Immobilizer "open" - no start

[mhall1019]

'02 Turbo - The starter doesn't run with key switched to "start". Durametric says that the clutch switch is closed and immobilizer is open and starter switch is open. So, the immobilizer won't let the car start. But I don't understand why the immobilizer is immobilizing. The remote will lock/unlock doors, the fuel pump activates when the ignition is switched on. The battery is in good condition. The only error code is P0238 - "A" Boost Pressure High, which is obviously not valid - must be a connector or transmitter problem. I can't imagine that boost pressure is involved in immobilizer logic.

Is there any way to determine why the immobilzer is set and how to troubleshoot it?

Thanks,

Mike

[Loren]

Sorry, not without a PST2 or PIWIS tester.

[mhall1019]

Loren: Thanks again for your help. I'm trying to avoid a tow to the dealer, the only one with testers in the area. Is there a bunch of logic involved in allowing the immobilizer to output a closed output? Or is it just a matter of the code in the key matching the code in the immobilizer. If so, since I need to get a spare key, so I could get a new key programmed with the code for the immobilizer. Or is there a lot more involved?

Thanks,

Mike

Sorry, not without a PST2 or PIWIS tester.

[Loren]

Yes, try a spare key if you have one.

To program a key they need all the old keys, the new key(s), and the car. The key is programmed to the immobilizer so all need to be present.

[gregthiara]

sound like you are trying a deactivated key.

A deactivated key will unlock all doors and do all as you say but will not start car. if spare doesnt work you need to contact porsche dealer.

I lost my key and had it deactivated from porsche, few weeks later found the key and it did the same as yours. if the key has been deactivated then you can not use it again.

regards,

Greg.

[mhall1019]

sound like you are trying a deactivated key.

A deactivated key will unlock all doors and do all as you say but will not start car. if spare doesnt work you need to contact porsche dealer.

I lost my key and had it deactivated from porsche, few weeks later found the key and it did the same as yours. if the key has been deactivated then you can not use it again.

regards,

Greg.

I think the key is a good conclusion and hope that's it. But,...

From what I've read here and on other forums there may be a couple of kinds of deactivation. There's the one that occurs if you don't drive the car for 5 days. Then the manual says you lock the driver's door with the key and then put it into the ignition switch and turn to "on" within 10 seconds and its reactivated. I've tried that and it didn't work. So, there may be some other kind of defect in the key electronics, the immobilizer itself, or the ignition switch, but I can't see how the ignition switch would turn the immobilizer off.

Did you have to take the car to the dealer so they could plug into your OBDII connector?

I hate the thought of towing the car to the dealer because I have a whole bunch of maintenance items I need to do (refilling and bleeding the cooling system, GT2 clutch hydraulics just installed, and the steering system) that I don't want to pay them to do. So, I would have to have it towed back home. An hour each way.

Thanks for your input.

Mike

[gregthiara]

I had to ring porsche to get my key deactivated, then I purchased another from them I think it was about £150 may have been £180 can not remember for sure and I did have to take the vehicle to them with the remaning key I had. But I was able to drive there. ring your porsche service department and tell them what is going on with the key. they did say to me if somebody has the key that was deactivated then it would still allow them into the car but would not let them start it.

Hope this helps a little.

Regards,

Greg.

[mhall1019]

I had to ring porsche to get my key deactivated, then I purchased another from them I think it was about £150 may have been £180 can not remember for sure and I did have to take the vehicle to them with the remaning key I had. But I was able to drive there. ring your porsche service department and tell them what is going on with the key. they did say to me if somebody has the key that was deactivated then it would still allow them into the car but would not let them start it.

Hope this helps a little.

Regards,

Greg.

Greg:

I did the ringing up part to Porsche but they would not discuss it, other than saying they would have to have the car to diagnose the problem. I took this to mean they wanted the car so that I would have to give them lots of money to get it back.

But, let me understand what you said the sequence was. The original key was deactivated due to some electronic malfunction inside the push button part? [i'm not sure what the deactivation they next performed is.] Then they cut you a new key and activated a new remote for about $300. They then provided you with this newly-cut reprogrammed key that did allow the car to start? Then you drove down to the dealer and had your original key reactivated. The summary is that you were able to obtain a working key without having to have the car towed to the dealer? If that is true, it is very encouraging.

We are lucky enough here to have a dealer (Sunset Porsche) that provides genuine parts at a very good price. I purchased a new remote and metal key blank for about $100. As helpful as they are, they did not seem to think that they could activate the key from 3000 miles away.

Thanks for your help.

Mike

[mhall1019]

Sorry, not without a PST2 or PIWIS tester.

Is there a large difference between what data the Durametric will display compared to the factory testers? I have used the Durametric and I didn't see a lot of things I would like to be able to see, like the ignition key position so I can troubleshoot the ignition switch without getting under the dash with a meter. I asked Durametric and they indicated that they display all the info that is available from the ECU, so I assume all the inputs and outputs, but I don't see them in the table of actual values I can select to log. This is what they said:

"Thank you for contacting Durametric. The Durametric tool attempts to provide much of the same capabilities as the factory tool. It does not attempt to go beyond those capabilities. If fault codes are stored for the issues you mention, the tool will be able to read those values from the associated control unit (engine or alarm). If the car is not designed to detect those conditions, neither the Durametric nor the factory tool will be able to relay information on those issues.

This is the same for the ignition switch. Durametric will only capture information that the car is designed to provide. I am not aware that the key position information is available in the factory tool and, therefore, neither is it included in the Durametric tool."

But, I would think the key position is an input to the ECU because it has to send the enable to the start lock relay. Am I looking in the wrong place on the Durametric or does it not really display a lot of the information available on the factory testers.

Thanks,

Mike