996 key 'packed up'

[GeeBeeMan]

Hi - just want to check if anyone has any bright 996 'key' ideas before I spend money

Just bought a 996 turbo and the last owner (who I trust implicitly) says that the spare key remote 'just packed up' one day. Confident he's tried fresh batteries

I've seen a £59.99 eBay 'repair' which reads quite well........in fact just thinking about it you're posting a key to a valuable car and giving the same unknown one of your addresses too eek

But before I research further.......is there any kind of re-set test I can try? I know historically some cars have had 'rolling codes' for example - and you had to hold a button down for a while to re-syncronise if you'd only been using the other key

Can't see anything in the handbook or on this forum

T H A N K Y O U



GB

[Lee 944]

I was led to believe that you need to get the key recoded to the car if you changed batteries. I know one indy in Glasgow who can do this, and has done for a another owner I know, but thought it was supposed to be done by OPC. Perhaps one of the indy garages near you can do it? I'm not sure they can code the key without the car being there?

[Sean Smallman]

The Porsche Centre sorted mine out and recoded it.

[GeeBeeMan]

so a simple transmitter battery replacement might then necessitate a visit to an OPC? seems a bad idea to me.....

but thank you. not saying you're wrong obviously!!!!!!!

[Sean Smallman]

Dunno, but there are some problems where I prefer to use the dealerships

The Porsche Centre tried something and confirmed the fob was dead. I had a nice coffee while they changed the fob and coded it to the car.

[Lee 944]

I am pretty sure that specialist software is required. I think it is a good idea that some features are only available from a main dealer/specialist. Not sure I'd be happy if anyone could do it?

[jmgarage]

You can change the battery in the key without recoding the car or key.

If the key does not work with a new battery, there is a Porsche TSB with the procedure to reset the key head, where you install the battery back to front, press all the buttons, then put the battery back in the right way around and try it in the locks and use it to start the car a few times, and then sometimes they manage to resync

If that does not work, if you have the original bar codes for the keys you have, or the car has the original factory keys still (longshot) then it is possible to to reprogram them to the alarm unit, but it rarely works.

I have personally had success from locking the car about 5 times and then unlocking the car about 5 times, then jumping in the car (even if the alarm is going off) putting the key in the ignition, turning it to the ignition on position while pressing the unlock button. This is not an official fix, or even a way to program up a new key, but it has worked where a key was out of sync.

It is also worth checking that the alarm control unit under the passenger seat is not damp, having it plugged into a Porsche computer that the main dealers and good specialists will have, and checking to find out if it needs a new control unit or new keys or both.

[GeeBeeMan]

Thanks Jon! Kind of you. A bit more to 'get my teeth into' now. You never know eh....