Unlockable car, ignition key okay

[MikeMcMo]

Bought a 1999 Boxster base today, knowing the key situation was a bit iffy, but not exactly how iffy. Remote key access was not working- new battery? Nope: opened the key up and there are no guts to it at all, let alone a battery. There is no second key.

The key works in the ignition, but does not work in the door locks. The key goes in all the way, but does not turn either direction, and will not lock or unlock either door. The locks can be activated from the dashboard button, and if I lock them and then pull on the interior door handle, they unlock. So, I cannot lock the car at all right now. Called one Porsche dealer: I must prove ownership, prepay, order, wait, schedule appointment, etc.- new fob $220, new key $189, and I don’t know if that includes programming.

Called two locksmiths who said “You lost me at ‘Porsche’.” A mechanic friend said he *might* know a locksmith who could at least code a key to make the doors work, but he himself had some questions.

Anybody have some ideas for 1) making my locks work in the short term, and 2) avoiding dropping $900 at Porsche for two working keys with fobs.

[78F350]

A few thoughts:

3rd Party Keyless Entry DIY (Why Not?)

Or get this which has the Key blanks and remote. A good locksmith can get the key cut to the lock, or alter/replace the lock:
Car Remote Control Central Kit Door Lock Locking Keyless Entry System Universal


Or get one of these and practice 'till you don't need a key:

[78F350]

Thinking further, I bet Woody has a key blade and lock. ...even an ignition tumbler to match (they are easy to remove and install if you have the key) Call him (512) 925-9171: https://www.facebook.com/Woodys-Parts-LLC-866155110110548/ or pm him here at the forum: itsnotanova

[MikeMcMo]

Thanks. However, due to the $850 discrepancy between the dealership solution and the "Car Remote Control Central Kit Door Lock Locking Keyless Entry System Universal," something tells me the internet solution is too good to be true. Seems like there might be too many Porsche safeguards/over-engineering pitfalls that would keep it from being that easy. Thoughts?

I also just noticed the armrest glovebox lock cylinder isn't turning with the ignition key.

I PM'd Woody and will wait to hear back from him before I make any other move. Thanks again!

[particlewave]

Originally Posted by MikeMcMo

Thanks. However, due to the $850 discrepancy between the dealership solution and the "Car Remote Control Central Kit Door Lock Locking Keyless Entry System Universal," something tells me the internet solution is too good to be true. Seems like there might be too many Porsche safeguards/over-engineering pitfalls that would keep it from being that easy. Thoughts?

I also just noticed the armrest glovebox lock cylinder isn't turning with the ignition key.

I PM'd Woody and will wait to hear back from him before I make any other move. Thanks again!

You are wrong. It works great.
Read the first link 78F350 posted.

Someone obviously changed your ignition cylinder at some point.

[MikeMcMo]

Yes, I read a couple pages of the 3rd party keyless post, but quickly got swamped- way out of my comfort zone there. I can honestly order one of those sets and take it to a locksmith and they can do the coding? What do you recommend? Thanks.

[That986]

Sounds very suspect to me to the point where i would check if it hasn't been stolen.

For the key to work the ignition and nothing else is strange and it's very easy to change over the ignition lock with another.

[78F350]

If you do get a key blade/locks/ignition tumbler, here's some helpful links if you DIY some of the replacement.
Pelican Parts has a series of tech articles about the car. Here's one specific to the door lock, there's another about removing the door panel:
Porsche Boxster Door Lock Mechanism / Door Handle - 986 / 987 (1997-08) - Pelican Parts Technical Article

I suggest replacing the ignition tumbler so that you can use one (same) key for the locks and ignition. Just make sure that you have your current transponder 'pill' in whaterver key you use to start the car.


Some of the videos and DIY articles about replacing the ignition tumbler are much more complicated than they have to be. There is no need to pull the steering column apart. Simply turn the key and insert a straightened paperclip or metal probe in the hole to relase the tumbler:
***video link is no longer valid***

[78F350]

Originally Posted by MikeMcMo

Yes, I read a couple pages of the 3rd party keyless post, but quickly got swamped- way out of my comfort zone there. I can honestly order one of those sets and take it to a locksmith and they can do the coding? What do you recommend? Thanks.

