ignition switch

I have a 2006 Boxster S , the ignition switch is going bad. I can pull the key out without the car shutting off. Can i replace the switch? Do i have to get new keys coded to the car. Nothing wrong with the keys i have. Also hoping that this might fix my radio being in an alarm state.

I don’t exactly have an answer for you but when I first got my 06 Boxster S I didn’t have any keys (that I was aware of at the time..) so I had to either have the dealer make a new key ($500 ish for the first key from memory) or get a replacement set of the security items which are all coded together. Those being the Security module, engine ECU , Key, Ignition barrel assembly, Drivers door lock/handle assembly, electronic steering lock. I exchanged all the hardware from another 06 Boxster S MT and it all worked faultlessly. The funny part of this is after I had done all that work, I then discovered the cars original key under the gas flap…So I have an extra complete set it ends up becoming the preferred option for you 😊.

I'm no expert on this (never having had an issue with my key/lock) but the lock and the switch are actually individual components. It sounds like your switch is broken and you should be able to replace it without affecting the keying.

The device on the dash that you stick your key into basically "reads" the profile of your key, digitizes it, and sends it to the cars computer. Assuming the values are correct, it allows the car to start. So in effect, the "switch" is independent of the key. I switched mine out in the last year or so. It is not terribly hard to do but there are tutorials out there on the forums and youtube. You do not need to pay to get anything reprogramed. I cannot guarantee this is the problem but it is a good place to start. Porsche 987 Cayman Tech Tip – Ignition Key Not Responding Last week I drove my 07 Cayman S to the local Porsche dealer to pick up an interior part that had come in. I went back out to my car. Inserted the key and tried to start the car. Nothing. No crank.… newhillgarage.com

Hey Harvey, do you know if the 981 is the same? https://www.planet-9.com/threads/broken-ignition-starter-switch-does-it-need-programming.256073/

From my understanding, the key operates the same as the key to your homes front door. The ridges and grooves work in conjunction with the pins in the lock cylinder which enable it to turn in the barrel. The ‘communication’ between the two is incumbent on the tiny ’pill’ inside the key that is mated to the ECU . I’ve gone through this with two cars already, a 2003 911 and my current ‘08 Boxster . This is the way it was explained to me by mechanics and locksmiths alike. If my understanding is incorrect, someone please correct me.

In response to @Js981That , I don't know. You could compare part numbers using the PET. In response to @WTFChuck based on my article linked below, there are not any "pins" in the lock cylinder. The uniqueness of the grooves in the key are converted to a digital signature based on small permutions of the magnetic field generated by the coil of copper wire. Porsche 987 Cayman Tech Tip – Ignition Key Not Responding Last week I drove my 07 Cayman S to the local Porsche dealer to pick up an interior part that had come in. I went back out to my car. Inserted the key and tried to start the car. Nothing. No crank.… newhillgarage.com

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I was misinformed. Does the little pill in the fob communicate with the ECU to allow starting?

I think so but am not certain.

Basically - yes, through the immobilizer (think about the name - that's its function..)

Harveyf, just wanted to ask a follow-up to this similar situation. I have an 06 cayman s and the ignition switch works perfectly except it will no longer release the key without using a pin to push the release. I've got 3 working fobs and keys that work perfectly. Am I understanding correctly that I could order a new switch and replace it, and it "should" work without needing programming because the key blades and the pill are currently working with the ECU already? Harveyf, just wanted to ask a follow-up to this similar situation. I have an 06 cayman s and the ignition switch works perfectly except it will no longer release the key without using a pin to push the release. I've got 3 working fobs and keys that work perfectly. Am I understanding correctly that I could order a new switch and replace it, and it "should" work without needing programming because the key blades and the pill are currently working with the ECU already?

Being a lifelong dis-assembler of all things mechanical, I did take mine apart. The link below has some photos. Porsche 987 Cayman Tech Tip – Ignition Key Not Responding Last week I drove my 07 Cayman S to the local Porsche dealer to pick up an interior part that had come in. I went back out to my car. Inserted the key and tried to start the car. Nothing. No crank.… newhillgarage.com