Cannot lock/unlock with button on key

[savvas_cy]

This is the story:

Yeserday i press the button to unlock my car.It didnt do ahything.Then I try second key.Nothing again.After that i used the key to unlock drivers door.Alarm didnt to anything and i start the engine.But i cannot unlock trunk front and rear.It looks that alarm,central locking and interior lights is not working.I thought that it was a fuse but all fuses are ok.What can I do?I manage to open front trunk from the switch under the front wheel.I unplug the battery for 2,3 minutes but didnt help.

Please tell me what I can do.

Thanks.

[Chris_in_NH]

This is the story:

Yeserday i press the button to unlock my car.It didnt do ahything.Then I try second key.Nothing again.After that i used the key to unlock drivers door.Alarm didnt to anything and i start the engine.But i cannot unlock trunk front and rear.It looks that alarm,central locking and interior lights is not working.I thought that it was a fuse but all fuses are ok.What can I do?I manage to open front trunk from the switch under the front wheel.I unplug the battery for 2,3 minutes but didnt help.

Please tell me what I can do.

Thanks.

feel the carpet area behind/under your seats... it is wet/soaking wet/damp? the alarm/locking computer is located under the driver's seat. when the water drains under the clamshell get clogged, water makes its way to the carpet behind/under the seats, frying the alarm/locking computer. if the car still starts, then obviously the immobilizer portion of the electronics are still working, it's just the alarm/locking electronics that are fried. (which is quite common). there is also a fuse in the alarm/locking computer. you could try changing it to see if it has any effect.

you can try removing the alarm/locking computer, cleaning it with electronics cleaner/alcohol and drying it out, then re-installing it and seeing if that works, but usually they don't come back once they've been fried/submerged. a new one will cost around $200 from Sunset Imports, but the dealer will need to install it as the unit can only be programmed ONCE, and they need to take the old immobilizer code from the old locking computer and program the new one with it.

you will also need to clean out your water drains (by raising the clamshell, then looking for a dime-sized hole on each side of the car) and blowing them out with compressed air. there are also water drains in the battery compartment. you'll want to check those too.

otherwise, it might be the key battery. you could try changing it. does the red light on the key flash when you press the button(s)? if so, the battery is probably ok.

here's a pic of the alarm/locking computer:

[savvas_cy]

Key battery is ok.The red light on th key is flashing when i press the button.And I also open the key and I measure the battery and its value is close to 3V.

There is a lot of humidity here in Cyprus these days so propably is alarm problem.Can you tell me how can I access the alarm computer?what screws i have to unscrue and what I have to do?

Thanks for your reply.

[savvas_cy]

By the way my car is right hand side and is 1999 nodel.The alarm system is under drivers seat or under passengers seat?How can I access it?Should I remove the seat?I try to find it and I couldnt see it.Where exactly is it?

I want to open my rear trunk urgent!How should I do it?I try the screwdriver trick but I couldnt find any U things.I didnt manage to open it :(

Please help me!!!I dont know what to do!!!

[Chris_in_NH]

By the way my car is right hand side and is 1999 nodel.The alarm system is under drivers seat or under passengers seat?How can I access it?Should I remove the seat?I try to find it and I couldnt see it.Where exactly is it?

I want to open my rear trunk urgent!How should I do it?I try the screwdriver trick but I couldnt find any U things.I didnt manage to open it :(

Please help me!!!I dont know what to do!!!

i don't know if humidity would be enough to fry the alarm/locking computer, but who knows...

i'm not sure which side the alarm/locking computer is on in RHD cars. it might be under the passenger's seat, or maybe it's under the driver's side. bend down and look under the seat. you will see a box that looks like the one in the picture above. if you can't see it, feel around. it's a big plastic box. there should only be wires under one of the seats, so the other side must have the alarm/locking computer.

did you feel around the carpeted area (on the floor) behind the seats? was it wet?

if you need to remove the alarm/locking computer, you will need to remove (or at least unbolt) the seat. i can't remember the size of the Torx socket (not a Torx DRIVER or BIT). it might be an 8mm Torx socket, maybe 10 or 12mm, i can't remember. if you look at the seat rails that the seat slides on, at both ends of the rails, there will be a Torx bolt. use the Torx socket to remove the 4 bolts (2 on each seat rail). you may need to remove the little plastic covers at the front of the seat rails to access the front Torx bolts. (sometimes there is a screw that holds these little plastic pieces on - just unscrew it and hold the screws aside). you will want to cover the door jamb with a towel since the seat rails can scratch. there is a connector/wires that connect the seat to the car. you will need to undo this connector (and i can't remember how to do it, it is a weird connector) to fully remove the seat. if you can't figure it out, just lay the seat outside the car on the ground (on a towel), the wires will stretch (barely) enough for you to do this. otherwise, just loosen the seat and unscrew the alarm/locking computer from the car and disconnect the wiring harness. note: your car will NOT run with the alarm/locking computer removed. it must be present for the car to run, so re-install it if you need to go anywhere.