If getting into the wiring is more than you want to do, I'd recommend getting the door lock + storage compartment lock + key blade and having someone competent replace it as I described. If you want the remote locks, many car audio shops can install an aftermarket keyless entry for much less than the Porsche original system will cost.

Or if you want to get it all back to Porsche OEM, spend $600 to $1500 for a dealership to fix it.

[That986]

Personally speaking unless this car was ridiculously cheap i'd have walked away.

[78F350]

Originally Posted by That986

Personally speaking unless this car was ridiculously cheap i'd have walked away.

As many would have wanted to walk away from yours after the first few days:
Hi.

... It came fully stamped up and on initial inspection it seemed like a good honest car, it wasn't.

The first signs were after a week or so the temp light started flashing. I did the usual bleed and refill and that seemed to cure it but that was the start. I have an old friend called Kurt who runs Black Country Porsche and I booked the car in to him for the suspension looking at and to give it a proper look over but the week before it was to go there the water pump completely failed so it ended up on a lowloader all the way from London to the black country.

When Kurt gave it the once over the diagnosis wasn't good, it had a host of parts that needed changing including the oil filler pipe, throttle body cleaning, parts of the intake were leaking, the front coffin arms, both ends arb bushes, the list went on. But after a few quid and some elbow grease it was back and sporting OE 18" twists from a 996 after the 5 spokes were found to be reps and 2 were buckled badly. ...

But you seem quite proud of it now.

Any buyer of a 15+ year old sports car should expect to find a couple things to fix.

[Qmulus]

I have seen it where someone with a damaged alarm/immo module swapped over the key, lock cylinder, alarm/immo module and DME with a set off of ebay instead of doing the right thing and just fixing or replacing the alarm/immo.

There are a few problems with doing that. First, the key does not match the rest of the car. Annoying, but workable IF you still have the door key. Second, and more importantly I might add, the data in the alarm/immo module and DME no longer matches the vehicle VIN. So, the dealer can no longer get you a key cut by VIN (Porsche keeps record of the key codes for the cars in their system), you cannot get the programming codes for the car from the dealer (BIG deal) as those codes are in the alarm/immo module and DME, and correcting the problem just got a LOT more expensive.

What you need to find out is if that key was original to the car, and if someone changed the door locks. I kind of doubt that. Hopefully you can just get the ignition tumblers and key matched to the rest of the car, and the electronics are original and all will be well with a new remote. My guess is more like the example I gave above... If that is the case, I am not sure how you will match a new key or remote transponder.

[That986]

Originally Posted by 78F350

As many would have wanted to walk away from yours after the first few days:
Hi.


But you seem quite proud of it now.

Any buyer of a 15+ year old sports car should expect to find a couple things to fix.

That's just mechanical and easily fixed.

Anything that doesn't have the right keys that work all the locks SCREAMS dodgy to me, no matter how nice a car it is. I'd have ended the conversation at that point and walked.

But anyway, good luck to the OP on fixing it. At the very least you're going to need the door locks, glove box lock and 2 key fobs that have been programmed to bring it back to normal standard.

[Qmulus]

Actually, the easiest and I think "right" way to fix the car is to get one remote and one key (or more) key to match the rest of the car and get the ignition tumblers to match it. A good locksmith can do this, or you can get a key pre-cut from a dealer by VIN. To avoid having to reprogram the key to the car, you would just replace the actual blade of the key, as there is a transponder (looks like a small glass pill) in the remote housing. Perhaps someone just lost the keys and took a cheap way out to get it running again. The problem with that theory is that they would have had to program the alarm/immo module to match the new key, which would pretty much mean going to a dealer, and I don't know of any dealer that would do something like that.

Hopefully you have the right alarm/immo module in the car. If not, then things will get interesting.

[MikeMcMo]

Alright, everybody, thank you for your input.

Here's where things stand at the moment: I called 7 or 8 locksmiths and a car audio place. Nobody wanted to get anywhere near a Porsche key situation. (Anybody know a place in the Chicago area that isn't chicken, or has the software to program a key/transponder?) The car audio guy said for $265 he can put in a remote system, providing an alarm and keyless entry with two fobs, but I'd need to continue using the existing ignition key. No way- I don't want a bunch of aftermarket crap in the car and a cheap alarm that's going to go off in the middle of the night, and I would still only have the one ignition key. Carfax report reveals that the original owner may have been a spaz: keyless remote replaced three times in one year. Then, the ignition switch was replaced, then a few months later the ignition lock cylinder was replaced. The best guesses with people I've spoken with is that the doors and storage compartment locks are still original, and then somebody along the way lost THOSE keys too. WTH?

