Key Problem
 

I just bought a 00' Boxster 2.7. The buttons on the key fob do not seem to work even though the red light on the fob flashes when I press them so I have been using the key to lock and unlock the doors. However when I go to unlock the doors with the key usually only the drivers door will unlock and the alarm will not disarm meaning I have to disarm it by putting the key in the ignition and then open the passenger door from the inside. I am wondering am I missing something or am I going to have a major problem with my doors/alarm some day soon.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

I assumed you changed the 2032 battery in the remote...
Try checking your fuses..
I think it's E1

Tony, thanks for your reply.

When you say check my fuses what exactly do you mean? How would I tell if one of them is fried? Im am pretty novice when it comes to this.

Thanks

There is a panel on the drivers side floor on the left. It has a cover to access all the fuses.
inside the cover once opened, there is a booklet that has all the fuse designations. (Written in multiple languages.)
It designates the Fuse Rows by A, B, C, D, E etc.. Columns are designated 1 thru 10
(There is a fuse puller plastic tool in a spare holder)

When you pull out the fuse, you should see a Z shaped bar inside the plastic fuse. If the Z is broken then the fuse is blown.
there should also be spare fuses stored as well.
15A = 15 amp Blue in color

T

Also, I have noticed that if i lock the door and then immediately unlock it it works as it should. But if I leave it for a few minutes it will function as described in my first post.

Thanks, tony. I will give this a look in the morning.

I tried pulling the alarm fuses, they seemed to be intact. And when I pulled one of them the alarm sounded for about a minute and wouldn't turn off until it had run its course. Also none of the alarm other items listed with the alarm/cl fuses are having any trouble ie. power windows, radio. I have also checked under the driver seat for damp and there doesn't seem to be any. Not really sure what the next port of call is.

Not sure what the problem may be at this point.
The car is equipped with what is know as "Remote-control standby"
If the car is not started or unlocked with the remote control within 5 days, the remote control standby function is switched off to prevent running down the battery.
If this is the case you have to open the car with the key in the driver's door lock.
You then have 10 seconds to switch the ignition on to reactivate the remote control.
If you unlock the car with the key in the door lock, you must switch the ignition on within 10 seconds.

If there is a defect in the central locking system, a double horn signal during locking is heard.

There is a emergency operation where you turn the key in the drivers lock 3 times in succession and it will switch the alarm on and it deactivates the passenger compartment monitoring system.

Remote Lock Indications:
Unlocking - single flash of the emergency flasher lights
Locking - double flash
Locking twice - continuous lights for 2 seconds and a short horn signal

Hope this helps..
Tony

Thanks Tony

I am beginning to think that the standby mode is turning on after about 5 minutes not 5 days. If i get out of the car and lock it then unlock it straight away it all works as it should.

It sounds like that is happening.
If the car is unlocked with the remote and the doors are not opened, it will auto re-lock in 60 seconds. My understanding this timing can be programmed from 4 to 120 seconds by the dealer.

I do know if any of the doors, trunk lids, storage compartment, are not completely close the alarm horn will sound every time you arm the car with the remote.

If it was me, I would disconnect the battery for several minutes and reconnect and see if it clears it up.
The only problem with that is having to re-enter the radio code from disconnecting the battery. Hopefully you have that code in your owners manual.

if you don't have your radio code, you can submit your radio type and serial number in the RennTech.org Forums and they will reply with the proper code.
See link:Lost Radio Code - post your request here - 986 Series (Boxster, Boxster S) - RennTech.org Forums

Good luck.
Tony

Hi guys,

I'm just a new proud owner of a Boxter 986 MY00, 2.7L but I have to admit I do not know much about this piece of marvel and that's why I joined this forum. So, if you do not mind a stupid question, do all models come with remote central locking? My key has got only one button and when I press it, a tiny LED light on the key flickers a bit dim. No remote locking is available of course, but other than that, I've got no issues with locking and unlocking the doors using the key, from both driver's and passenger's seat. Any help and info would be highly appreciated.

Thanks a lot to all guys and congrats and good job to the admins and mods on the forums.

Cheers from down under ;-)

One point in your note caught my attention. It was the one where you said that the passenger side door wont lock or unlock. Maybe there is a locking sensor problem in the passenger door. If after trying all of Tony_fury's suggestions, you might want to drive the car to a local AutoZone and ask them to check the fault codes.

The central locking system is complex and it has many sensors. It's possible that one of your sensors isn't working properly. When this happens you can get all sorts of intermittent behaviors. If any fault codes appear, they will give you a indication of what might be wrong.

Mine 01S acted up intermittently with all sort of symptoms. It had multiple fault codes and I had to go to the dealer to have it test the various central locking system components using the Porsche System tester. It was a bad passenger door latch mechanism.

Good luck

Welcome to 986forum bobbyg. This is a great forum, very friendly and helpful people, so you will be happy you joined it. As for your key problem, I think the earlier posts on this topic cover things pretty well, but I would first try a new battery in the key fob - it is easy to change. As far as I know, all Boxsters have remote central locking. My key has 3 buttons, but then it is a later model than yours. Hope that helps.