to open the clamshell, all you do is press the conv top button until the clamshell raises to its highest position and then let go of the button. if you want to see the clamshell drains, the top needs to be 'up'. so unlatch the top, press the conv top button to raise the clamshell and let go of the button before the conv top starts to go down. if the top is 'down' the clamshell drains will not be visible.

then, along the back edge of the clamshell area (by the third brake light) there is a little curtain that clips to the back wall of the clamshell area. unhook this curtain by pushing down on the curtain where it connects to the clips and pull away. do this on both sides of the curtain. you may be able to see the clamshell drains now. if not, follow the instructions below.

there are two cables (one on each side of car) that hold the back edge of the conv top down to the car. they are thin black cables that have silver connectors on the end. unsnap these from where they connect under the clamshell. you can use your hands or a screwdriver to pop them off. then you swing the back edge of the conv top frame 'up' towards the front of the car (bending the plastic window). you should now be able to see the clamshell drains (two little holes, one on each side of the car).

i have no idea what you were using a screwdriver on before, but don't do that again. :rolleyes:

[savvas_cy]

We dont have rain here.is really hot with humidity.I dont know if this can ruin the alarm/locking computer.The carpet is not wet.Car electrician believes that there be somewhere fuse but he dont know where is it.First time he works on a Porsche.I really dont want to take it to lacal dealer.They are really expensive.

So I will be very happy if you could help me to fix my problem.I checked the fuse in the fuse box.All fuses are ok.In aftrernoon I will remove seat and I will check fuse on alarm/locking computer.what else i have to check?

As I mention central locking is not working,and lights dont open when I open door.Car is working ok without any other problems.But i really have to fix the alarm.

Also how can I open fuel lid?I pull the emergency cable and didnt open.Maybe i make it in wrong way.Is there is another method to open it or I have to break it?

[savvas_cy]

Ok guys i fixed it.I found the alarm/locking computer under the passenger seat and I change the 15A fuse.Now is OK.I dont know why the fuse stopped working.If the problem appears again I have to check where is the problem exactly.

I have another question.can I adjust the sensitivity of alarm system?Its very very sensitive.

Thanks for your help again!Without the forum I would put fire to my Boxster :). You help me solve 2 serious problem without any cost!!!

[savvas_cy]

I am facing this problem again now :(

I tried to unlock my car this morning and couldnt unlock with remote key.I changed the alarm fuse and it was working ok.

I came home after few hours.I enabled the alarm and after 30 minutes i heard the alarm beeping but without the traficator flashing and without the horn sound, just the alarm,for 10 minutes maybe.Now i cannot unlock the car with remote again.Probably is the fuse again bt this doesnot solve my problem :(

Any ideas?What do I have to check or change?

Please help me.

Thanks.

[goldnogard]

Hello, I am not sure if this will help. But I know that once you park the car for 5days or over without using it. The alarm system gets automatically disabled "so the battery won't drain". The solution to that as I understand it, is to manually unlock the door with one key, then turn on the ignition with the second key. That should enable the system again.

Ali

I am facing this problem again now :(

I tried to unlock my car this morning and couldnt unlock with remote key.I changed the alarm fuse and it was working ok.

I came home after few hours.I enabled the alarm and after 30 minutes i heard the alarm beeping but without the traficator flashing and without the horn sound, just the alarm,for 10 minutes maybe.Now i cannot unlock the car with remote again.Probably is the fuse again bt this doesnot solve my problem :(

Any ideas?What do I have to check or change?

Please help me.

Thanks.

[zman1858]

Well, my key buttons won't work either. I removed the drivers seat and the only black box under there was one that looked nothing like the one in the pic. Didn't see a fuse anywhere. On the box said "ABS". I opened the lid and it looked nothing like the pic. Took the other seat out and nothing under there. Where could this thing be....1998 boxster....Thanks

[Tool Pants]

The remotes on these cars sometimes just crap out. Changing the battery and so on will not fix it. One of the mechanics I know has a draw full of them.

If you have the second remote then try it.

The control unit referenced above is under the left seat, drivers seat on a LHD.

[zman1858]

I have nothing like that......what now

[RFM]

First series ( depend which country ) have no remote, only central locking with the key, perhaps that the first owner have changed the key to a remote look.

[Tool Pants]

Do you have a picture of what is under the drivers seat?

The picture in post #11 is a 1999 owned by Patrick.

I have a January 1997 and it looks just like Patrick's.

We both have the remote/alarm option and that is why the sticker on the control unit has the option number M535 on the white sticker.

[zman1858]

Mine use to work with the key...but no unit under the seat. Any idea...

[Tool Pants]

Need to see a picture. A picture taken like my picture.