Dear Porsche... (Center Console Lid does not stay open)

[evanevery]

Dear Porsche,

Why is it that the cover on my center console does not stay open? Why is it that it does not open to a fully vertical position? Why do I need 2 hands and 1 Elbow to access its contents? Why do I need to get out of the car and use a flashlight to actually be able to see the USB ports so I can plug something in?

I took a look at the hinge this morning hoping there might be something I could design/add to improve the situation. Unfortunately, I don't see a simple way to do this. There also appears to be absolutely no reason you have limited the travel of the lid or not given it the ability to stay open. I thought maybe you had a slider which might not have had the necessary room to rotate. Nope, its just a hinge. Who designed this? Who tested this? Did you ask any users their opinion?

Quite literally, its the only mechanical issue I can think of which really bothers me. Did you have one of your software engineers design this?

A simple redesign of the hinge appears all that would be required. Can you make one available for retrofit to our cars?

PLEASE,

Ed

Sponsored

 

[evanevery]

BTW - Anyone know how to remove the console lid or hinge? I'ld really like to look at it in detail to see if there is anything which might be 3D Printed to help make it work better for us.

I don't see any screws and its not obvious how/where I should start prying to remove the assembly. I expect this stuff simply snaps together but I don't want tobreak anything while blindly trying to separate it...

(If you are a SC - with access to official shop manuals containing this information - feel free to PM me so you will not be labeled a co-conspirator...)

 

[evanevery]

BTW - Anyone know how to remove the console lid or hinge? I'ld really like to look at it in detail to see if there is anything which might be 3D Printed to help make it work better for us.

I don't see any screws and its not obvious how/where I should start prying to remove the assembly. I expect this stuff simply snaps together but I don't want tobreak anything while blindly trying to separate it...

(If you are a SC - with access to official shop manuals containing this information - feel free to PM me so you will not be labeled a co-conspirator...)

Why was THIS particular thread moved to the "Issues, Warranty, Recalls, TSB" forum? (...and so many others NOT?)

This is not a unique "issue" to my vehicle. This is a known design problem with EVERY Taycan for which no "Warranty, Recall, or TSB" has yet been issued...

If you move everything anyone identifies as a design "issue" to this forum, I think it will be very full indeed...

Just sayin'...

 

[Oink]

Not near the car at the moment, but if I remember correctly it won't help adding any kind of spring loaded mechanism due to the way it opens. You'll still have to raise your arm like a monkey, or position yourself awkwardly.

Correct me if I'm misremembering how bad it is.

 

[evanevery]

Not near the car at the moment, but if I remember correctly it won't help adding any kind of spring loaded mechanism due to the way it opens. You'll still have to raise your arm like a monkey, or position yourself awkwardly.

Correct me if I'm misremembering how bad it is.

No, you are correct...

I was initially hoping I could 3D Print something (and maybe add some fuzzy Velcro) to act as a "friction pinch" on the slider arm. I was kinda thinking "I bet they can't fully open the lid because there is not enough room for the slider to rotate out of the way". But there is no slider arm! Porsche has outwitted me again! Even when I guess they might have been forced into a compromised design... Nope! It simply appears to be a poorly designed hinge under a plastic trim piece.

There might be something else I can design (inc completely replacing the metal hinge itself), but first I need to get it apart so I can examine it. I'm positive I can redesign/reprint a hinge cover, but it is the hinge itself I want to see...

If I can, as a minimum, maybe get it to open fully vertical (or slightly further) then that in itself will somewhat mitigate the juggling act required to keep it open.

 

[Oink]

They should've done it like BMW (I think?) where it's split in the middle and opens outwards to each side. Actually, that would still be awkward as these cars are cars you "dress" yourself with. Like clothes. The middle console area is too high.

Meh, should've just made it open backwards. Who fucking cares about the comfort of the people in the rear for the minute it's open?

 

[evanevery]

They should've done it like BMW (I think?) where it's split in the middle and opens outwards to each side. Actually, that would still be awkward as these cars are cars you "dress" yourself with. Like clothes. The middle console area is too high.

Meh, should've just made it open backwards. Who fucking cares about the comfort of the people in the rear for the minute it's open?

Its a wonder they didn't add some BS electrical button on the panel to open/close the console cover. They did this needlessly for the vents for cripes sake...why not the console cover? Where does Porsche draw the line between "Needless functionality" and "No functionality at all"?

Open fully vertical and stay open. Its that simple. There is no reason for anything more complicated or imaginative...

"Designed by Porsche" has a whole new meaning to me now that I actually own one...

 

[Oink]

Damn I didn't think of that. Wait, what's it look like behind it when it's opened? Is there space? You might be able to unhinge it, and then make a spring loaded double-decker hinge that opens it and pushes it backwards in the same process.

That is, if you can afford voiding your warranty.

 

[evanevery]

Damn I didn't think of that. Wait, what's it look like behind it when it's opened? Is there space? You might be able to unhinge it, and then make a spring loaded double-decker hinge that opens it and pushes it backwards in the same process.

