Immobilizer issue??
 

My 1998 base Boxster has 2 key fobs each with 2 buttons (one for the door locks and one for the rear trunk). They both worked OK but just OK....meaning that I always had to be standing very close (within 2 to 3 ft) to the car for the buttons to do their thing.

Seemingly suddenly BOTH key fobs no longer lock/unlock the doors and no longer open the rear trunk. One day they worked and the next day they don't anymore.

Both have brand new Duracell batteries (tried several new batteries in each). Both fobs little red lights blink properly when pressed but nothing else.

The keys work fine in the ignition and the car starts perfectly......

Am I correct in thinking the fob's buttons send a signal to the "immobilizer" or is there some other system that controls the remote locking/unlocking? Is there an antenna of sorts that receives the signals from the fob's button pressing?

It's not a terrible thing to turn the key in the slot to lock/unlock the doors but I'd like it to work as it previously did without spending a fortune of taking apart the whole car...LOL

Any insight would help...thx

Smallblock454 should chime in here, he has a business that bases on solving these problems.
You could try to do a synchronization. It happens that one key looses ability to open, this is because of a weakness in the frequency. But two of them in the same time ...?

Resynchronisation procedure for Porsche 986, 996 and 980
• Open the driver's door, get into the vehicle and close the driver's door (the passenger door must also be closed).
• Switch on the ignition.
• Switch off the ignition.
• Remove the remote control key.
• Within 5 seconds, press the open/close button on the remote key (key symbol) and hold it down for 15 seconds, then release.
• Press the open/close button on the remote key (key symbol) and hold it down for approx. 1-2 seconds (i.e. not too briefly). If necessary, try 2-3 times in succession. Allow a pause of 10 seconds between each attempt (child lock).
• The central locking system should now lock the vehicle (resynchronisation successful).
• Press the open/close button on the remote control key (key symbol) to open the Porsche using the central locking system.

I tried that process a few times with no success. I'll give it another try in the next couple of days......but not sure IF that procedure to perform synchronization is applicable to my 26 year old Boxster. Is that procedure in the owner's manual or the shop manual for the car...or just for newer Boxsters?....

This should give more insight

And I would work through this as well

Thanks but I'll just use the key in the door to lock and unlock the car. As long as I can start the car that's really all that matters.

The the various procedures on that referenced document might as well be written in a foreign language........LOL....but thanks for posting them. I was hoping that it was just a fuse that needed replacement.....

.