Like many Porsche enthusiasts, I was thrilled to get my hands on a 1999 Porsche Boxster. It’s been a fantastic ride, offering the perfect blend of performance and fun. However, one persistent niggle has been the key fob situation. When I purchased the car, the seller mentioned a possible dead battery in the keyless remote. It turned out to be more than just a battery issue; the remote was completely non-functional. Initially, I wasn’t too concerned as I rarely lock the car. However, the desire for a fully functional car, especially when considering resale, led me down a rabbit hole of key fob programming challenges. This journey has been far more complicated than I ever anticipated, turning a simple key fob replacement into a perplexing Porsche puzzle.
My initial attempts to rectify the 1999 Porsche Boxster Key Fob situation started with simple fixes. Basic maintenance like replacing bulbs and wiper blades were straightforward. The car itself is in great mechanical condition, making the key fob issue seem like an anomaly. Living with only one key, and no remote access, felt a bit like embracing the car’s age, a quirky reminder of simpler times. However, the practical side of me knew that having a working keyless entry system is a standard expectation, and frankly, a desirable feature.
The saga deepened when I discovered the car’s locking history was as convoluted as the key fob issue. The keys I received wouldn’t lock the doors. I even had a locksmith reverse-pick the door lock to create manual door keys, separate from the ignition key. A key blade cut based on the VIN proved useless for the ignition. Aftermarket key blades from online retailers were incompatible. I even tried filing down a blank blade to fit the ignition, successfully getting it to turn, but programming remained the hurdle. Local dealers were hesitant to program these aftermarket keys, pushing me towards the official Porsche route.
Hoping for a definitive solution, I visited the Porsche dealership. I ordered official Porsche keyless entry fobs and blades, a costly investment exceeding $500. After spending hours at the dealership, I was met with disappointment. They couldn’t program the new fobs. The initial visit was attributed to the absence of their “key savant.” Returning when this specialist was available yielded the same result – failure. My goal was clear: at least two keys capable of starting the car and ideally, remote unlocking functionality. This didn’t seem like an unreasonable expectation, especially given the investment and the dealer’s expertise. Even if remote entry was impossible, simply having two working ignition keys would have been a step forward.
The service advisor, who was genuinely helpful, delivered the unexpected news: they could only program one key at a time to start the car. They suspected an issue with the immobilizer, limiting the system to a single programmed key. Furthermore, and perhaps most surprisingly, they stated that my 1999 Porsche Boxster might not have been configured for keyless entry at all. According to their VIN check, remote locking and unlocking via a fob might have never been a feature of my car.
This revelation raised several questions. Was it truly possible for a 1999 Porsche Boxster to be manufactured without keyless entry? If so, shouldn’t this be a standard diagnostic check before ordering expensive key fobs and investing hours in programming attempts? While I anticipate the dealership will address the cost of the unusable fobs, the entire experience highlights a potential gap in their diagnostic process. The prospect of spending an additional $2,500 ($1,500 for a new immobilizer and $1,000 for installation) on a car valued around $9,000 to gain a second working key (without remote access) seems disproportionate.
Adding another layer of confusion, the Carfax report indicated “Anti-theft/keyless remotes replaced” in its history. This directly contradicts the dealer’s assertion that my car never had keyless entry. When presented with this Carfax detail, the service advisor suggested it might be a generic, potentially inaccurate Carfax category. This explanation felt somewhat dismissive and didn’t fully resolve the discrepancy.
Therefore, I turn to the Porsche community for insights. Were there indeed 1999 Porsche Boxster models produced without keyless entry capabilities? Does the suspected immobilizer issue limiting key programming sound familiar to anyone? Despite this key fob frustration, the car has been remarkably trouble-free, showing none of the typical immobilizer quirks reported by others. While I appreciate the service advisor’s assistance, I’m left seeking a solution beyond costly immobilizer replacement. Is there a viable path to achieving two working keys and ideally, functional remote entry for my 1999 Porsche Boxster? The journey to resolve this 1999 Porsche Boxster key fob mystery continues, and any shared experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated.