Hello Pjv, a fellow Aussie and Melbournian too :-). Thanks for your welcome too.

I would have thought so too mate, I mean that all would have central locking. Using the info I got from here, I found where the fuse box is and checked all the related fuses, 3 according to the book were related to central locking. E1, B8 and C3. All are good. I was only given the one key and just wrote to the seller asking for the other/s. Is it possible that the one I've been given is just a spare key? I opened it today to check the battery and there's nothing in there accept for the battery and the lamp, no circuitry whatsoever. Once again, newbie observations.

Anyone one knows how to reactivate the remote central locking system since I read that if the car is not used fro 3 or 5 days it will turn itself off?

Thanks and cheers to everyone.

If the remote key doesn't unlock the car because too many days have gone by, simply put the key in the door lock and unlock the car. Once you do this, the remote key should lock and unlock the car once again.

thanks Thom. I think the key that I've been given is not actually a remote key but just a key with a light, that's why it doesn't work. I just asked the owner about the other keys.

However, I'm still not sure if my car is actually equipped with keyless/remote unlock.

Thanks and cheers mate.

Bobbyg, I have an owner's manual for the earlier series 986, and it says that 'In the case of vehicles without remote control, the grip of key A incorporates a lamp that lights up when you press the button'. In the manual for my car (2004) there is no mention of 'vehicles without remote control'. So it seems like some earlier cars do not have remote locking/unlocking, and it sounds very much like your situation. Maybe you could check the list of accessories codes that is usually found under the front boot lid, or as a last resort take it to a dealer, or other Porsche service place, to get them to have a look (probably at a price!). Hope that helps.

Hi PJV, thanks mate, that, together with an email I received from the original owner, clarified things for me. It was never installed with a remote as it was apparently an optional, which surprised me a little bit, considering that my much cheaper and less classy Kia Rio had it as standard for 1/5 of the price. Will have to live without lol.

Cheers mate and thanks for your help.

Ps. Can you please give me some info on how to find what the codes at the options part under the bonnet mean?

As you say, it is interesting that a car as expensive as a Porsche might not have remote locking when it is so common in cheaper cars. Now you have that sorted out, all you have to do is worry about the IMS bearing!

To get a list of option codes, have a look at website 986online.com, I just looked at it and it seems extensive. Otherwise Google 'Porsche boxster option codes' and you will get other possibilities.

Good luck with it, they are great cars, just a bit expensive to live with.

thanks again pjv,

what about the IMS bearing?

cheers.

I guess we are getting off topic, but the IMS bearing is well and truly covered on this forum, so you could do a search and find heaps of information and debate about it. I was totally unaware of it when I bought my car 2 years back, so it gave me a bit of a fright when I discovered the issue.

Briefly, engines to 2009 (Boxster and 911) have a bearing on the intermediate mainshaft (IMS) which is prone to failure, leading to seriously expensive repairs and/or engine replacement. A friend's '00 996 had his go a while back. Engine survived but cost $12K.

You can have it replaced if it worries you, costs a bit less than $3K to do locally. Not all Porsche specialists locally can do it. Opinions vary on how prevalent the problem is, and what is the best course of action. I have been advised not to worry too much about it by my service people, but I still do!

Do a forum search and check out others' opinions and experiences. Cheers.

Circles - Did you get a fix for your car? Mine is doing the exact same thing, including the passenger door not unlocking. I've tried the suggestions made to you, but no such luck. :(

Circle - did you ever resolve your problem? Exactly the same thing is happening with me and I've tried the recommended actions from this thread.

No I never managed to resolved it, just learned to live with it. I'v been told by my specialist that it could be due to a broken microswitch in one of the door locks, he recommended only replacing them if it became a serious issue. For now I unlock using the key, disarm the alarm with the ignition then open the passenger door from the inside. It's a bit of a pain in the hole but nothing I can't live with.

eagle day sells those key handles, for a 2000 model, they can be used, if the remote is inoperative, or you just want a smaller key to stuff in your pocket. if you change over to one, you will need to use the chip which came with the original key. when I purchased my boxy, I had one fully operational key and one without a remote, and switched to one of those lighted key heads.

Not the answer I was hoping for! I'm finding it a pain in the backside...or should I say, my Mrs is when she's standing in the rain waiting on me opening door, key in ignition, sitting down, then leaning over.

I've got mine booked into a Porsche dealership next week. I've been quoted £190 for a new key should it need it (I'll need two if that's the problem).

I'll check back in here once I've got it back from the dealer and let you know what sorted the problem (if it gets sorted).

It would be great to hear back on what the resolution is. I was getting quoted mad money in the dealership for them to fix it and my Indy is more of an engine kinda guy. He wasn't keen on taking the door locks apart unless he had to.

It was the key fob. I've had them both re-programmed and they work. I phoned around my local area and nowhere would do Porsche key re-programming, it had to be the dealership - so I'm not too fussed about having to pay for it.

To get one done it was £190, for two it was £316 - so I went for the two to get done. I'm glad I've got it done, standing about in the rain wasn't that fun.