⚡️ Home Charging Issues after Software Update? (Tracking Thread)

[ColdCase]

Just as a data point, Today I saw 246-247 VAC at the panel (123VAC+ per leg via an accurate DVOM) and was able to top off the charge just fine (Porsche brand wall charger set to 48 amp and split phase).

Last I checked many months ago, I was seeing 210-220 VAC and I made an incorrect assumption that would still be the case.

The November 2024 built 2025 model 4S was updated 28 January 2026 if that matters.

I do notice, in a small sample size, that time from plug in to charge can vary, perhaps a voltage component to that, or just a coincidence.

I'll have to instrument while initiating the charge session. Perhaps the car puts enough load on the circuit that voltage at the charger drops enough to allow charging. Dunno.

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[pm4s]

I’ve been tracking the data reported across this community...

I was referring to this:
"It appears the recent software update narrowed the Macan’s tolerance to European 230V limits" and replied by saying our grid (1ph) is 230v +-10% = limits 207v - 253v.

It is clear what is happening but the germans have not flashed NA Macans with European 230V limits as you suggest, as our limit (253v) is above the voltage the OBC rejects the charge.

It is also clear that once you're past the initial check (say by connecting an L1 EVSE with a voltage regulator and keep lowering the voltage until the car starts charging) you can then unplug the L1 EVSE, plug in your L2 EVSE (which refused to charge) and car will now charge fine even with the higher voltage.

This means once the car has approved the grid it is happy to either lower its tolerances or use a different logic, will give some examples (may not be relevant):
1) My boxster cold start, if I start it while it's been sitting for a while revs shoot up to ~1100rpm and sounds really angry, if I switch it off immediately (considers cats are now warm) and start it, it goes straight to idle (no fuss)
2) Entering a building, you have to stop at the guard, get processed, given a visitor card with access rights, you can now move around the building, if you exit the building same procedure again but once you're inside you can roam

So NA Macans had their grid qualification limits tightened (either by different measurement / misinterpretation / logic / profile / etc. / etc. but the they have not been set to European limits as our limit is higher: 253v; seen failures at 247v for example.

 

[daveo4EV]

in any case this is now a complete "sh*t show" for Porsche because unless there is a new recall issues there will be now be 3 classes of Macan EV's

1. unmodified Macan EV - which will work on North American grid's with voltage ranges that are normal
2. modified Macan EV's - which only sometimes work on North American grid's with voltage ranges that are normal
3. "fixed" Macan's EV's - which should work on North American grid's with voltage ranges that are normal

the current software also sets up a terrible behavior for "traveling" outside your region. Your Macan EV might work just fine in Arizona - but when you travel to Illinois it won't work for some reason to charge at L2 chargers in that region - but this problem will be non-reprodicible by your local Porsche dealership - who will shrug their shoulders and claim there never was any problem…

I pity our population of Macan EV owners as they try to roam around the country getting their vehicle's to charge on L1/L2 chargers…

unless Porsche mandates this fix for the entire fleet you never know if you'll be able to charge at any given L2 charger in the whole of North America…they can't just release this for "owners that complain" - because 99% of owners will have no idea what the root cause of their failure to charge was…and it may very very likely happen while away from home…

some gas pumps will work, some won't - what a great product!!

 

[pm4s]

It's a "sh*t show" for Porsche because instead of sorting OTA updates they cheapened out and used their antiquated dealer network instead.
When my ID.3 was receiving OTA updates these were rolled out in waves ("canary release"), waves of 1000 vehicles. If no issues were reported next wave would be rolled out, etc.
This was all automatic, I did not have to do anything, just driving the car normally it would download the update in the background, after that, before exiting the car it would notify you in yellow, hey there's a new update if you want to check it out these are the details, if you want to install it click here, it will take this many hours, the notification would stay in your notifications for ever (until you install it).

In Porsche manual land what should have happened is once more than few NA Macans that received the update could not AC charge anymore the update should have be halted for the rest of the NA cars until investigation and remedy was complete.

In an ideal world they would roll-back the OBC firmware to the previous version (as that worked fine) and try again. Should not take more than a day.

In the real world we are nearly 4 months post update and update is still not halted, dealers are clueless (as ever) and Macans are being merrily downgraded to DC charging only (apart from the couple of well informed forum users who decided to wait it out).

 

[SandyHaus]

Interesting that you bring up travel charging at L1/L2 chargers. I had been relieved that the voltage regulator trick had worked for me and thought, since I'm planning a near cross-country trip in a couple of months, I have a solution that would allow me to charge at hotel stops by bringing the regulator with me. But, of course, it would take the perfect storm of having a 110v outlet close enough to the L2 charger that I could perform the switcheroo procedure. Probably not very likely.

Sandy

 

[skshimer]

Any ideas on how wide spread a problem this is? I don’t find anything on rennlist about this problem. Very unfortunate for the people experiencing the problem but I wonder if most of them are on this site and the problem is not that wide spread. Still no excuses for Porsche not taking care of this immediately.

