Had key issues, now fixed :-)

[DaveN996]

Hi,

Ive got 2 keys for my 996.  One worked perfectly the other was not so great and could not be relied on.  Brand new battery fitted..

 

Symptoms as follows:

 

Car sometimes unlocked/locked

Car sometimes locked unlocked if you squeezed the key hard whilst pressing the button.

Sometimes nothing happened at all..

 

The LED on the key always flashed no matter what happened to the car.

 

I've read various topics on key fixes some good and some not so.

 

One thing people seemed to say quite often was to replace the button within the key and that fixed it, even if the led flashes!  My thoughts are, if the led flashes the button works, simple no argument I can think of. 

 

The PCB within the key is dual layered and here I think is the problem.  All I did to fix the key was to re-solder the switch connections and add a tiny amount more solder to ensure the switch is well connected to the board.  I also re-soldered various other joints on both sides of the board for good measure, especially the ones that track thru to both sides.

 

To make life easier I removed the battery and battery holder.

Parts/tools needed

Soldering iron with a very fine tip

solder

a desoldering tool or desolder braid (to allow refitting of the battery holder)

A steady hand

 

 

I think over time the pcb flexes and the tiny tracks break, especially the ones round the button and the tracks that run between the top and bottom of the board.

 

There are tutorials using heat guns, i didn't feel comfortable with this method.  But if they work great :-)

 

Hope this may help anyone with key issues

Edited October 14, 2014 by DaveN996

[DaveN996]

Ive got some pics of the key in bits but at the moment i can't upload them at the moment

[Ronnie38]

I have not opened the key fob but if the switch is a domed metal cup the problem could be air pressure. I have seeing many domed press switches collapse when the air is pushed out of the dome which makes them not reliable the fix is to poke a pen into the plastic covering to release the pressure. so the switched dome can relax.