PDK in-house repairs at IPB

PDK Information

IPB-Autosport is proud to offer a solution for the PDK distance sensor failure. Are you experiencing PDK failure in your 911, or Boxster, Cayman or Macan? Owners with models 997.2, 991, Cayman, and Boxster (981) have had some pretty scary situations where they have had a gearbox fault that sends the car into limp home mode, or renders it completely undrivable. This can be due to a faulty distance sensor or displacement sensor within the PDK transmission itself. The message you will have seen on your Porsche will read, “Transm. fault. Poss. no R gear. Drive on poss.”

Porsche first introduced the PDK (Porsche Double Clutch) system in 2009 on models like the 997.2 Carrera base, 997.2 Carrera S, Boxster base, and Boxster S. Later models, such as the 981 Boxster and Cayman, are equipped with the ZF 7DT45 transmission, while the 911 Turbo features the ZF 7DT70. The Turbo’s system includes a more durable clutch and components, with different ratios to handle its higher power output.

Common Issues and Fixes

Fault Codes Related to Distance Sensors
If you encounter fault codes like the ones below, it’s often a sign that your displacement sensor is faulty or on the verge of failure:

• P1731: Shift rod 1 displacement sensor
• P1732: Shift rod 2 displacement sensor
• P1733: Shift rod 3 displacement sensor
• P1734: Shift rod 4 displacement sensor
• P17XX: 5V displacement sensor

If these codes appear, it’s crucial to check the actual data values using the PIWIS unit/system to confirm the issue.

Other PDK-Related Fault Codes
Here’s a breakdown of other fault codes that may appear:

• Pressure Sensor Faults:
• P0841 & P0846: Pressure sensor fault (implausible value)
• P17B1 & P17B2: Clutch fault (implausible activation pressure)
• P17B3 & P17B4: Clutch pressure remains too high during overlap switching
• P17BB to P1717BE: Clutch fault (unable to open the clutch)
• Temperature Sensor Faults:
• P0711: Transmission temperature sensor fault
• P172D: Transmission temperature sensor gradient fault
• P17F0 to P17F2: Transmission overheating
• P1706: Clutch pressure sensor fault (available from Porsche or ZF, with an updated version available)

You can measure resistance at the TCU before removing the transmission to diagnose. Here’s a quick reference for the pressure sensor pinouts:

PDK Connector (A connector, closest to engine):

• Pressure sensor 1: A11
• Pressure sensor 2: A12
• 5V supply: A13

TCU Connector:

• Pressure sensor 1: B30
• Pressure sensor 2: B31
• 5V supply: B20
• Software Faults:
• P0602: Control unit not programmed
• P0603: EEPROM emulation checksum incorrect
• P0604: RAM test failure
• P0605: Flash checksum incorrect
• P0614: Data status mismatch with engine
• P0702: Watchdog (monitoring unit)
• P1749: Invalid variant coding
• P1870: Shift rod synchronization data error
• P1871: Clutch synchronization data error
• P1872: Hydraulic teach-in (HYT1) sync error
• P1897: Speed control intervention calculation error
• P174B: Invalid allocation between control unit and transmission hardware
• P174C: BIN file mismatch
• P174E: Incorrect EEPROM content at system start
• P186F: Invalid electric synchronization data
• P189A to P189D: Software monitoring faults
• Gear Selection Faults:
• P17D0 to P17D9: Hydraulic gear selection issue