Is There A Key Code

[Tom C]

I changed the battery on my key and the remote functions no longer work. The red LED on the key flashes when any of the three functions are pressed but the doors or trunk doors do not operate. The door can be manually unlocked with the key. My question is there a code or some sequence I need to do to get the functions to work? My son has a Mazda 6 and to get the functions to work with the key is a series of steps to activate. I was wondering if there is a similar process for a Boxster or is a trip to my dealer in my near future.

Edited July 26, 2009 by Tom C

[Loren]

You can try a reset - reverse teh battery for about 2 seconds in tput back in the right way.

If that does not work you will need to have the key re-programmed or replaced.

[Dave S.]

My remote functions on my key stopped working for my car and all I had to do was lock and unlock it with the key in the door and it reset the car to respond to the key. I thought I read that after 5 days of inactivity, the car remote stops looking for the key until you go through this process.

Dave

[1schoir]

My remote functions on my key stopped working for my car and all I had to do was lock and unlock it with the key in the door and it reset the car to respond to the key. I thought I read that after 5 days of inactivity, the car remote stops looking for the key until you go through this process.

Dave

Dave:

You remember correctly. The remote will start working again after the five days if you use the key in the lock. This may not work the same way after the battery in the remote has died.

Regards, Maurice.

[mattNY]

Hi,

I've been battling with this same issue on a 2004 Boxster, I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions. I frequently re-pair the key by turning it in the door lock, and it's always worked. When the battery died, I replaced it a few days later, but the remote will not pair with the car no matter what I've tried so far. Even if I manually unlock, the gas tank stays locked, which is annoying, not to mention the loss of alarm/disarm, door and trunk locks.

So far I've tried:

1) Turning the key in the door to the right and pressing the unlock button - nothing (as per Porsche manual)

2) Turning the car on at the ignition, turning it off but leaving the key in, pressing the unlock button - nothing (dealer recommendation and elsewhere in these forums)

3) Asking the dealer if they could reprogram my key. I was told it's "impossible", that the keys are "burn once" and cannot be reprogrammed, that I'd have to purchase a new remote head. This seems to directly contradict other input I've seen in these forums and elsewhere. Can someone confirm or deny?

The one last thing I have not tried is reversing the battery and re-inserting. I'll try that tonight, but otherwise I'm at a loss. Any input is appreciated, thanks.

-Matt

[mikefocke]

If you find a fix, post it. I have one key that all remotes work but my former every day key now blinks but the on-top-of-dash light doesn't after the key battery was replaced. Tried all the things you have. Inspected contacts, seem OK. I'm gonna get to the dealer sometime.

[mattNY]

I contacted a different dealer today, got a totally different story, sounds more accurate to me.

He concurred that the key "can" lose its programming if the battery dies and is not replaced within a few minutes. However, he indicated that the key can be re-initialized at the dealer. Both the key and car are necessary, but he made it sound like a very simple procedure. Unfortunately, that dealer (who has always been more helpful and cheaper) is 100 miles away. Fortunately, I'll be there this weekend. Unfortunately, they don't have a tech on staff this weekend. Argh. So unless it miraculously starts working again, I'll have to wait a few weeks until I have Fridays off and can run out there on a weekday.

I've also seen at least one other post where the lights were still operational, but the transponder itself had failed (the guy had hooked it up to an oscilloscope to verify). So I'd guess that there are more than one failure mode that these keys experience. Hopefully mine has just lost the code.

(P.S.: Reversing the battery also did not work.)

Edited June 24, 2010 by mattNY

[mattNY]

I have a working remote. Here's the story as it was told to me.

The other dealer told me that they can reprogram the key, but they need the unique number that comes with each key from Porsche to recode it to the car. It's a long string of letters and numbers. Mine was used, so I didn't have this code and couldn't fix the remote. Bummer.

Luckily, I had ordered a replacement keyhead last year, that came with the number on an attached tag. They coded this to the car, it took about 15-20 minutes and they charged me $40. (Local dealer had told me $100.) I'm glad to have a remote that works, and I'm glad to have found a dealer that wants to help me and knows what they're doing.

-Matt

I contacted a different dealer today, got a totally different story, sounds more accurate to me.

He concurred that the key "can" lose its programming if the battery dies and is not replaced within a few minutes. However, he indicated that the key can be re-initialized at the dealer. Both the key and car are necessary, but he made it sound like a very simple procedure. Unfortunately, that dealer (who has always been more helpful and cheaper) is 100 miles away. Fortunately, I'll be there this weekend. Unfortunately, they don't have a tech on staff this weekend. Argh. So unless it miraculously starts working again, I'll have to wait a few weeks until I have Fridays off and can run out there on a weekday.

I've also seen at least one other post where the lights were still operational, but the transponder itself had failed (the guy had hooked it up to an oscilloscope to verify). So I'd guess that there are more than one failure mode that these keys experience. Hopefully mine has just lost the code.

(P.S.: Reversing the battery also did not work.)