Re: The 981 uses...

Still don't have a spare key!!!!

After not getting a response on Friday, I called Monday about 10:30. I decided to give them some time to call me. Left a message for the GM. 1 hour later, I wasn't being patient, I decided to call the owner of the dealership. They gave me his secretary, I got her voice mail, so left a message. I hour later, no response, I called and left another message and ended it saying that I didn't know how to get a response from the dealership and my next call was going to be to the Better Business Bureau. WOW, that worked, I had a call from the executive administrator in 10 min. I told my story and was told that she was informing the owner and she would go to the GM and stand there when he called me. If I did not hear from him within an hour I was to call her back. He called me within 15 min. He proceeded to tell me that the service manager was going to call me Friday and he was out sick that day (Monday). Well, the GM told me that he would call me Fri night. Either way, I didn't get a call.

On Monday they told me the key would be there Tues and they would call me. Well, Tues at 10:00 I get a call the key didn't come in but they have a delivery at 12:00 and I'd get a call. 4:45, no call. I called, the key was not there. GM said he'd call me in the AM. Today FINALLY they started to possibly do something. They called Germany. Apparently my key was routed from Germany to another place in Germany and sent from there. No one knows specifically where my key is at this time. I can't believe they don't have some sort of tracking. But, it's supposed to be here tomorrow (well, this is getting old). I told them I am calling PCNA tomorrow. They told me they have informed everyone regionally and they are all looking for my key and PCNA can't do anything. I'm calling anyways.

I asked about getting a key from another dealer. I was then informed they can't keep any keys because the keys are programmed specifically for the car in Germany and no one else can do it. This just seems really strange. If this is the case, I don't like the it and would prefer the old fashioned key ..... I've now had my car 3 weeks today and no spare key.

Joanne

Sorry to hear about all the frustration you're going through with the key.

I think that what the dealer is telling you about getting a key is correct - at least according to the manual. It has to be ordered and the manual states that this could take a long time (probably because it has to be ordered from Germany specific to your car.) Not sure, but I think the spare key can only be used to unlock the car and glove box. I don't see how it could be used to start the car. Once the key arrives, the dealer does have to program the car to accept the key. If you ever lose your key, you have to get the dealer to block the stolen key. (The spare can still be used to unlock your car via that hidden lock, but it can't be used to start the car.)

Here's the link to the key section of the online manual.
[www.porscheownersmanuals.com]

In part, I guess we have to blame the crooks out there, forcing car companies to make their cars more difficult to steal.

I'm not talking about an extra key that unlocks the glovebox. I have that on the 1 key (fob) that I have...... When I got my car, I was given 2 fobs. Only 1 works. The other wouldn't unlock anything, including trunks and wouldn't start the car. That's what is all frustrating was that they gave me a key that didn't work. I would think that during the PDI, they would check to ensure the key works. Their response was "you have 1 key that works". But, if I was married, how would that fly???? It's a lot of the little comments that bug me.

Joanne

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Joanne in OC
I'm not talking about an extra key that unlocks the glovebox. I have that on the 1 key (fob) that I have...... When I got my car, I was given 2 fobs. Only 1 works. The other wouldn't unlock anything, including trunks and wouldn't start the car. That's what is all frustrating was that they gave me a key that didn't work. I would think that during the PDI, they would check to ensure the key works. Their response was "you have 1 key that works". But, if I was married, how would that fly???? It's a lot of the little comments that bug me.

Joanne

I know you're referring to the second key (not the small emergency key). Any time we travel, we always take both, with my wife carrying the 2nd key just in case something happens (lost, stolen, stops working) to the first key. It's obviously not an easy item to replace.

The dealer should be making sure that everything on your car works, like Mike and I commented in our other posts.

When your survey arrives from Porsche, I would make a point of detailing your woes on getting this problem resolved--line and verse. From what I've seen on other 981 problems posted on other boards, PCNA has been very active in resolving problems,even providing freebies to heal any wounds from the experience.

The lack of follow up on your calls indicates to me that your problem just wasn't a very high priority with the dealership as a whole; they themselves may not have been able to fix your problem, but it doesn't take much to send an email,text or phone call to just let you know what is going on. Pretty pathetic behavior, when you think it, after spending $50K + on one of their cars.

Going forward--whenever the key shows up--based your dealership's response to your problem, I'd suggest looking for the Porsche dealer in your area that has the best reputation for servicing cars; the local P clubs should be a good source of info--and various forums. If their customer service is so lacking in resolving a relatively easy issue, I'd hate to think how they might handle a more complex technical problem.

