Porsche Panamera ECU Removal for Flashing

After spending hours online looking for how to remove the Porsche Panamera ECU to have it flashed, nobody had any good instructions so we decided to write some up.  This process probably will take 20 mins and remember to be very careful so you don’t cause a bigger issue!

Step 1 – Pop your hood on the Panamera and look to the passenger side of the car near the window and fender.

Step 2 – Before you being the ECU removal process, go into your trunk, pull up the rear cover, lift the foam tool box, and disconnect the negative battery terminal (left side).  This is done with a 10mm socket.  Now proceed to the ECU location in the front of the vehicle.  Located in the front near where you refill the window washer fluid, you will need to take off the cover and begin the process.  Tools you will need are:  Flathead screwdriver, Torx bits (T25, T27), 10mm socket, 10-12inch extension.

Step 3 – Remove the cover closest to the window with the flathead screwdriver by just turning the 2 + shape clips.  Then move to the cover around where the windshield washer refill is and remove those with the T25 torx bit.

Step 4 – With the covers removed, you will see the ECU sitting vertically with the 2 master plugs on the right side facing the engine.  On top of the ECU are 2 10mm bolts that need to be removed.  You will feel the ECU loose like it is just held in with a rubber grommet on the bottom, but ITS NOT.  There is 1 more 10mm bolt that is on the fender side of the ECU at the bottom.  Use your socket extension and a flashlight.  Once that is removed, you will have access to the ECU.

Step 5 – If you need more clearance, you can remove the hood strut where it connects to the hood.  Now you can lift the ECU up and disconnect it from the ECU plugs.  On either end of the ECU plugs is a black slide clip.  Pull these out and the plugs will come up.  Now you can pull your ECU completely out.  Once you pull it out, there will be the bracket that mounted it to the car.  This is held on by 6 T27 torx bits.  You can remove this to prepare it for shipping.

Step 6 – Now that it is removed, pack it up nicely in some bubble wrap, place it in a box, put the provided label on it, ship it to us to be flashed!