Funny thing is, I'm starting to like having a car that you can't lock. You never have to worry about whether or not you remembered to lock it. The only thing easier than using your keyless remote is NOT having to use it, and you just walk up and open the door. I could get used to this!

So, today I went to the Porsche dealer and got 2 guys involved in this headscratcher. What I decided to do is order a new key blade from the VIN and we'll see where it works, if anywhere. Could be an expensive gamble ($130) but it might tell us #1 door locks are original, and #2 ignition is not. If so, I will get two new keyless remotes and one new ignition key blade. That way, I will have two remotes/ignition keys for everyday use, and with the VIN key blade, I will have a mechanical backup to get in the car should the battery die.

btw, The Porsche guys say that you cannot reverse engineer a key from an existing door lock. Really? Woody says you can. We once put a man on the moon, so it seems like making keys ought to be within our reach. It sounds like, at the dealer, getting all new matching tumblrs and two keyless remotes/ignition keys would cost $1,000- $1,500. Gulp. Looking for other (cheaper) alternatives that will protect me from losing a single key and getting locked out with a dead battery.

The car has the M531 immobilizer. (Does this mean it automatically has an alarm?)

Meanwhile, the car is a total rush to drive. Feel like I'm 18 again behind the wheel of a 280Z, but instead of being in a mealy front-end-heavy car with skinny tires I'm in a go-kart with a 2.5L Space Shuttle engine 6" behind me, singing in my ear, and now I've got 40 years of driving experience to keep me safer. The car was cheap enough to catch my eye, but not crazy-stolen cheap. 1999 base, 51K, 2 or 3 dings, 19" rims, for $9,500 and the PPI checked out fine (though he missed the key thing and will be hearing from me) and no other issues...

TIA for any insights.

[mikefocke]

In 5 years, I doubt I ever locked the car and frequently left the car parked with the top down at the local Walmart. I have this attitude of "if you want it, take,it. Just don't hurt the car.". It isn't a car that is the target of joyriders. And I seldom had much in the way of valuables in it.

[MikeMcMo]

Assuming (or even hoping) nobody's gonna mess with your stuff makes it feel like a friendlier world.

[dghii]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

In 5 years, I doubt I ever locked the car and frequently left the car parked with the top down at the local Walmart. I have this attitude of "if you want it, take,it. Just don't hurt the car.". It isn't a car that is the target of joyriders. And I seldom had much in the way of valuables in it.

Right there with you. I go in stores all the time with the top down. Sometimes even leave key in the car (not in the ignition mind you). I guess its the benefit of living in a smaller town.

I can see how this car would be in the situation its in...
Key works in ignition because it has the pill with it. Missing the keyless transponder guts is the same as those of us who have the guts, but they no longer work.

Key not working in door could be a result of the lock mechanism being replaced at some point...and its key getting lost.

As mentioned, these are not new cars...lots can happen over the years.

[algiorda]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

In 5 years, I doubt I ever locked the car and frequently left the car parked with the top down at the local Walmart. I have this attitude of "if you want it, take,it. Just don't hurt the car.". It isn't a car that is the target of joyriders. And I seldom had much in the way of valuables in it.

Here in Florida, I would never dream of leaving the car unlocked or even parked with the top down. There are too many vindictive people who will damage your car just for fun because YOU have a Porsche and they don't. I live in a gated community and we still have thieves (probably neighbors) who patrol at night pulling on car doors and stealing stuff inside. A gentlemen down the block had his laptop and two pistols stolen from his glovebox (don't ask why he had his pistols in an unlocked vehicle.

[MikeMcMo]

My Boxster does not have the "Boxster" lettering across the trunk. Just has the medallion on the hood. I have a Toyota hood ornament sitting around. Thought it would be funny to stick that on the back, maybe put one on the front too, on the off-chance it would confuse a would-be thief, or defuse the situation somehow. Or maybe I'm over-thinking it..