That is, if you can afford voiding your warranty.

It appears that there is enough clearance to accept the back edge of the lid if the hinge simply permitted it. You wouldn't need a "double-decker" hinge in any case. Just one with an offset...

I'm not worried about voiding my warranty if it increases the usability of my car. Its not like this type of a change is going to effect something important anyway. You think Porsche is going to say they are not going to honor a major mechanical failure because I changed the hinge on my console lid? (Maybe you know something I don't...) I'll take full responsibility (as I always do) for any modifications I make to my vehicles.

IE> I'm NOT the guy who tries to hide that I re-tuned my M4 from my BMW dealer. They fully knew that as I explicitly asked them NOT to flash anything on the car (while they were doing service and the car was still under warranty). If I blew up my engine then that was on me. I think they appreciated my honesty and treated me very well.

 

[Oink]

You think Porsche is going to say they are not going to honor a major mechanical failure because I changed the hinge on my console lid? (Maybe you know something I don't...) I'll take full responsibility (as I always do) for any modifications I make to my vehicles.

You might actually be right and I'm just overthinking things.

I do wish I had specced the extra compartment walls in the front under the screen, but for now I just use a cupholder to hold my phone and it works fine. Just have masks under the center console.

 

[evanevery]

You might actually be right and I'm just overthinking things.

I do wish I had specced the extra compartment walls in the front under the screen, but for now I just use a cupholder to hold my phone and it works fine. Just have masks under the center console.

I designed and built a console mount for the Taycan, a slide in holder for my phone (which automatically connects power when slid in), and a discrete FULL power (3A) tap to charge/power the phone directly from a switched fuse box circuit. See HERE if you want the 3D console clamp print files.

If anyone wants the 3D print files for a Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ slide in holder I am happy to provide them as well. (I did not post them as it appears most Porsche Owners are "Apple-Heads" ;-)

Also a Removable front plate mount (for US Plates) and a Valentine 1 radar detector mount designed specifically to maximize reception through a Taycan windshield with thermal/ insulation.

I truly would be lost without my 3D Printer - particularly in the time of Covid. 3D Printers are great - not because you can PRINT things - but so you can DESIGN things!

...and since you mention "masks"... if you want to print a Covid Mask I designed (which uses readily available coffee filters as filtration media), you can download the print files from the US DOH/NIH web site HERE.

 

[Oink]

Yeah I remember reading that when you posted it. What I wouldn't give for Android Auto... That would give you Netflix, Youtube, whatever you want (yay for open source).

I bought an iPhone 12 Pro Max just for CarPlay, but honestly -- I'm underwhelmed by both CarPlay and Android Auto. Outside of being able to add custom apps to Android Auto... there's not much I can't do via the PCM. Yes, it's not always-up-to-date Google Maps, but it works just fine. Even has a dashboard where you can display 3 individual things.

Before you think I'm crazy, I wrote Android Auto for phones before you could use it standalone, and I've written multiple apps for it back when I used my phone as infotainment in previous cars. Oh and I don't use Waze. So meh.

CarPlay still lags a tiny bit on the Taycans screen anyway, somehow...

 

[evanevery]

Yeah I remember reading that when you posted it. What I wouldn't give for Android Auto... That would give you Netflix, Youtube, whatever you want (yay for open source).

I bought an iPhone 12 Pro Max just for CarPlay, but honestly -- I'm underwhelmed by both CarPlay and Android Auto. Outside of being able to add custom apps to Android Auto... there's not much I can't do via the PCM. Yes, it's not always-up-to-date Google Maps, but it works just fine. Even has a dashboard where you can display 3 individual things.

Before you think I'm crazy, I wrote Android Auto for phones before you could use it standalone, and I've written multiple apps for it back when I used my phone as infotainment in previous cars. Oh and I don't use Waze. So meh.

CarPlay still lags a tiny bit on the Taycans screen anyway, somehow...

I have Android auto in my GMC truck. Tried it once. Not for me. (I complain about a lot of things - hopefully valid - but I personally don't care that the Taycan doesn't have Android Auto...)

I would rather use my phone as a second independent display for the additional functionality it can provide. Waze (and JBV1) run on my phone, other "native" stuff (Music) runs on my Nav display...

Truth be told, I hardly ever have my phone with me when I'm driving any of my cars. (True!) Unless its a long trip, its just more crap for me to haul around and manage... (I fully accept I am in the minority here)

 

[K777]

You're right. Its a crap design. Two hands, an elbow and a lamp strapped round my head.

There's a lot of this car design by someone who hasn't been in it I think - including the vent operation, which is actually dangerous to do whilst driving.

 

[Vim Schrotnock]

You are absolutely right - total crap design, and I can't figure out what the thinking was. It should be pretty simple to take off the hinge cover and replace the coil spring with one that allows it to fully open. Completely nuts that Porsche missed this.

Sponsored