Bad immobilizer box, repair question - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

78F350 · 09-18-2014, 09:50 AM

I have a water damaged alarm/immobilizer (under the seat) box. I plan to get an entire set of DME, key, and immobilizer to replace it.
BUT...
I can't help from wondering if I could just de-solder the processor chip from my old water damaged board and put it onto a working board and use it with my current DME and transponder key.
Are there any engineers out there who know how this stuff works and can explain it to me? ...

jsceash · 09-18-2014, 10:09 AM

My guess would be if you had the tools to do this you could take the chance but I believe you want the eeproms not the processor chip.

BFeller · 09-18-2014, 06:32 PM

IIRC there is a company that can repair them. They were on the forum in the last few months asking about interest in a water proof box. You might check into the repair.

Qmulus · 09-19-2014, 12:53 PM

FWIW, I have repaired a couple of them, and also salvaged the "programming" from an otherwise unrepairable M535 module and transferred it to another good used one with an identical part number. No reprogramming was needed, other than to clear the fault codes that were stored in the module as it was failing. The data that you need is not in the processor, but rather stored in a separate IC. So in my experience, there is never a reason to have to replace everything.

This should be more than enough information for someone with a bit of an electronics background. Sorry, that is about all the info that I will share, as this kind of work is part of my business...

78F350 · 09-19-2014, 06:58 PM

Qmulus, thanks for the reply. That is really the info I was looking for and to be spoon fed the whole solution takes the fun out of it anyway. I'm pretty rusty in the electronics field, but with all the resources available online I can sort out the rest.

The waterproof boxes mentioned earlier sound like a great product. Although a wet floor isnt as dramatic as a failed IMS bearing, It probably leads to as may expensive failures.

-Jon

irogag · 04-25-2018, 08:09 AM

If you are getting any fault codes on W line (Code 21, 19, etc)....make sure to test the relay nearest the blue connector. That is the problem I had and a few taps on it (as well as using a huge magnet) seems to correct it. It IS testing bad as the N.O. contact is NOT closing as it should no matter what voltage on relay coil is applied (Spec is 5 VDC).

Mechanical always fails before electrical

I am going to make a full diagnostic step-by-step on the 986 immobilizer soon, as i've really beat this thing up and it keeps working....mainly I feel it's unfair for local repair places to be charging owners 1100 to 1500 for a short operation to re-teach a new immobilizer. The part is only around $400 from porsche, so no repair in my opinion should be more than 500 dollars.

p3230 · 04-26-2018, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irogag

If you are getting any fault codes on W line (Code 21, 19, etc)....make sure to test the relay nearest the blue connector. That is the problem I had and a few taps on it (as well as using a huge magnet) seems to correct it. It IS testing bad as the N.O. contact is NOT closing as it should no matter what voltage on relay coil is applied (Spec is 5 VDC).

Mechanical always fails before electrical

I am going to make a full diagnostic step-by-step on the 986 immobilizer soon, as i've really beat this thing up and it keeps working....mainly I feel it's unfair for local repair places to be charging owners 1100 to 1500 for a short operation to re-teach a new immobilizer. The part is only around $400 from porsche, so no repair in my opinion should be more than 500 dollars.

Good I am looking forward to this.

Doug427 · 04-26-2018, 09:46 AM

Unless you're hell bent on trying to repair it yourself, I'd just send it to Steve ("Qmulus", see above post by him). The un-repairable board he refers to above that he removed and transferred the information over to another was likely mine. My board was dead and badly corroded from water damage. It turned out to be un-repairable. However, as Steve says above, he was able to salvage all the information off my board, and re-program a good used board that he had on hand with all the information from my board.

I too looked into the replacement of the computer, immobilizer, keys, etc. It's not only a pain in the neck to change all that stuff out and significantly more expensive than what Steve does, but it also changes your car to a car that is now electronically NOT your car but rather another, the one that the stuff came out of. If you need keys, etc in the future, you're going to have a bit of a can of worms on your hands. Going with a repair done by Steve, you're car is left working perfectly, EXACTLY as it did the day before it got wet. Nothing will have changed at all.