 

[jergans]

Interesting that you bring up travel charging at L1/L2 chargers. I had been relieved that the voltage regulator trick had worked for me and thought, since I'm planning a near cross-country trip in a couple of months, I have a solution that would allow me to charge at hotel stops by bringing the regulator with me. But, of course, it would take the perfect storm of having a 110v outlet close enough to the L2 charger that I could perform the switcheroo procedure. Probably not very likely.

Sandy

Most commercial service is at 220v, which is why people are usually able to charge using a level 2 at Porsche dealers, even while failing at home.

It’s likely that you’d be okay charging at a hotel..but obviously a huge risk to take if there’s no high speed option nearby in case hotel charging doesn’t work.

 

[knight641]

My update:
The voltage regulator arrived this evening. Plugged it in to my “110v” outlet, set the voltage to 110v attached there Porsche charger to the regulator, and plugged it into the charge port on my car. . .
got the same unable to charge message and red lights. Dropped the voltage to 105v -same, to 100v -same. Then tried 97v and. . . car started charging - green lights all around. I unplugged the Porsche charger and replaced it with my Tesla 220v charger with adapter and all stayed green and charging went smoothly! Thanks to this forum and its great participants, I can survive the months it will take for Porsche to fix this software issue without having to head to distant DC chargers each week!!

Sandy

Is this the one you bought from Amazon: https://a.co/d/0hYWOeFr

To clarify: you have to first do L1 charging through regulator and trick new software into thinking voltage is in spec range (that make sense). But then when you pull L1 charger out and plug in L2 charger straight from the wall without a regulator; the software DOES NOT recheck and charges fine with 240 V ?!

 

[SandyHaus]

That is the unit I purchased. And your summary of the procedure is correct.

Sandy

 

[dgkhn]

"Simple" way to reduce your voltage.

This just popped into my head. My voltage at the EVSE is typically about 238 volts: I have about 150 foot run from my meter to the EVSE in my garage. (I have not had any software updates in my 2024 Macan 4).

well, of course: voltage drops with run length: https://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html

Need to reduce your voltage closer to 240? Add cable length. I'm half serious here

 

[ColdCase]

The voltage drop over a cable run varies with the current being drawn. No current, the voltage will be the same at both ends.

I dunno how much current the Macan draws during voltage checks, I wouldn't expect much.

 

[dgkhn]

I dunno how much current the Macan draws during voltage checks, I wouldn't expect much.

Good point. Interesting question

 

[Bauer83]

Two weeks ago, I contacted Porsche NA (for the 4th time) and gave a different person a detailed description of our common problem and all the steps I and my dealer tried that do not solve the problem. I followed up with an email and how the problem pointed to either new and inappropriate software sensitivity to normal electrical supply variances or to dealer error in installing the software. This time I was promised that it would be elevated to Engineering and I could expect a response in 2 weeks. So, this morning I called and left a message asking for an update. As per the previous 3 times I did not receive a response. However, late today I got a call from my dealer saying he just received a notice from Porsche that there was a new software update to be installed in cases like this. I have an appointment for next Thursday (19th) and will report back on how it went.

Regardless of how this turns out, perhaps an equally frustrating problem is how Porsche NA responds to issues like this. @toontoon 's dealer is told they are working on the problem the same day my dealer is told there is a software update. As far as I can tell, no one on this forum has been told directly by Porsche NA that they are aware of the problem or ever heard of the problem. A little transparency on Porsche's part toward their customers would go a long way.

Did your car end up going in yesterday for a fix?

 

[annwills]

Did your car end up going in yesterday for a fix?

Yes, the car went in Thursday and it's still at the dealer. And the "fix" that was promised turned out to be a promise to work with Porsche NA to analyze the problem. I am not at all hopeful since they already know that charging works at the dealer.

I also received a call this week from Porsche NA to say they have not received a response from Engineering concerning my detailed description of the problem but would "keep me informed" if they hear anything.

I'm afraid that after 3 months and 4 dealer visits and 3 emails to Porsche that this might be heading toward a final answer from Porsche that they have looked at this and it is not their problem. If that's the case, I need to think about what to do if the dealer says it is time to pick up my car and return the loaner.

 

[daveo4EV]

Yes, the car went in Thursday and it's still at the dealer. And the "fix" that was promised turned out to be a promise to work with Porsche NA to analyze the problem. I am not at all hopeful since they already know that charging works at the dealer.

I also received a call this week from Porsche NA to say they have not received a response from Engineering concerning my detailed description of the problem but would "keep me informed" if they hear anything.

I'm afraid that after 3 months and 4 dealer visits and 3 emails to Porsche that this might be heading toward a final answer from Porsche that they have looked at this and it is not their problem. If that's the case, I need to think about what to do if the dealer says it is time to pick up my car and return the loaner.

if Porsche washes their hands of this issue it's bad for the entire fleet - and means there are random times any vehicle in the entire fleet would refuse to charge off a valid L2/AC EVSE due to voltage conditions on the regional north american grid…

this would make me sad, but is also consistent for Porsche and their approach to EV's - which seems mostly to be "learn nothing"…

{sigh}

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