palladio

I sold my 1997 993 coupe to a friend this year. I only had one key, and she wants to have a spare. She took it to her local NYC dealer (who I do not trust), and they said that the immobilizer can only handle four keys total. They told her that it was already programmed for the three other missing keys (I bought the car used with only the one key), and that the only solution was to install a new immobilizer for $2,000. Is this correct? Is there any way to get a spare key with the current immobilizer?

H.H.Chinn

Wrong! The immobilizer does not need to be replaced. The car's immobilizer can be reprogrammed for the existing key alarm fob and up to three additional alarm fobs. The other fobs where ever they may be will never work to unlock the car again.
I was in the same situation with the PO only providing a single key and alarm fob. I bought two more key blanks, LED lit heads and alarm fobs from Sunset Porsche in Oregon and had them both cut and programmed at our local dealer for around $70.00.

g_murray

+1
She's being fed total BS.
Not for nuffin' if THAT is the type of 'service' that she is getting (right off the bat) from this company - then Gawd knows what BS she's gonna be fed further on down the line.
She seriously needs to find somewhere/someone else to provide service. Those guyz are total scheisters.

During the 'reprogramming' of the key FOBS -- the immobilizer unit *in the car* _waits_ for each and every key-fob to 'speak' to it, in turn. When the key-fob 'speaks' to the car-unit, the LEDs in the door, "flash", as a visual indication that now BOTH the car-unit AND this particular key-fob are happily yapping. You can program up to 4 key-fobs in one sitting. ALL OTHER KEY-FOBS, NOT PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR, DURING THE RE-PROGRAMMING, WILL NOT WORK.

So, for instance, if you have 2 key-fobs, and your wife has the third. You decide, one day, (coz you have time to kill?), to go thru' the exercise of 'reprogramming the keys''. (Don't laugh, a lot of us have done this, me included.) So you successfully get both of your keys to 'speak' to the car-unit and you shut the garage. Next day, wifey decides to go for a spin. BZZZZZT! Her key-fob won't work because it wasn't present and accounted for during the re-programming session. Yes, yes, she'll berate you because 'it worked before', but that's the way the cookie crumbles. You'd need to do the exercise all over again, but this time, with all THREE key-fobs present.

BTW, do a search for the 'reprogramming of key-fobs' and you'll get a feeling for what's involved.

I work in NYC -- (Madison Square Garden) -- and, as said, have personally done the key-reprogramming-fandango with my own 993 -- only last week actually!

If you/your friend want me to re-program your keys for you -- just shoot me an email:
murray@hq.acm.org and we can organize a rendezvous.

Cordially,
Gerry

palladio

Gerry,
Thanks a million for your helpful reply. She works by Bryant Park, and I'd bet she'd buy you a steak dinner if you helped her reprogram the keys (or I could meet you when I'm back in NYC).

This dealer really makes my blood boil! I bet they are taking advantage of her because she is an attractive and nice young woman who doesn't know much about cars (other than she loves her 993). An easy target for a quick profit.

I just found out from her that they charged her $460 to replace her battery last week.

g_murray

Hi,
Cripes, what a bunch of $cheisters, that 'battery' was a total rip-off.
I wouldn't be too surprised if they *didn't* put a 'battery saver' into the cigarette-lighter when they were changing the battery. OK, stay with me here: if the battery ever goes completely dead OR you remove the battery (totally), the OBD-ii system loses all its "settings". What these means is that BEFORE she ever takes the car for another NY inspection, she needs to drive the car. By driving the car - the OBD-ii system will reset itself (in particular the 'readiness monitors' will 'reset' to 'OK') and the car will then be 'acceptable' for NY inspection.
If she ever brings the car in and the obd-ii system is NOT ready -- the inspection station will a) still charge you and b) cite the car as having FAILED inspection. This FAIL will appear on the carfax record.
In case these clowns left the car 'dead' for a while - I can bring my Matco Scantool (with me) which will check the 'readiness' of the car. (Takes all of two seconds.)

I work 9-5 at MSG and have no problem hopping on a subway (after work) to meet you guyz where you've garaged the car. If you want help with the key-and-obd-ii-fandango just email me sometime in the new year. No need for 'compensation' -- this is what we 'Rennlisters' do.

Her job (or your job) is to make sure that you KNOW the 4-digit code for the car, and that it is the correct code. THAT I'll certainly need. The 'spare' key should have a red-n-white paper 'key-chain' with a bar code and numbers on it. Either have THAT handy or know the code number, itself.

Cordially,
Gerry

palladio

Gerry,
Thanks for the heads up on the OBD thing. I remember that from when I owned the car. Not sure about they key code, but I will try to find it. I don't think we have a "spare" key, only the one regular key I got when I bought the car.

I'll pass all this along to her. Maybe we can meet up when I'm back in NYC in a few weeks. I'll send you an email.

Anyway, thanks for all the help here. Rennlist is the best.

And I can't wait to see what a $460 battery looks like!

NC TRACKRAT

Sitting here, monitoring your discussion and want to remind you that there are two codes 1) The IMMOBILIZER Code and 2) The Key code used to actually cut a new key. The key code will not re-program the IMMOBILIZER.

IamSMC

Page 19 of the Owner's Manual:
"A maximum of 4 manual remote controls may be allocated to your car."

Here's a post that quoted: (no more than four):
https://rennlist.com/forums/6092761-post25.html

Now does that mean it is a max of 4 remotes that can be programmed for each immobilizer?

OR

Does that mean it is a max of 4 remotes that can be programmed at any one time?

From p-car.com, it notes:
Note:
A maximum of four remote control units may be assigned to a vehicle as the same time. Additional remote control units must always be tuned to a vehicle together with the two units already assigned to it. Before the code number is entered, the immobilizer must be primed but the alarm and the central locking systems must not be activated. This status is reached 90 seconds after the ignition key has been removed or 3 minutes after the vehicle has been unlocked using the remote control unit if the ignition key is not turning in the lock.


And if the info provided by the dealer happens to be true, the consensus on RL is to check with Sunset Porsche for the best prices on Porsche parts.

Plus substantially less than $2000 on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts...1%7C240%3A1318

g_murray

Hiya,
Yes, I do believe that a MAXIMUM of 4 remotes can be (re)programmed during any particular 'session' -- and a MAXIMUM of 4 is 'acceptable' to the car-unit also.
So if you have a 5th. key-fob ...it will not be 'accepted' by the car-unit after the car-unit has 'spoken' to the first four. Thus, any 5th. or nth key-fob is, literally, only a spare *for parts* until such time as IT gets programmed to replace the one that 'broke'.
Agree -- there are TWO numbers that are important -- the number for the KEY (so you can get spares cut) and the number for the immobilizer. BOTH are 4-digits - so kindly do NOT mix 'em up!
The red-n-white cardboard/paper key-ring has the immobilizer number on it, surrounded by black lines making up a rectangular 'box' around it.
Gerry

palladio

So if I don't have the red cardboard piece with the code info, and if I can't find it the materials from the previous owner, how do I obtain the codes for the immobilizer and cutting the keys?

IamSMC

Photo ID and original registration should do the trick.