I'll leave it to Steve to discuss costs if he wishes to, or you can contact him to discuss. It works flawlessly, and the cost was very inexpensive compared the the repair place in Florida that is more widely known, and it was literally a small fraction of the cost of having the dealer program and install a new immobilizer. I recommend Steve very highly. He's THE immobilizer repair guy - great work at a great price, fair and honest too. He is a pleasure to deal with.

mcfragale212 · 12-18-2019, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qmulus

FWIW, I have repaired a couple of them, and also salvaged the "programming" from an otherwise unrepairable M535 module and transferred it to another good used one with an identical part number. No reprogramming was needed, other than to clear the fault codes that were stored in the module as it was failing. The data that you need is not in the processor, but rather stored in a separate IC. So in my experience, there is never a reason to have to replace everything.

This should be more than enough information for someone with a bit of an electronics background. Sorry, that is about all the info that I will share, as this kind of work is part of my business...

hi, was looking to see if you could fix my immobilizer
Thanks Mario

irogag · 01-19-2020, 06:07 AM

I am shamelessly linking my repair steps here on 986forum for any other Boxster owners who want to try to fix M535 themselves (see the post near the end from irogag:
Turn the key no response !! 2000 Boxster base

mtb50 · 01-13-2021, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qmulus

FWIW, I have repaired a couple of them, and also salvaged the "programming" from an otherwise unrepairable M535 module and transferred it to another good used one with an identical part number. No reprogramming was needed, other than to clear the fault codes that were stored in the module as it was failing. The data that you need is not in the processor, but rather stored in a separate IC. So in my experience, there is never a reason to have to replace everything.

This should be more than enough information for someone with a bit of an electronics background. Sorry, that is about all the info that I will share, as this kind of work is part of my business...

I am in need of having my immobilizer repaired. 2000 boxster Car starts and runs OK, convertible top is OK my windows do nothing.

78F350 · 01-13-2021, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtb50

I am in need of having my immobilizer repaired. 2000 boxster Car starts and runs OK, convertible top is OK my windows do nothing. I'm on the road a lot would you give me a call ...

I just sent you a message with Qmulus's contact info from a couple years ago.

Zzorro · 01-16-2021, 06:12 AM

If anyone is able to contact him, PM me. I've been trying to reach him over the last few months to arrange sending him my CLU for repair. But no response, yet. Hope he is still in business.

Qmulus · 01-16-2021, 08:45 PM

Woody just texted me that people weren't able to get a hold of me, so I thought I would take a look and post here. I have been on a house renovation project for my daughter for the last three and a half months and have been pretty much out of touch. I hope to be back by the end of the week, but as with everything I have been dealing lately, something always seems to come up and make my life more complicated. Two of my vehicles have been in accidents in the last three months while parked, one of which - my daughter's - got totaled after being hit by a felon fleeing police after backing into a police cruiser in an F350 snow plow truck. She got my daily driver as a replacement after I finished converting it to AWD working over 24 hours in two days between the holidays. (Huge thanks to the shop that let me use a lift and lots of tools while they were closed for the holidays.)

So, no Covid (thankfully), acts of sedition or other craziness. I am just plain working 12-18hrs on a house. If is were possible to find good, reasonable contractors that even show up, (pick one, and only one) I would have been done a month ago or more. I have ended up doing just about everything myself, after spending too much money paying people that would randomly show up and do lousy work, only to end up redoing what I had already paid to have done so it would be done right. I must say that I have a pretty bad opinion of a lot of tradesmen these days. I have not found a single contractor who would do a better job than I could. Plumbers, electricians, HVAC, concrete guys, so called "handy men", etc. Oh, you want it to code? It seems like standard operating procedure is to do the bare minimum necessary to get the job done with no concern for quality or for the guy who has to work on the job after you, leave a mess and expect prompt and full payment. Oh, and show up three days late to the job with lots of excuses in your new$70k diesel pickup. Once you get paid, you don't even answer phone calls to fix what you said you would, because once the money changes hands the job is done. One plumber even hit my Jeep with his box truck, doing about $3k in damage, and only told me after another guy asked if he was going to tell me that he crushed the fender and ripped off my bumper. After a month of that kind of sh#t, I took the phase "If you want it done right, do it yourself" to heart. It may take a while, but it will be right.

