TSB: Porsche Mobile Charger Plus Supply Cable Failure (in "fixed" PMC+) - October 30, 2024

[Tooney]

Condition:
The Porsche Mobile Charger Plus (PMC+) can fail to read a new temperature-sensing NEMA supply cable after updating to SW level 3000.

Service Information:
While the Operating Instructions recommend removing and reinserting the power plug, this does not always remedy the condition. There is currently no known correlation of this condition to supply cable production date. If a PMC+ exhibits the described behavior with a certain supply cable, normal operation cannot be guaranteed with a power supply cable of later production date. Each cable must be physically tested with the customer’s PMC+ at the Porsche Center to confirm functionality before returning the PMC+ and new supply cable to the customer. This condition is not a fault of the temperature-sensing supply cable.

New cables that do not work on the affected PMC+ devices demonstrating this condition will work normally on other part number variants with updated software. If the PMC+ continues to display this behavior with all available supply cables after multiple outlet plug-in cycles, it should be replaced.
TSB: Porsche Mobile Charger Plus Supply Cable Initialization Failure

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[Tooney]

Months ago, didn't @daveo4EV predict the new temp-sensing cables in PMC+ would cause problems?

 

[daveo4EV]

Porsche's North American EVSE game is weak sauce - and they don't quite understand the core problem IMHO - also they don't want to admit there is/was/will-be a problem - and clearly this is a distraction from core issues they'd rather work on…

since about 2022 I'd given up on Porsche for a residential home charging solution and since 2020 preferred other mobile EVSE's for any road trip usage (mostly due to size/weight - in 2020 we had not yet realized the unit's endemic issues, but it's size/weight/bulk/lack-of-adapters was obvious)

my best advice/opinion is to ignore Porsche's offerings, pretend it doesn't exist, and firmly move towards one of many excellent alternative EVSE's - none of us are buying a Taycan/Macan for Porsche's EVSE…

it's disappointing Porsche continues to have problems in this space - but it's not debilitating

pick something else and go back to enjoying the vehicle that you purchased - it's truly excellent even if the included EVSE is not the best of Porsche.

my $0.02 - YMMV

 

[blame.latitude]

I agree, the porsche charger is crap. I use a tesla wall charger at home and have a tesla Mobile Connector for travel use. The travel kit is great, I can connect to a 10 amp wall socket, 15 amp wall socket, dryer plug, nema50 plug, a plug at an old RV park, whatever I need! And it's small

 

[Flying ace]

That's too bad this unit has endemic issues. Visual and UI design looks great and makes Porsche EV ownership special.

Luckily I use the Chargepoint at home which has been bulletproof, boring l, but bulletproof

 

[whitex]

Visual and UI design looks great and makes Porsche EV ownership special.

Besides functioning poorly, Porsche EVSE's are large, clunky, and very heavy compared to their competition. Looking at Porsche PMC+ vs. Tesla Mobile connector reminds me a little of old Moto phones vs. latest smartphones. Of course beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Sajan]

Got a '24 Taycan GTS last week. Production date 9/23.

It didn't come with a 14-50 cable.
Sales guy shipped me one... 7PP-971-678-GA
Date says: 04.05.2023

Plugged everything in and things looked okay. i.e. Porsche Mobile Charger Plus EVSE says 100% in green.
I come back the next day and noticed the EVSE has gone to sleep/off.
I press the charge button and it turns back on, but now Charge Status is solid red and charger icon is blinking yellow.
I turned it off and back on, it's okay again.
Rinse and repeat the next day.

I also noticed I had to twist the cable the other direction to plug it in. I guess I have the old wrong version?

I am just going to use my Nissan's 30amp EVSE at this point.

 

[Tooney]

FYI: [North America] - FAQ: the ultimate guide to the Porsche EVSE PMC+/PMCC/PWCC

 

[Sajan]

Went to the dealer today to pick up an airbag for a side project.
Brought the Taycan and the charger setup to see if they can address the bulletin.
Service advisor was not cooperative. He wanted me to leave the car there for 3-4 days.
I said nothing's wrong with my car.
He pulled up my VIN and said look, no recalls needed.
I said sure but look at this bulletin. He didn't want to read it. He said I understand.
I said no you don't because you haven't read this.
He called the shop lead and I guess he also gave the "leave the car" speech.

I said thanks for your time and left.

Called Porsche corporate and told them if Porsche plans on successfully selling EVs in the US, they might want to educate their dealers.

 

[daveo4EV]

Went to the dealer today to pick up an airbag for a side project.
Brought the Taycan and the charger setup to see if they can address the bulletin.
Service advisor was not cooperative. He wanted me to leave the car there for 3-4 days.
I said nothing's wrong with my car.
He pulled up my VIN and said look, no recalls needed.
I said sure but look at this bulletin. He didn't want to read it. He said I understand.
I said no you don't because you haven't read this.
He called the shop lead and I guess he also gave the "leave the car" speech.

I said thanks for your time and left.

Called Porsche corporate and told them if Porsche plans on successfully selling EVs in the US, they might want to educate their dealers.

exhibit #1 of 1,297,546 in assessing the quality of "porsche's EV support"

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...-fixed-pmc-october-30-2024.22242/#post-348896

 

[Tooney]

When I recently took my Taycan to dealer for replacing brake lines and new cable for PMC+, I mentioned to service advisor that I had read this TSB stating that some of the new cables would not work with the PMC+ and it was necessary to actually plug in the PMC+ with new cable to ensure it worked at 220v.

Service advisor said, yes, we know that - we had some failures when we started replacing cables. We always test them.

A day later he called and said brake lines were replaced but the cable we got for your PMC+ did not work so we have ordered another one which will be here tomorrow. I picked up car the next day, tested my PMC+ with new cable at home and it worked properly. Put it back in the box for storage until I dispose of the car.

Taycan service from Porsche dealers varies. Try to find a good one.
And if you are in US, get a non-Porsche EVSE to use at home.

 

[Sajan]

Been a Porsche owner for a long time and have had air-cooled, water-cooled and now EV.
Porsche's attitude has always been to ignore/deny/refuse for widespread problems.

Unfortunately the cars they make are like crack to us. We can't get enough of them.

 

[Sajan]

Went to the dealer today to pick up an airbag for a side project.
Brought the Taycan and the charger setup to see if they can address the bulletin.
Service advisor was not cooperative. He wanted me to leave the car there for 3-4 days.
I said nothing's wrong with my car.
He pulled up my VIN and said look, no recalls needed.
I said sure but look at this bulletin. He didn't want to read it. He said I understand.
I said no you don't because you haven't read this.
He called the shop lead and I guess he also gave the "leave the car" speech.

I said thanks for your time and left.

Called Porsche corporate and told them if Porsche plans on successfully selling EVs in the US, they might want to educate their dealers.

Selling dealer (out of town) gave me another cable. Still didn't work.

I took it to another dealer in town, he tried a few cables (he claims) and made me an appt to bring it back to leave car and charger there.

I emailed the GM from the first dealership I went to in town and explained the situation and the poor customer service. He had his service director call me and told me to bring the car back.
I went in with the charger, showed him the two cables and the bulletin.
He took the charger back. Came back out 15 mins later. He said the software update wasn't done on the charger even though the VIN doesn't indicate so.
Updated it and I was on my way. I was skeptical.
I got home and got the same error. I flipped it from 50% to 100% and the error was gone. Power cycled it a few times, no error. Charged the car with no issues.

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