alarm/immobilizer problem

[fivepointnine]

symptoms-lock the car, alarm arms, unlocks fine, turn key alarm goes off and immobilizer activates, towed it to the dealer, they said their diagnostic equipment will not talk to the immobilizer unit....they disconnected the alarm horn and somehow reset it and cleared the codes, I can drive the car, but they said if I set the alarm it will happen again. They want to start with replacing the immobilizer unit at a cost of $775 parts and labor and cannot guarantee that it will fix it,anyone ever hear of something similar happening?

it did not get wet and the area around it was bone dry when they checked it, the car had not been driven for a week prior to that. Battery checked good at the dealer, but they did say there was some stored codes that were probably symptoms of low voltage....no CEL's or strange running.

I dont have a remote key, only one key at the moment and it does not have any guts, just the transponder.

[Loren]

We need to know the alarm fault code(s). Without them is just guessing.

Do you get any beeps when locking the car?

[fivepointnine]

1 beep........they said they could not even read the alarm codes? They were saying basically they could not communicate with the alarm system, does not really make sense to me, but I dont know the Porsche electrical system.

my fuel door has never locked since I have owned the car.

but the alarm has worked like this for the 6 months I have owned the car, I am trying to find out why it just suddenly failed and if it IS the control module that is fried or I need to take it to a different Porsche dealer for troubleshooting.

Edited April 18, 2012 by fivepointnine

[Loren]

Any beep says you have at least one alarm zone open (not functioning).

What did they use to read the alarm fault codes? PST2 or PIWIS tester?

If they did not use one of the Porsche testers then I am not surprised they can not read or communicate.

You can also test each alarm zone separately using the Porsche testers.

There is a DIY for replacing the fuel door latch here - Boxster and Carrera use the same parts.

[fivepointnine]

it was Larson Porsche-Audi in Tacoma, I hope the dealer used the right equipment!!!!!!!!

[fivepointnine]

ordered the actuator and related parts so that will not be an issue in the future, inexpensive, kind of a relief!