The quality of work done by the craftsmen that build the 105 year old house I am working on is amazing, even though it is a humble two bedroom, one bath house. You can tell that those guys took pride in their work. I have had to peel off probably 60+ years worth of neglect, poorly executed updates and just plain people messing it up. Even without considering the tools they had, this house is straighter, more plumb and more solid than the new construction I see. I hope I am doing right by the original builders of this house in bringing it back to life. In the end, my daughter will have a solid, safe home that will hopefully still be here in another 100 years.

Sorry about the rant. I would MUCH rather be repairing cr@ppy 20 year old corroded immobilizers than what I did for the last few months. Great character building learning experience. I have sooo much character now.

78F350 · 01-16-2021, 09:05 PM

Qmulus, you sound like an awesome dad. Would you mind coming to Oklahoma when you finish your daughter's house? I just want to have a new washer and dryer hookup installed. The plumber I called in early November said, "After Thanksgiving." Then said before the end of the year. I set up the electrician for early January. I gave up on that plumber and tried calling two more. Still none have come by the house, but the electrician did and said that I should have the plumbing done first.

I'm about to dig out my copy of 'Handyman's Handbook' and DIY.

Qmulus · 01-16-2021, 10:26 PM

Washer and dryer installation? Hey, no problem. Just BTDT. Proper venting, so more dryer exhaust out the basement window, proper washer drain plumbing, supplies with single lever shutoff, proper circuits for washer and dryer, etc.

Honestly, if you have common sense, mechanical ability, are a bit meticulous and have the willingness to do some research, it isn't rocket surgery. They make some really nice equipment for this stuff these days. The NEC and UPC/IPC (whatever they use in OK) info is also readily available so you can make sure it is done right. There are probably 50 youtube videos as well I am guessing, but I try not to go there - too many hacks that act like they know what they are doing.

I just read how some plumbers make $200k+ a year. I believe it. Sure, you deal with poo on a regular basis (I am a dad and dog owner, so I have seen my share of every description) and if you screw up you can do a LOT of damage, but for most of what they do, they make a LOT of money for not a lot of time or material invested.

mtb50 · 01-17-2021, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 78F350

Qmulus, you sound like an awesome dad. Would you mind coming to Oklahoma when you finish your daughter's house? I just want to have a new washer and dryer hookup installed. The plumber I called in early November said, "After Thanksgiving." Then said before the end of the year. I set up the electrician for early January. I gave up on that plumber and tried calling two more. Still none have come by the house, but the electrician did and said that I should have the plumbing done first.

I'm about to dig out my copy of 'Handyman's Handbook' and DIY.

With you having the knowledge of flying a helicopter for EMS you can do this. Go for it.

john12312 · 01-20-2021, 09:05 AM

Qmulus repaired my immobilizer and saved me a ton of money. Porsche Dealer was ready to stick it to me with a +$2500 charge.

Zzorro · 02-08-2021, 11:09 PM

Glad you are around Qumulus!

I've been in the renovation loop before! It's a huge time suck.

I got an immobilizer for you to repair when you are ready! I'd love to get it done soon.

sharper410 · 02-09-2021, 04:24 PM

Please put me on your list for immobilizer repair when you have time to get back to them. No hurries as the car still runs and isn't my daily driver. Sent you a PM about a week ago with my contact info.