Porsche Boxster 986 Key Fob Battery Replacement

The battery replacement in your Porsche Boxster 986 key fob needs to be done every 5 years. The OEM Porsche Boxster Key Fob Battery in your Porsche key fob will only last 4-12 years.

If your key fob battery fully fails you can risk the need for reprogramming by a dealer, so when you encounter a failing key fob battery simply replace it.

Porsche Boxster 986 key fobs use a Lithium 3 Volt CR2032 battery. This battery is a very common electronics battery and is available anywhere.

NOTE: After 5 days of inactivity, the Porsche Boxster key fob radio receiver switches off to prevent parasitic draining of your car battery. In this state, your key fob will not operate. The key fob radio receiver reactivates after the vehicle is started. Or by locking, unlocking, and opening the car door using the key manually.

High Incidence of Failure

The high incidence of failure on the replacement 986 Key Fob battery resulted in Porsche releasing a TID on it.

This really speaks to the high incidence of failure for people attempting to do the battery replacement themselves and failing. So take extra care on doing this simple DIY.

If your key fob battery fully fails you can risk the need for reprogramming by a dealer ($200-$500 USD), so when you encounter a failing Boxster key fob battery simply replace it.

The evidence of this TID means that many people are faced with a $200-$500 charge for trying to change their Key Fob Battery.

986 Key Fobs use a Lithium 3 Volt CR2032 battery. This battery is a very common electronics battery and is available anywhere.

The Porsche 986 key fobs can not be reprogrammed. The key fob comes with a key code burnt into them. The 986 Boxster key fob “key” has to be programmed into the Boxster for it to accept the repaired or new key fob.

There is no way to change the existing 986 key fob codes. You need the original key fob keycode that came with your key. This key code is needed to program your car to accept your key fob. Without the key fob key code, the key fob becomes a paperweight.

Symptoms of a Dead Porsche Boxster Key Fob Battery

1. Loss of Operational Range

As the battery in your Porsche key fob begins to fail, the range of operation for your key fob to operate will shorten. Meaning that you will need to start being closer and closer to your Porsche for the key fob to operate.

2. Problematic Starting

You may encounter difficult starting of your Porsche Boxster. If it takes several attempts to start, this can be an indicator of a low battery.

3. Failing or Failed Operation

Your buttons on your Porsche Key Fob fail to lock and unlock your doors, open your trunks or set off the panic alarm, which is a clear symptom that your key fob battery is on the way out.

HowTo: Porsche Boxster 986 Key Fob Battery Replacement

This is a very easy repair and simply completed in under 5 minutes.

1. Tools Required to Change Your Key Fob Battery

• A 986 Key Fob
• Plastic Pry Tool
• New Lithium 3 Volt CR2032 Battery

NOTE: we recommend using a plastic pry tool over a metal screwdriver to prevent any issues with damage to your internally circuitry of your key fob.

2. Use Plastic Pry Tool To Open Key

Using your plastic pry tool, insert it into the base of the plastic housing (as shown below) on your Porsche key fob. Lightly pry at the base of the Key Fob where it meets the key and slide to each side to light open the Key Fob.

Warning: Do not fully open the Key Fob in this position!

3. Open Your Key Fob

To open your Key Fob now that you have your key fob housing dislodged, simply turn the key fob over so that the buttons on the key fob are facing down. Make sure to always have the key fob buttons facing down and never facing up.

If the key fob housing with the buttons turns up, the buttons will either fall out of the key fob housing or become dislodged and become problematic using them in the future unless you take the time to fully re-seat them during reassembly.

Warning: Be careful not to touch any of the electronic components.

4. Replace your Lithium Battery in Your Porsche Boxster Key Fob

Carefully pop your old CR 2032 3 Volt Lithium battery out of your Porsche key fob by moving the plastic containing clip back. Carefully Insert the new battery.

Make sure the new battery is facing the correct way.

Warning: Be careful not to touch any of the electronic components. Do not press any button of the remote control directly before replacing the battery and during the replacement or risk damage to the key fob processor.

5. Reassemble Your Key Fob

Simply reassemble your Porsche Key Fob housing. It will easily snap together. Ensure the key fob housing is fully seated all around the edges of the housing. Carefully examine the key fob buttons to ensure that they appear to be fully seated as well.

6. Test Your Key Fob

Now that you have the new battery installed, test it out on your car.

HowTo: Reprogramming of Your Porsche 986 Key Fob

In the event that your Porsche key fob buttons stop operating, you need to try reprogramming the key fob to your car.

1. Make sure you have a new battery installed. Make sure the new battery is fully charged.
2. Put the key in the driver’s door, and turn it left as if unlocking the car. Then lock the doors of your Porsche from the outside by using the key in the door lock.

Test your key fob buttons for operation, if the buttons work then you are done. Otherwise proceed to the next steps.

3. Unlock the driver’s side door using the key in the door lock.
4. Within 10 seconds of unlocking the driver’s door, open the door and insert the key into the ignition. DO NOT START THE CAR!
5. With the key still in the ignition on the “ACC” setting, push the unlock button on the key. Wait for a single low volume honk of the car.
6. Test your key fob buttons for remote operation.

Porsche TID Reset Your Porsche Boxster 986 Key FOB

If you have completed all the steps above and your key fob remote controls are still not operating, Porsche recommends trying to “Restart the Key Fob Processor”.

Resetting the Porsche Boxster 986 Key Fob Processor

1. Remove the key fob battery (step 4)

2. Insert the Battery with Reverse Polarity (Backwards)

Insert the CR2032 battery reverse polarity (upside down) for 3 seconds.

3. Insert the Battery with Correct Polarity into the Key Fob

4. Reassemble the Key Fob and Test

At this point, if your key fob does not function you will need the dealer to reprogram you ECU (DME) for your key using the PIWIS tool.

No OBD-II scanner tools can program a new key to your car. We were surprised to see that not even the Durametric OBD II tool was able to program keys.

Question: Can the software re-program the keys and remotes for Porsche cars?

Answer: Not at this time

Durametric FAQ

This is a job for the PIWIS (“Porsche Hammer”).

Amazon Key Fob Options (986/996 Models)

eBay and Amazon have many replacement key fob and key solutions, however, this will require a trip to the dealer to cut the key.

Amazon sells a new external housing (no internal electronics) for your key fob. Replace the worn-out (heavily used) key fob housing with a new one.

Porsche Boxster 986 Key Fob Battery Replacement FAQ

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Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API