The service you've received so far is something I might expect from some back street used car dealership. Certainly not from a dealership that sells cars costing upwards of $50,000. To me, your dealership has done nothing to earn the profit they made on selling you your car.

Like Mike, I'd suggest contacting PCNA and for servicing, start checking with local PCA members to see which dealership will provide good service while your car is under warrantee. I wouldn't even trust these guys to something simple like an oil change. Really hard to believe that they never got back to you on any of those calls. Your service is the total opposite of what I've received from both Porsche dealerships I've dealt with here in Ontario.

Hope you get the key issue resolved soon. Makes you want to be extra careful with your keys. If you ever lost one, it can be a pretty time consuming and expensive thing to replace.

Tyipcally, calls to Porsche Cars North America help speed dealer reaction time. Nobody likes getting "called" to the principal's office. This is an odd reaction from the dealer as they make most of their money off of service, I'd go elsewhere in the future, if possible.

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Joanne in OC
I asked about getting a key from another dealer. I was then informed they can't keep any keys because the keys are programmed specifically for the car in Germany and no one else can do it. This just seems really strange. If this is the case, I don't like the it and would prefer the old fashioned key ..... I've now had my car 3 weeks today and no spare key.

i am suspicious of this claim. at least in the last two boxster generations, it is the car that is programmed to recognize and accept the key. all keys have an RFID chip in them that has a unique code, i.e. no two keys are alike. The dealer plugs their computer into the car's "brain" and programs the car to accept the key with this particular code as a valid key.

i would think that the keys cannot be altered as this would, in my opinion, make them much more vulnerable to being hacked.

as far as the old keys went, it's very important to remember that there are three components: the transmitter which unlocks the car when you press the button, the RFID chip that tells the car that the rightful key is in the ignition, and the metal tongue that physically turns the key cylinder and makes a physical electrical connection. i haven't looked at the keys on a 981 so i don't even know if there's still a key cylinder on the dash.

--
MY 2000 S, Ocean Blue, Metropol Blue, Savanah Beige.
Bought June 2000 - Sold May 2010

... an RFID key only.
They use a rolling code algorithm that is programmed for the car, AFAIK.
No mechanical tumblers like the archaic 986s and 987s
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

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Pedro (Weston, FL)
... an RFID key only.
They use a rolling code algorithm that is programmed for the car, AFAIK.
No mechanical tumblers like the archaic 986s and 987s
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

no tumbler? what's this "hidden lock" i keep hearing about?

is there also no transmitter? you don't press a button to send a radio signal to open the car? the rolling code algorithm you mention can't be an RFID chip as those are strictly passive, i.e. they reflect a coded signal when they are energized by a signal. they can't/don't transmit on their own.

i'm puzzled now.

--
MY 2000 S, Ocean Blue, Metropol Blue, Savanah Beige.
Bought June 2000 - Sold May 2010

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frogster

no tumbler? what's this "hidden lock" i keep hearing about?

is there also no transmitter? you don't press a button to send a radio signal to open the car? the rolling code algorithm you mention can't be an RFID chip as those are strictly passive, i.e. they reflect a coded signal when they are energized by a signal. they can't/don't transmit on their own.

i'm puzzled now.

Well, there are tumblers in the emergency door lock (the hidden one - located under the driver's side door handle) and the glove box lock. You can only use the emergency key on these locks. Ignition is only activated with RFID "key" which you insert like the old keys and twist with your left hand, as it should be done in a Porsche.

Here's the key section in the Boxster iManual so you'll know what this valuable piece of equipment (that Joanne's been struggling to get) looks like.
[www.porscheownersmanuals.com]

wrong key. Kind of funny but when I bought my new Cayman S a day later I got a call from the dealer asking if I got an extra key, 3 keys instead of 2? I said not that I knew and was asked to look through the owners manual case and the car. I looked high and low and didn't find a 3rd key. The two fancy keys and valet key I did get with the car worked just fine.

Seems the dealer was short a key for another car. But like I said both fancy keys and the valet key worked just fine though so I never thought any more about it.

My key arrived today !!!!! 22 days with no spare key. Tomorrow they will be picking up my car on a flatbed and bringing it to the dealer to program the key and my car.

I did call PCNA today. They told me that they couldn't do anything. Informed me that the dealer has access to the tracking and they have the most information. I informed them of the responses I've been getting and my frustrations. Still not much help, then said she'd call the Regional Manager. Hopefully, this will all be over tomorrow!!!! Whew, I can go on my trip with less worries. Like Guenter, I bring the spare key with me.

After this experience, I have to treat these keys like "gold".

Joanne