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Porsche 997: Why is My Key Fob Remote Not Working?

When you try to use your key fob only to discover that it's not responding, your first thought might be that the battery is dead. This is one possibility, but there are several others as well. Troubleshooting and resolving the issue on your own can save a lot of money and time.

By Kate Halse - March 30, 2015
Contributors: Edgy01

This article applies to the Porsche 997 (2005-2012).

Dealing with an unresponsive key fob can put a damper on your day, whether you're heading to work or taking the car out for a leisurely ride. If you have a spare key fob, you may be able to use it until you've figured out why the other one isn't working. Replacing a dead battery can resolve the problem, but if your key fob still isn't working, it's time to dig deeper for another solution. Here are some possible culprits and solutions.

Materials Needed

  • Small tool that can pry the battery out
  • Replacement battery

Step 1 – Check the key fob battery

It might be dead.

If the key fob battery is dead, you won't be able to open the doors from any distance. The easiest way to see if it's the battery is to replace the existing one with a new, unopened battery. If you have an extra key fob, you can also test the spare to see if it works on your car. The 997 key fob is equipped with a red LED light that requires very little energy to operate. This light may still work even if the battery is dead.

Once the new battery is in, you'll need to reprogram the key. To do this, first put the key in the driver's door and turn it to the left as if you were unlocking the car. Then, turn the key to the right to lock the car. Remove the key and press one or more of the remote buttons to ensure it's working properly.

(Related Article: Porsche 997: How to Replace Key Fob Battery - Rennlist.com)

Figure 1. Check and replace the key fob battery if necessary.

Step 2 – Key might be in hibernation mode

It may need to be re-synced to work properly.

The fob might be in hibernation mode, especially if you haven't used the car for a week or more. If this is the case, the remote won't open the car right away. At first it might seem like the battery is dead. Start by opening the door manually with the key. Once the car is unlocked, the key fob should work normally.

Figure 2. Check to see if the key fob is in hibernation mode.

Pro Tip

The alarm may activate when you open the door. If this happens, hit the unlock button or put the keys in the ignition to turn off the alarm.

Step 3 – Replace the key

It might be beyond repair.

If you know that your key fob's battery is new and it's not stuck in hibernation mode, then the entire key might need to be replaced. However, you'll want to do the replacement as a last resort because it's quite expensive. The simplest way to tell if the key is defective is to put in a new battery and re-sync it with the car first. Then, follow the steps for bringing it out of hibernation mode. You can also check to see if your spare key is working. If you've tried all of these steps and the key still isn't responding, you'll need to bring the car to the dealership for a replacement key.

Most dealerships will re-sync the new key for you. If you need to do it yourself, start by placing the key in the ignition and moving it to the second position. From there, you'll need to hold down the unlock button on the key until a red light begins to flash on the dash.

Figure 3. Replace the key fob, then re-sync with the car.

Step 4 – Gold tab in key is bent or broken

The fob will need to be replaced.

The 997's key fob has a gold tab that's very fragile and can easily bend or break. Once this happens, the key doesn't make contact with the car and the fob will no longer work. The only solution is to replace the entire fob. You can disassemble the key to see if the gold tab is the culprit.

Figure 4. Gold tab revealed.

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