Remote control in USA ??

[wilhelmy-it]

Hi all!

Does anyone here know if there is a way to get a key remote for the 911 or the Boxster in the United States?

I have been told that Porsche doesn't offer remote powerlock in the US at all, why is that, or is it true at all? I just wonder why they should produce different keys without the remote transmitter unit just for the US market.

Thanks

Stefan

[Tool Pants]

Stephan, what type of key remote are you trying to get? A US remote has a different radio frequency than other countries. Also, the US 996 cab remote does not have the extra button for the top. Jeff

[sinus]

Hi Jeff,

no button for the top??

That means, the USA 996 Cab Top isn't remote controlled??

I hear that for the first time, because here in germany there is a remote control for the top standard since 1997.

Sven

[Tool Pants]

I am a Boxster guy, so the 996 people can correct me.

The 996 came to the US as a model year 1999. There was just one button on the remote for the door locks/alarm. In 2001 Porsche added a second button for the front trunk.

The only 3 button 996 remote I have seen in person is Jay's 2002 996 turbo Ruf. I played with the third button and made the top go up and down with the button on the remote. A US car does not have this feature on the remote. But on a US car we can open and close the top with the key in the door lock.

[HenryV]

American litigation. On american car models even the one-touch window feature originally worked only in the down mode - so you would not catch someones (maybe your own) head.

New pressure sensors (that feel resistance) stop the motion and have gotten the approval from corporate lawyers to be used - see the electric sliding doors in minivans, self-opening/closing rear hatches, third row seats, and now also - convertible tops.

Anyone see this commercial (right-click with save-as if doesn't open)? Ford's UK SportKa commercial

[wilhelmy-it]

A US car does not have this feature on the remote.  But on a US car we can open and close the top with the key in the door lock.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Jeff,

do you (or anyone reading this) know, what happens when you close the roof with the key in the lock (which obviously is a security measure as you stand as close to your car as possible to watch the scene) and hold the key in that position after the roof is fully closed? Do all windows go up themselves or do you have to get in the car, enable igition and push all window buttons to get the windows closed?

Since 2002 the remote control doesn't close the windows anymore on the german models, so I would be curious to know if that is the case when closing the roof with the key in the lock.

Thanks

Stefan

[Mz3bo]

Hi,

If you hold the key in the locking position, my 99cab will close the windows (all 4) itself once the top is closed.

[P.Viby]

hmm, I have the 3 button key for my 996 MY2001 cab. It works perfect and I still enjoy seeing peoples faces when they look at the car and I without they seeing me pressing the cab top open/close. :eek:

My guess would be that it is some kind of law in the US as Henry V says that prevent it.

Solution to problem...................move to Europe, here you can also drive much faster. :P

:drive:

[wilhelmy-it]

Hi,

If you hold the key in the locking position, my 99cab will close the windows (all 4) itself once the top is closed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK, this information helps. Now I'd like to know what model year your 996 is. Can you operate the roof while driving or do you have to stop and pull the handbrake?

Thanks

Stefan

[Mz3bo]

Hi,

I cannot operate the roof while driving and the car is a 99 C2 cab.

[wilhelmy-it]

Hi,

I cannot operate the roof while driving and the car is a 99 C2 cab.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok, thanks. That is exactly what I expected, so Porsche really seems to use the same control units here in the US and over in Germany. And they changed it somewhere around model year 2002 so the windows won't go up anymore.

With the smartTOP 996 you could open and close your roof up to 15 mph at the touch of a button and even use the rear windows then the roof is fully open :)

Thanks for the infos

Stefan Wilhelmy

[Rob in WA]

Or do this:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=38

I did this and have the SharkWorks TouchTop (no longer in production) It works great.

Edited December 3, 2004 by Rob in WA

[wilhelmy-it]

Or do this:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=38

I did this and have the SharkWorks TouchTop (no longer in production)  It works great.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Uh oh, isn't that the "trick" with cutting the wire of the speed signal? It may work but I would really not recommend that, its dangerous and irreversible, you would

always see that someone has tampered with the wires and it takes away any speed control. And pulling the handbrake in the first notch doesn't work with every car, for some the light may come one, for some not, and pulling it to the second notch would engage the brake and wear it out. Furthermore you have to press and hold the button for roof operation. No one should sacrifice safety and comfort by using a wire cut hack instead of a professional solution which on top of everything is easy plug and play and leaves no traces when removed :)

Btw.: Happy holidays to everyone on the board :jump:

[Jas III]

Hi Guys,

I'm enjoying the threads with red eyes now searching for answers, seems I'm getting closer ...but not there yet.

I'm driving a US MY03 996 C2 Cab.

1) I can confirm TOP works up and down while moving up to 25mph without handbrake. No modifications made or costly relays, that I am aware of.

2) The issue I need some advice with however is the 'disabled comfort window up ' function. Door key can open window but will not close them. Question is can this be changed or is there a work around.

3) Same goes for raising or lowering the top with the door key switch. Windows go down with top down, then driver and pass windows go up, top still down, (but not rear fly windows). But not windows do not come up with top is closed with key in door. Is there a work around, without buying a SMARTTOP relay? Not to be cheappants, but I just need it for the window function. The dealer claims they can change it with an hours labor. I am have not confirmed what they actually do?

