Technical Help on my 996 Please!!!

2003 Cab: Today the key via the buttons would not open the door or dis alarm. I noticed the key had a steady red light on. Other key with spouse who is away this weekend. Is there something I can do to turn the red light off the key? How can I get the key to work? I hate to drive to the dealer just to have them look at the key. The car is 10 months old and the key should be like new. Anyone have any suggestions how to fix this problem? Cabman

If the car has been idle for 5 days or more, the remote button is disabled and you have to open the car manually with the key.

Cabman, I had exactly this problem with my key once ... Somewhere on this forum I found a message about this and it solved my problem. I'll see if I can dig it up ... Here it is: Key Light Stuck On

cab same thing happen to me with malfunction of key fob. a TSB was put out about the key fobs for select 03's. both of mine died at the same time. they had to be replaced by the dealer under warrenty. you should still be able to lock/unlock by inserting the key into the door. when you lock you will activate the alarm. so when you unlock you have to get in and start the car quickly to avoid setting off the alarm. not a big deal really just take it in to the dealer and they should take care of you. roy

Thanks for the info Roy. The one key with the steady light on died today. The only problem I had yesterday is I could nt open the gas door, it was locked. I called Porsche Roadside Asst and they told me abt the cable ring in the passenger door. The dealer closest to me is 60 miles away in Maitland (I am currently in Fl). What a waste of time to drive 120 miles to get this done. Wonder if Porsche could arrange for them to pick up the keys. I hear the dealer needs both keys to reprogram. I wil call the dealer on Monday. This is the 2nd thing to go wrong with this car in the last 10 months. My 993 never had a problem. It also had less electronics. I had an early 1995 and it didnt have the remote key entry which was great. It may have had an alarm but I cant remember. Cabman Don

The newer Boxster keys can also do the same thing. I have fixed 2 by removing the battery and putting it back in. Since your battery is dead buy another battery in. If there are still problems with a new battery then reverse the battery for a few seconds, and then flip the battery and put it in correctly.

tool, i did the thing with the battery and it did not work for me. but don you should still try it, since you are so far away from your dealer cab, 2 things in 10 months sucks, they needed to keep my car for the complete reprogram. the also had to reprogram the valet key. you should join renntech.org, its a great site and you have access to all the TSB's for your car/porsche, plus a bunch of other great info. loren runs it.

Last month the DME went (fuel pump relay) and now the key is dead. What next??? I swear, for all the yrs I owned my new 1995 C2 993 I had zero problems,, just took it to Tischer Porsche in MD for oil changes annually. Knockwood,, it was a perfect car. I am starting to wonder about this 996 car big time, especially if I have to drive it from Satellite Beach to Maitland Porsche in Orlando this week (65 miles each way) for a key reprogramming. There has to be a better way than this. Cabman ps.. I have owned Honda Accords since the 70s and never once had a problem with anything.