Key Remote Not Working After Service

Hi All, Can you please give me your opinion on the following scenario: Assume you take your car to an OPC to get some work done and have a 111-point check done. They have the car for 1 week in order to diagnose and fix the problem and carry out the check. You are in constant contact with the service staff there, to discuss what is wrong, what needs fixing, plan of action, price, you know the deal. You arrange for collection of the car and when you turn up there you collect the keys as normal and settle the bill. You are told there were no problems whatsoever found during the 111-point check. You walk out to the car and the remote no longer works. Car does not unlock, no indicator flashes, nothing. You check the key and it is yours. You go back in and tell the service staff. At this stage you are 100% certain that they key remote worked when you dropped it off 1 week ago. "No problem sir. It will just be the battery." Battery is replaced in the key fob, still nothing. Car gets taken back into work shop to try and recode the key. Doesn't work. There seems to be a problem with the key, so they replace it with a new fob. The new fob is recoded and away you drive. The service staff member tells me they keep the keys together in a cabinet and they sometimes interfere with each other causing problems. You get home and you realise the 2nd key (spare key) no longer works. You think this one just needs recoding since they have changed the code on the car when the first key stopped working and was replaced. The car is booked in for something else anyway so you intend to take the 2nd key along at that time to get it recoded. A couple of days later the service staff call you to tell you that you owe them £150 for the key fob they replaced. You tell them the car is going in again with them in 2 weeks and you will deal with it then. In 2 weeks you are there again with the 2nd key to get it recoded. "Sorry Sir, we cannot get it to recode, there seems to be a problem with the key. The only option seems to be to replace it at a cost of £150." Plus of course the £150 for the 1st key. Now is it just me being naive or is it wrong that the car is returned to me with defects, which were not there when it was submitted to OPC? And on top of that I am charged for having them rectified. Both keys worked when I dropped the car off and so both keys should still work when it is collected. If any damage occurs to any part of the vehicle whilst it is in their care, they should rectify the situation at no cost to me. They agreed to cover the cost of the 1st key under goodwill, but said either I pay for the 2nd key or live without a second fob. I went straight to Porsche UK, who spoke to the service staff on my behalf. The response Porsche UK received was that the faulty fob came up on the 111-point check and that the key fob looked worn. But why was I not advised of the faulty fob and why was the old key given back to me like nothing was wrong when I collected the car the first time. I have been told that these keys do play up from time to time and it is just unfortunate that it happened whilst it was with OPC. Thoughts?

I would tell them to go and kerfurker themselves. They have obviously reset something or other which is why the key didn't work. It is just too much of a coincidence that the key stopped working while the car was in the OPC. If they did need to recode the key they should have recoded ALL keys at no cost to you. Stand firm on this and Good Luck

That sounds very poor. they are trying it on, think it's clear. As Dave says, don't give up. I think going thru Porsche Gb customer services is your best bet. They were very good when i had trouble getting a part in at my OPC. good luck

I had amazing arguments with both my local OPC (Sheffield) and Reading about Keys.... similar to you but no resolution.. Even had the situation that the Petrol filler cap wouldn't open. Obviously these guys hadn't had their 2 hour Porsche OPC Training !!! I was so anoyed with OPC I just lived with it - The car spent two months being opened physically (not remote operated) then I took it to my local indi' Zentrum, Nottingham (Ex OPC team) for a service and they said no problem about the key it looks like an original key and they are prone to fail. They ordered new blank remote head (£64) reprogrammed and no problem since ? WHY DO OPC take the Mick on items such as this, I was also ripped off big time for a MAF.

Slightly off topic sorry, BUT..... What is it with the 5 day remote not work thing..... I read it in the user manual. After 5 days it stops responding to the key FOB to save batter power. at first I thought that was a really smart idea ASSUMING that the key in the door would be "read" as it would in the ignition and when I unlocked the door the alarm wouldn't go off..... Well was I wrong! Not only did I get a horn I got a siren too! Key into the ignition and after what felt like an eternity it stopped..... Now as I only drive it once a week, everytime I open it up I look like a twat who can't get into his car without setting off the alarm.... GEEEEEEEZZZZZZZ! Rant mode off.... Jeff

>What is it with the 5 day remote not work thing... That's a really good point. Did you try opening the car manually? Looking at your post, seems that no one tried opening the car with the key. Once you've done this, it will work as normal. ie. open car with key, open door, alarm sounds, put key in ignition, then click the door open button on the key....alarm goes off (immobilser disabled), engine then starts. Sounds to me as though the key was re-set (without trying it manually) and hence the spare key also needed resetting. After 5 days, the remote receiver in the car is switched off to conserve battery power.