Key Fob Battery - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

jrkauffman28 · 01-26-2009, 10:58 AM

I have a 2000 Boxster and the remote key FOB has stopped working. It looks like it's about time to replace the internal battery. Before I pry open the two halves of the key fob, are there any precautions I need to take?

Can I lose the programming of the key so the car will no longer start????

What is the battery make and model that will need to be replaced. (oddly enough, I've searched the forum under "key fob" and "fob battery" hoping to come up with any info) No Joy!!! :dance: :dance:

Regards,
Jim

timothy · 01-26-2009, 11:10 AM

Mine has a CR2032 3V like you will find at an electronics store, Radio Shack, and possibly Home Depot / Lowes. You're not likely to break anything in the process. A rubber seal can get stretched with age but I just stick the seal back in place and snap the halves together.

jrkauffman28 · 01-27-2009, 06:30 AM

OK, so I'm off to Home Depot tonight and I'll see if a CR2032 3V will do the trick.

Got a snow storm coming in, so might as well take care of things like this that will be needed for the Spring.

Thanks for the quick response.

jmatta · 01-27-2009, 12:03 PM

After replacing the battery, you'll likely need to inset the key in the ignition and turn to on (not engaging the starter); this re-syncs the electronics (don't ask me why, but I had to do this when I replaced my battery; it is explained in the owner's manual). Upon removal from the ignition, you must press the lock button within six seconds to reset. It should work just fine from there.

Others have let the battery die or come close and it creates all sorts of problems (just read some of the other posts). My friend's key on his '02 was dying and the dealer replaced it just in time before the immobilizer took over, rendering the car undrivable.

jrkauffman28 · 01-27-2009, 05:06 PM

Dissasembled the FOB, removed and installed a new CR2032 Lithium battery, and reassembled. LED on FOB blinks brightly. Car doors open. car starts and runs great, but neither of the key FOB buttons do anything but blink red.

Tried suggestion of putting key into ignition and turning it to run (but not start postion), and hit the lock button of the FOB within 6 seconds. No Joy. Looked at owners manual and did not see anything other than insturctions on how to physically replace the battery.

I learned that if you open the door with your key and hold it in the open position, it lowers both windows. If you hold the key in the lock position, it raises both windows. I've only owned the car for 8 years and now I find this feature.??? Go figure

I saw a small 1/2 inch green tube inside of the key FOB when I replaced the new batterry with the second new battery in the package (you never know). At this time. I also pulled up the three metal prongs on the bottom of the FOB that make contact with the negative side of the battery. At this time I removed the small green glass tube and reinstalled it. (What the hell is this thing anyway).

I remember walking up to the car from the rear and unlocking the car using the key FOB. When I did this, a red light on the dash would flash. Even though the key FOB is flashing like crazy, no lights flash on the dash. Anyone have a clue????

Jim

jrkauffman28 · 01-28-2009, 10:14 AM

Talked to service department of the dealer. He said the small pill looking thing is the immobilizer chip. This chip and the physical portion of the key is what allows you to unlock the doors and start the car. The battery and the circuit board ONLY have to do with remote entry into the trunk and remotely unlocking the doors. He thinks that the circuit board needs to be replaced. Cost $125 plus $150 programming.

Truly a stealership answer. This key FOB was working fine, although only at short range as the battery got weaker up until the point it went into Winter storage.

Anyone have any ideas???? Is their a circuit breaker on the "car" end of the remote FOB that I should check? Again I see no light blink on the dash when the red LED on the FOB is pulsating. :dance:

Jim

jrkauffman28 · 02-06-2009, 08:04 AM

Any further input from anyone on this issue? :dance: :dance:

mylamb · 02-06-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrkauffman28

Talked to service department of the dealer. He said the small pill looking thing is the immobilizer chip. This chip and the physical portion of the key is what allows you to unlock the doors and start the car. The battery and the circuit board ONLY have to do with remote entry into the trunk and remotely unlocking the doors. He thinks that the circuit board needs to be replaced. Cost $125 plus $150 programming.

Truly a stealership answer. This key FOB was working fine, although only at short range as the battery got weaker up until the point it went into Winter storage.

Anyone have any ideas???? Is their a circuit breaker on the "car" end of the remote FOB that I should check? Again I see no light blink on the dash when the red LED on the FOB is pulsating. :dance:

Jim

Your stealership is correct. Once the key is programmed, you can start the car even if your fob battery is dead. The flaw is with the design of the fob. It often breaks, and the dealer will recommend a new fob & re-program. If you know WHICH piece is faulty, I'm sure you could try to solder it, but good luck with that. The smallest headache for you, will be to locate a new fob & take it to the dealer to reprogram. I did this in the summer of 07 & it lasted exactly 1 year before it broke again. I have since been driving without the ability to use the remote & it's fine. I'll probably do it again this spring/summer - just haven't felt like spending any more moolah on the car lately! The fob is about $90 - $150 (depending on where you get it) and you will probably be charged 1 full hour to program it. I don't think a specialist can do this for you - has to be a dealer.

Good luck

vath2001 · 02-06-2009, 09:10 AM

One trick I read was to install the battery backwards leave it in for about 5-10 seconds and install it correctly. and then put it into the ignition and hold donw the lock button on the key.

I have't tried this yet, so I would like to know if it even works.

And my key FOB didn't work when I got the car.

jmatta · 02-06-2009, 02:26 PM

Sorry to hear you're still having troubles. The electronics have become a real pain on the new cars; and unnecessarily so. If someone wants to take your car, they're going to load it on a flatbed anyway, so why make life difficult?

I haven't checked my spare key for years...I think I know what I'll find.

vath2001 · 02-07-2009, 02:43 AM

I recently had to get another key for my car (separate issue involving a broken door lock mechanism).
The dealer told me that they cannot check my key FOB without the original paperwork telling them the codes the FOB should be sending to the car.
Now without asking a separate dealer, I don't know if this is true or not. And I don't want another dealer visit unless its worth my time.

Anyone else know? Because basically, I have the same problem... the FOB flashed the little red light and the car doesn't care.

Thanks

mylamb · 02-09-2009, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vath2001

I recently had to get another key for my car (separate issue involving a broken door lock mechanism).
The dealer told me that they cannot check my key FOB without the original paperwork telling them the codes the FOB should be sending to the car.
Now without asking a separate dealer, I don't know if this is true or not. And I don't want another dealer visit unless its worth my time.

Anyone else know? Because basically, I have the same problem... the FOB flashed the little red light and the car doesn't care.

Thanks

Where did you get this new key? This page has just about all the info on our key fobs. If you got it from a dealer, it should have come with the necessary paperwork. I have seen them show up on eBay from time to time, but rarely with the code (white tag with several numbers) and without it, those remotes are useless:

http://www.ppbb.com/boards/ppbbphp/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=MUSEUM&Number=761531&page=12&view=collapsed&sb=3&o=&fpart=1

vath2001 · 02-09-2009, 03:46 PM

When I got the door mech repaired/replaced it came with a new key blade. I bought a "spare" key head from the dealer. The spare key just has the little chip in it (no remote entry) and they programmed the car to the chip.

I had spent enought getting the door lock fixed, I didn't feel like spending more for a FOB head ($200 more).

SunCoast does sell either version with all the proper paperwork. You just need to get a dealer to program the car to the chip.