emdls

A dirt cheap ($40) way to have a backup keys for your older ('98-'04) Boxsters:

Problem: I wanted to pay little to solve the common: '1 key only problem' for the older Porsche Boxster buyers like myself. Didn't want to pay the stealership reprogram extortion fee, so here's the insanely cheap option to have multiple backup keys that will actually open and -start- the car:

Summary: Take the transponder pill out of the key, and tape it to the inside of the ignition trim piece with electrical tape, and just make a copies of the key blade for $30 bucks via keysinthepost.com or a competitor (it's simple: you just upload them a pic of your current key blade and they mail you a new blade). That's all!

Detailed: Take a closeup picture of your current key blade with your phone, and upload it to this British locksmith site (no affiliation): https://keysinthepost.com
This cost me £25.94 (pounds), which was about $30 US. There may be other sources that work, but none that I could find that's cheaper.

I ordered just -one- blade that way. I then ordered via eBay an Remote Key Shell Case (only) W/ Porsche Logo, Item ID: 291781361485 for $8.97 (incl. shipping) from seller tutent-keyless (no affiliation).

I then took my -one- working key, and forced the case open with a swiss army knife and very very carefully removed the little glass transmitter/transponder/RFID "pill" (about twice the size of a large grain of rice. Do not drop or lose this, or you will incur great costs in buying another and having to tow your car to be programmed at the dealership!)

I then pulled the small plastic "Ignition Surround Trim": (Pic at):
http://www.suncoastparts.com/mm5/gra...x6_202x144.jpg
off of the dash (it slips right off), and using electrical tape, taped the pill on the inner circular part of the trim at the top. Make sure to tape it so it is pointing at the front of the car lengthwise (like a bullet fired forward). I tried perpendicular at first, but it didn't register, and the car wouldn't start. (No induction to power the chip?)

I used electrical tape (1/2 width variety) and wrapped enough so it was wrapped around more than double, onto itself, so even after years, and on the hottest day, (black colored Porsches are a bad choice in California), there was no chance of that pill ever coming off.

I then slipped the trim back on with the chip pill attached, and now -any- correctly cut metal key blade will start the car, NO DEALER REPROGRAMMING EVER NEEDED AGAIN.

Total cost, ~$40. No more stress about hundreds of dollars in costs or being stranded if I should lose my keys.
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Disclaimer 1: This does not deal with the remote entry, which is another issue, and other threads talk about fixing that if your OEM one is failing http://986forum.com/forums/diy-proje...y-why-not.html

Disclaimer 2: In theory, your ~$10K +-$7K Boxster is now stealable by hot wiring or lock smashing, though your potential thief is never going to know that, and given the low value to risk proposition for this car, likely bother trying. Plus as the original genius who came up with this hack pointed out, the poor unfortunate thief who stole your car will likely return your Porsche to you with an apology and consolation note once he/she realizes how much it costs to maintain the damn thing.

Disclaimer 3: I can't take credit for this hack - I found it somewhere online after a great deal of searching, but have lost the original source.

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(Side thread) One thing I do not understand about this car ('02 Boxster)? The unlock button on the center dash - it works no matter if the car top is down or the windows are down and the car has been locked!

So, that means if someone cuts the roof, or breaks a window, they can unlock the car, and access the trunk and/or the frunk with the driver switches with -no- problem. That seems wrong.

Is that correct, and how it's meant to be, or is there an issue with my car?!

Schnell Gelb

Brilliant first post - congratulations and thanks.
I particularly like the links to the suggestions. That distinguishes your Post from many that are too vague to use.
I actually did go the dealer route for a key some years ago and it was very,very expensive .As these cars age/decline in value, hacks like this will be very useful.
Thank you.

Macster

Safety issue I think. The unlock button on the center dash needs to work so someone inside can unlock the car to get out. This is in case the person doesn't know to pull the inside door handle twice in order to open the door.

My experience with my 2002 is when the car is locked and one just reaches into the car through an open window to push the unlock button the alarm sounds.

kderry

The original source is 78F350 on the 986forum and your last link is my DIY 3rd part keyless entry.

Why not just get the transponder pill cloned? It's not expensive.

Schnell Gelb

Here is a link to a photo by the original source 78F350 that shows the pill in the key : http://986forum.com/forums/general-d...-rekeying.html

2003 986

Ton of great info in this thread. BUT, can anyone suggest a place to buy a blank pill that can be cloned and also a tool or place that can be used to clone the pill? I suspect if I ask my stealership to clone my super expensive working key with my super cheap one I will lose any savings I hoped to achieve. Thanks in advance.

Macster

Do not recall ever coming across a place that sells RFID pills suitable for use with a Porsche security system separately. All I have seen are keys being offered that already have a pill installed.

A pill's ID can't be cloned into another pill. (A pill's ID can be spoofed. Someone with the right equipment can trigger the pill to emit its ID and this can be captured and stored and if desired supplied to the car's security system when asked and spoof the real pill. This is how cars with this type of security can be stolen.)

Anyhow each pill issues a unique ID. The ID issued is fixed. When the key is inserted and turned and the pill's ID requested and the pill's RF response received/decoded the security module looks up the ID in its memory. If it finds it it allows the engine to crank. If not... crickets.

To get the new pill's ID introduced to the car's security system the dealer service tech will read the pill's ID off a tag and enter it into the car's security system memory. I do not know if there is a way to obtain the pill's ID directly from the pill. That is there is a way with the right equipment as I covered above but I don't think the Porsche diagnostics computer is that equipment. If you want to know for sure you'll have to ask. If it can be done likely the charge will be the same. The charge is for the diagnostics computer time as much as the tech's time. The computer when hooked up to the car will do an automatic and time consuming scan of the car's electronics. The tech doesn't have to be there but the computer is tied up for some minutes. Since the diagnostics computer system is so expensive most dealers only have one and dealers don't hook the computer up to just any old car unless it can charge for the time.

If there are ID's present for keys you no longer have in your possession or that don't work these can be removed. There is just room for 4 (?) IDs so dead or lost key ID's need to be removed.

If you have a genuine Porsche key something will be done to allow the key to work the door lock and the front/rear latch locks. If you have just the pill all that plays a role in is engine start.