Porsche Key - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

HI Everyone, Hope you all well. I wonder if you can help. I have a2001 boxster s. The key that opens the car was not working well and only operated very close up, yesterday it stopped working altogether and I had to oen doors manually. This sets off the alarm for some reason and it only goes off once key is in ignition. Can anyone tell me what could be wrong with key? I have replaced battery. Will Porsche need to replace both locks to give me a new one? Hope you can help, it all sounds expensive!! Best regards, Chris.

Your problem definitely sounds like the remote head of the key is not working right. Are you sure the new battery you put in is good and installed correctly? Can you maybe check the charge on the battery with a multimeter? Sometimes if a battery sits too long before purchased it can be dead (or close to it) in the package. Compare new and old batteries to make sure you bought the same marked voltage. If it's not the battery, then you'll just need a new key head with the remote buttons. You can go to a Porsche dealer and they can install one on your key and program it to match your car. There is no need to change the actual locks in the car. Kirk

Hi Kirk, Many thanks. I will check battery again. Take care, best , Chris.

Hi, I have a key which has also stopped working.There are numerous suggestions as to how to get it to work,and none of them do. I think Kirk is right that you need to go to Porsche as do I. You can lock/unlock with the key, if you do you must turn the ignition on within10 seconds or the alarm goes off, pretty good really as it stops some thieving ****************************s breaking in the locks and taking your motor,as they need the key matched to the car to be in the ignition to prevent this. When you think about it,remote locking isnt a must have,we never used to have it and opening the doors with the key isnt difficult, we just get used to walking up and pressing a button on a fob. But, if your like me, you will have to have it working ! Let s know how you solve the problem. Martin UK

my porsche dealer in Huntsville Alabama will not replace only the head. they will only do the whole key which is in excess of $300. they are not a very friendly or helpful dealer. you may have better luck at the dealer near you. my question is, if I buy the whole new key are my old keys rendered useless? in which case you'd have to buy 2 keys, $600...

I bought a new key for my 2000 base box. Dealer reprogrammed old key as he programmed the new key, no extra charge. So no, just be sure to bring old key with you. Dealer said something like its the software that must be purchased that costs so much, and each cars chip and detector are unique. So it's the software you are paying so much for. It's still a rip. Since we are paying for the software, how about giving it to us to use on future key purchase? I'd ask, but the likely bull**************** answer would really piss me off.

Autobahn Porsche in Ft. Worth only charges 60 to reprogram the key. But you must buy it from them. Shop around on the reprogramming charge. All there dealers in the DFW area were different.