4) Lastly US 996 only has two button key fob as confirmed, while RoW cars have three buttons one for the Top? Since remote codes are tied the VIN no, Porsche only has remote codes for the two button fob for my car. But I am wondering if there is different mechanism for RoW cars, or if a US car can be programed to use a 3 button remote, (w/ USA frequency of course)? Dealer cannot tell me anything about this.

Thanks again for any considerations,

Jas

[wilhelmy-it]

Hi Guys,

I'm enjoying the threads with red eyes now searching for answers, seems I'm getting closer ...but not there yet.

I'm driving a US MY03 996 C2 Cab.

1) I can confirm TOP works up and down while moving up to 25mph without handbrake. No modifications made or costly relays, that I am aware of.

2) The issue I need some advice with however is the 'disabled comfort window up ' function. Door key can open window but will not close them. Question is can this be changed or is there a work around.

3) Same goes for raising or lowering the top with the door key switch. Windows go down with top down, then driver and pass windows go up, top still down, (but not rear fly windows). But not windows do not come up with top is closed with key in door. Is there a work around, without buying a SMARTTOP relay? Not to be cheappants, but I just need it for the window function. The dealer claims they can change it with an hours labor. I am have not confirmed what they actually do?

4) Lastly US 996 only has two button key fob as confirmed, while RoW cars have three buttons one for the Top? Since remote codes are tied the VIN no, Porsche only has remote codes for the two button fob for my car. But I am wondering if there is different mechanism for RoW cars, or if a US car can be programed to use a 3 button remote, (w/ USA frequency of course)? Dealer cannot tell me anything about this.

Thanks again for any considerations,

Jas

Hello Jas,

sorry to disappoint but we did some really founded and thorough research on that one back in the day.

There is no way for Porsche to enable the rear windows with the top down. That option simply does not exist. For the key option they charge an arm and a leg to completely downgrade your roof controller for you to be able to raise the windows with the key in the door lock (but you lose the ability to operate the top while driving).

So unfortunately the ONLY available way to enable the rear windows with top down, at the same time enable raising the windows with the key and on top of that give you one-touch operation is... you guessed right... a smarttop 996 module.

THIS is why we designed it the way we did, because enabling all these features with extra HARDWARE was the only way to make it work.

Best

Stefan Wilhelmy

mods4cars

Product Development

[Jas III]

Hello Stefan

Thanks very much for your prompt and thorough reply, and $ly but helpful information. Your product is well known ,and I do not doubt that development took a lot of research and time, that justifies the cost.

So ... do you still offer a discount for contributing Renntech members?

Also do you know if the three button key can be programed to operate the top of a USA car as it does on the RoW 996 models? Or ... need I say is the REMOTETOP 996 the only option?

Cheers

:wrench: Jas

[wilhelmy-it]

Hello Stefan

Thanks very much for your prompt and thorough reply, and $ly but helpful information. Your product is well known ,and I do not doubt that development took a lot of research and time, that justifies the cost.

So ... do you still offer a discount for contributing Renntech members?

Also do you know if the three button key can be programed to operate the top of a USA car as it does on the RoW 996 models? Or ... need I say is the REMOTETOP 996 the only option?

Cheers

:wrench: Jas

Hello Jas,

No problem. I know sometimes it is really frustrating with the car manufacturers. So many things they just don't offer (like an Ipod interface for 997 for example) so aftermarket companies have to figure it out. I didn't want to make it sound like you are being cheap, but it is true, we spent a lot of time figuring the 996 and 997 out as much as possible. The remote is a country specific issue. In the US the remote system runs on 315 MHz, whereas the rest of the world uses 433 MHz. Needless to say that the remotes are not compatible and Porsche for whatever crazy reason does not offer a 3 button version for the US market (they told us it is for "liability" reasons).

Well.. you guessed right. As of right now apart from using a remotetop 996 chip there is no other way we know of to operate the roof remotely. This was originally the reason why we set out to develop this chip. Being from Germany myself

I was spoiled and used to the 3 button remote. Faced with the blunt response from Porsche North America: "No, we don't offer that", combined with the windows and one touch issue and no solutions available on the market, we just had to do it ourselves.

Yes, if I was you, I would just get the smarttop/remotetop and be happy with the added features. Compared to the price of your car itself, the modules' prices should be in the range of "pocket change" :-)

Cheers

Stefan Wilhelmy

[Stefan]

The modifications to allow the top to be operated while driving are well known, easy, not dangerous, and totally reversible. And best of all, they are free.

[wilhelmy-it]

The modifications to allow the top to be operated while driving are well known, easy, not dangerous, and totally reversible. And best of all, they are free.

Correct. But since "top while driving" already works on his Model Year 2004, he obviously doesn't need any cheap speed wire cutting hacks, instead he needs the more sophisticated things like enabling the rear windows with top open, raise windows with key in the doorlock or open/close roof by remote. Those are unfortunately not as easy and therefore require some intelligent chip or module to work.

I'm not trying to sell the module to anyone who doesn't need it.

Cheers

Stefan

[Stefan]

There is no wire cutting involved in the hack. The only thing that is cheap about it is the cost (free).

True, the hack I am referring to allows you to put the top up or down while driving, nothing else.