Long time no post!

MY00 986S.

have a question about how to re-train my key remote to make the car respond. For tow years+, since I tore the car apart and rebuilt the motor, they key works but the remote does nothing. Finally, last night, i began to test it **again**. I noticed that the LED did not light. I took off the cover and pressed the switch button directly. No go. I tested the battery. It was like new. I tested the switch with an ohm-meter. Perfect.

But then...... I saw something odd. I thought at first it was a broken battery holder. But in fact the anode contact was smushed and insulating. Gentle prod, fixed, LED lights like crazy -- and still the car does not respond. Note - the OTHER key works fine, so its not the car. I found one instruction on re-training - insert key, turn to "on"but do not start, hold remote button 5 sec. No dice.

Any further suggestions? It appears all is well in both key fob and car, and in the interim 3 years it has simply forgotten the code.

Grant

ps: anyone want any recent track videos linked?

The key head is never programmed. Each key has a unique code that it sends and the car is programmed to recognize that code. You could program multiple Boxsters to recognize the same key code if you wanted. There is a possibility that the car has "forgotten" the key that doesn't work but I wouldn't consider that first. Besides, in order to reprogram the car you need the code that comes with the key, which most people don't have (it doesn't come withe the original keys).

Here are some things to try:

1) Reset the key head: take the battery out, put it in the key head backwards for 10 seconds, then taking it out and putting it in correctly.
2) (You cited this incorrectly so worth retrying) Reset the receiver: switch on the ignition, switch off the ignition, remove key, operate transmitter within 6 seconds

#2 is needed if you try more than 256 times unsuccessfully to unlock the car. Once you get to 1024 this won't work anymore.

The other possibility, which is common with the early key designs, is that the contact between the remote button and the circuit board is intermittent. When you press the button the light may come on but any even slight interruption will cause the transmission code to get garbled. The solution to this is to reflow the solder connections with a fine-tip soldering iron or low-temp reflow gun.

Thanks for both #1 and #2. What i wrote in #2 as exactly what was suggested on a forum. As you note, it is wrong (certainly didn't work).

Could I have tried 1024 times? very possible. Fortunately, the battery was effectively out so the car would never know :-)

Tomorrow will tell, thanks again.

G

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

For what it's worth...I have read (and strongly believe) that none of the magic tricks e.g. switching the key off and on, jumping up and down and sacrificing a chicken will work on the 986. The situation with the 987 and later models is different and they do succumb to the magic if applied appropriately. The 986 can only be "reprogrammed" with the dealers magic box (PS1?) BTW turning the battery upside down is equally ineffective because in the upside down position, no electrical contact is made.

Well, i can't really say. I do recall this working once when the key/car synch was lost due to (I think) a dying battery). But that was > 10 years ago!

In any event, neither of the suggestions above worked for me, this time. SO i guess its off to the dealer. Or not use the remote....PITA since the alarm goes off about 10 sec after i opne the door :-)

G

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Similar problem with my '07 Audi A3. Spare key not used for several years. Led on the remote would light but not unlock/lock the car. From the owner's manual, push the unlock button and immediately put the key in the door lock and unlock the door. It worked. The remote is now OK.

Ed B

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com