Alarm/Immobilizer Unit question

[clb0099]

Ok, so here is my question. I was in contact with a guy who works on Porsches and I told him that my immobilizer might have gotten wet and might be causing me some issues. So I asked him if I could buy a used one on ebay or at a junk yard.He stated if I did buy one somewhere that I need to have the vin # from the car it came from. Now my question is this one is this true? Also if I did find the Alarm and got the vin # with it to from a legit place could my keys be programmed to work with it. Also would I ever have a problem ordering more keys now that my immobilizer had another vin # associated with it. Or is the vin# needed only to access the immobilizer to re-program and load my correct vin #. Please let me know what you think.

[Richard Hamilton]

He is correct. The alarm module can only be coded with an immobiliser code once. Therefore, unless you know this code it is useless, and the only way of finding it is from the Porsche IPAS system, using the donor vehicle VIN. You then need the IPAS codes for your car, so that the DME can be set to the same immobiliser code as the alarm module.

The IPAS system does not store the 24-digit codes for the key remotes. Unless you have those codes from your keys, then they cannot be programmed to the donor alarm module.

Any new remotes you buy come with the 24-digit code on the bar code label attached to them. Knowing this, and the appropriate IPAS codes, they can be programmed to any 986/996.

ETA: you may have trouble obtaining IPAS codes from a vehicle you do not own, for obvious reasons.

Edited January 30, 2011 by Richard Hamilton