So, my
recently acquired 04 Boxster S came with what appear to be the two original keys...and they were in sad shape - rubber button pads disintegrating with holes, no responsive buttons. I thought they just needed batteries, so I opened them up and found this:
The good news is both keys will lock/unlock the car manually and start it (RFID capsules are good). (As an aside, I also discovered that if you unlock the car manually with the key and open the door without turning the key in the ignition within 10 seconds you will become the center of attention for everyone in a 25 yard radius.)
The bad news is that I have no remote lock/unlock capabilities right now. I think I can save the key on the left. The remote door lock switch was broken off the PCB and nowhere to be found (I ordered a replacement to solder back on). If I short the two contacts where the switch was the LED will blink. Pressing the frunk/trunk switches will also make the LED blink.
The key on the right, I'm not sure. I'm thinking I could get a donor PCB from an old/unwanted 3 button key and install it in the case with the current RFID capsule and blade. Then my only cost would be getting the immobilizer programmed to recognize the new PCB. But, I'm not sure it works that way. Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated.