can.

No, it won't.
After 06/2023 nothing will work, all the cars have gateways that filter all traffic until the gateway is unlocked, and for that you need a PPN.

So even MY24 cars you can't work on with a non-official PIWIS, never mind J1.2.

 

[ebarron]

No, it won't.
After 06/2023 nothing will work, all the cars have gateways that filter all traffic until the gateway is unlocked, and for that you need a PPN.

So even MY24 cars you can't work on with a non-official PIWIS, never mind J1.2.

Trying to understand, does this mean:
1) You cannot work on a (in my case) 2026 taycan with a clone PIWIS?
2) You must pay an hourly rate to use PIWIS (clone or otherwise) with a PPN account?

 

[ebarron]

It might be better for you to explain why you want PIWIS and what you hope it will deliver for you?

I listed some use cases above, but can I be honest and say: I dont know as well? I tend to want to play with my toys, and I intend to play with the taycan. Beyond being able to do basic service, and also basic diagnostics, I want to see what I can do, and perhaps do that.

 

[prj]

Trying to understand, does this mean:
1) You cannot work on a (in my case) 2026 taycan with a clone PIWIS?
2) You must pay an hourly rate to use PIWIS (clone or otherwise) with a PPN account?

You need an official PPN account and then you can use the Virtual Tester (which is insanely slow), takes like half an hour to connect to the car and all that time there's a hourly fee running.
If you want a full official PIWIS setup with the router and tester, that's going to run you over 20k and multiple thousands a year in subscription fees.
That is if you pass the background checks...

Also, there is no PIWIS Engineering for the newer cars either and some modules are protected via SFD2 for coding as well, on those modules you can't change the coding if you have the official account either, as it only allows to write the correct coding for the car.

On anything MY24 up you're not going to tinker with it in your shed. You're limited to reading measuring values and DTC's and clearing them. That's all you can do.

 

[trycan]

On anything MY24 up you're not going to tinker with it in your shed. You're limited to reading measuring values and DTC's and clearing them. That's all you can do.

You left out HD matrix activation in the USA. That can done with the virtual tester.

 

[ebarron]

On anything MY24 up you're not going to tinker with it in your shed. You're limited to reading measuring values and DTC's and clearing them. That's all you can do.

I was afraid of this. Where I live the. law explicitly allows the right to repair. That doesn't mean companies enable it (yet).

First, thank you for answering my questions. It probably doesn't stop me long term from trying to puzzle through some of this.


Options and next steps:
1) So tools like MAPEV are an option for diagnosis and fault code clearance. It must use an interface that is unprotected/safe for us to use? I can look into that. I should start here and will follow instructions on your linked thread.
2) Porsche seems to make APIs available that Porsche EV Insights is using.
3) Wait for Massachusetts courts to weigh in under our local right to repair laws.
4) Find someone w/PIWIS access who will perform specific services for a fee (like HD matrix activation)
5) Attempt to create a PPN account, and see where that goes.

 

[Shug]

Just a detail for you on PPN accounts, they are free and give you access to vehicle service information that has been carried out and requires to be completed, recalls etc. There is also parts information, wiring diagrams etc, some of which there may be a small charge for.

The big money comes when you ask for access to PIWIS and for this you require a Porsche approved VCI interface, the cloned VAS 6154 that is often used with the Chinese hacked PIWIS will not work with the genuine online PIWIS access.

 

[prj]

You can use any J2534 interface with the Virtual Tester, but it's insanely slow.

 

[SoccerMan94043]

2) Porsche seems to make APIs available that Porsche EV Insights is using.

I can answer a bit about the API. While I don't know where the author got his info originally, it looks like it came from a reverse engineering project that mapped out some of the functionality of what Porsche uses to talk to the car from the My Porsche App. There are several GitHub projects around this though I'm not sure which was first (perhaps this one: https://github.com/driven-app/porsche-connect). I assume they must all use the same access key, though I haven't checked.

It looks like Porsche manages access to the API (documentation, access, etc) here but I don't have access and I don't know anyone who does or how to get it (it says partners only): https://developer.porsche.com/

The API functionality is rather limited.

 

[RED!]

You left out HD matrix activation in the USA. That can done with the virtual tester.

I’m confused, can I ask for clarification please?
I have a ‘24, I’d like to activate Matrix
I ordered the interface assuming my 24 was the same as a 23.
Can I download/buy a hacked PIWIS 4 and Sllllooooowwwwllyy activate my own Matrix?

 

[ebarron]

I took @prj 's comments to read as, you cannot activate active matrix headlights with Virtual Tester on a model year 24 or later. Full PIWIS 4 access is required, which is hard to acquire atm.

I think every thread I see on Active Matrix headlight activation seems to also claim something is broken like side marker lights, etc. Separate thread on this, but I'd love to see someone say: I got AM headlights fully working on a late model Taycan using vendor x (or even on their own). But I havent seen it.

My J2534 interface arrives today. I'll delve in the APIs soon.

 

[prj]

I took @prj 's comments to read as, you cannot activate active matrix headlights with Virtual Tester on a model year 24 or later. Full PIWIS 4 access is required, which is hard to acquire atm.

Virtual Tester can disable SFD2 for a few hours, after that you can code the car the same way as the older ones.

My J2534 interface arrives today. I'll delve in the APIs soon.

You're talking about some kind of API's, but that's got nothing to do with onboard diags.

 

[RED!]

Virtual Tester can disable SFD2 for a few hours, after that you can code the car the same way as the older ones.


You're talking about some kind of API's, but that's got nothing to do with onboard diags.

I’m sorry I’m a bit dense here, info is too spread over posts… can I:
1) get the virtual tester (where?)
2) wait 30 minutes while it runs and unlocks my car
3) use ??? To program my Matrix and other things?

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