Key FOB Doesn't Work After A Few Days - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

If I don't use the car for a week or so, I notice the key FOB doesn't work and I have to unlock the door the old fashioned way. Once I get in the car and drive it a bit, the key FOB works again for the next few days, unless and until I let it sit again for a week. Does this sound like a Key FOB battery issue, or something else? And if it's the key FOB battery, why would it start working again after I drive the car a bit?

Sounds like it's working the way it's supposed to -- after a week of inactivity, the remote entry module in the car (probably along with other modules) shuts down to reduce battery draw and you have to unlock the car with the key. Once you start it up, it re-awakens the module, and then the cycle starts over again.

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Didn't know that the system works that way. OK, I guess that's good news, no repair bills. Thank you.

That is normal for the 986,987,996 and 997 cars. The first few times with my car I check it out.

If I recall, the anti-theft system goes into a "sleep" mode after about 5 days of inactivity. This is listed in the owners manual. This is to prevent unnecessary battery drain. If the key fob does not work after say two or three days, there may be other issues looming.

Yep its in the book, after 5 days. When I got my 986 the previous owner told me this was the only fault it had, perhaps he should have read the manual lol

I am glad I read this... I was loosing marbles (as my kids say) over it. It is a weird one, but makes sense.

….your owner’s manual. It’s all in there. You bought an exotic car. Take twenty minutes and read the owner’s manual. The security system goes into a “Deep Sleep” mode after a few days. You need to stick the key into the driver’s door and turn it to the front of the car and then pull it out and hit the “unlock” button. More fun facts:if you stick the key into the driver’s door lock, and turn it towards the front of the car and hold it there, it will lower both windows. If you have the top down, you can put the “Red Clip” onto the top latch and lock the car. This will activate the motion detection alarm. If anyone sticks their hand into the cabin, the alarm will go off. There is a “half moon” cut out in the weather stripping on the bottom of both doors. This allows you to run a battery maintainer into the cigarette lighter plug inside the car to keep the battery charged while it is parked. Lots of good info inside that owner’s manual.

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I do not have the FOM!! I am one of those who follow RTFM hence I started looking up for the info instead of simply asking. Thanks for sharing those interesting facts. I am familiar with windows up/down from VW and Audi. I wonder if it also works with the remote. On MKV Rabbit it is only via the key in the lock, while 2015 Audi Q5 both - remote and the lock.

….”Global Windows” control does NOT work with button, key in cylinder only. I recommend you pick up an owner’s manual. If you were about to fly your used Learjet across the ocean, you’d read the manual first. Welcome to the Porsche party.

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Oh, c'mon, do not compare 6 passenger turbojet to a car. Boxster is like any other VW/Audi, just in a different shell. Besides, if I had been flying different planes for the last 35 years, I would be quite familiar with the general operation of the plane. Sure, I would need a course how to fly it, a short familiarization, but it is not like I would have no clue. At this very moment I would not know, though... :P

….talking about flying the Learjet, I was talking about changing the oil on the Learjet. Anybody can FLY a Learjet. Look at that kid in Portland who took the Dash-8 up.