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Help - can't open the doors!

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WeeJohnyB

New member
I have a 996 C4, yr 2000
The day after I got it from a dealer, the alarm went off and would not stop. (and the car would not start). Called the RAC who got it going with a battery booster. Not enough power in the battery as he reckoned it was being drained by the alarm and the alarm goes off when the battery gets too low?
Once running, I took it for a spin for an hour to charge it, but no joy, it was totally flat. Called dealer in the morning who said to buy a non-Porsche battery and fit it myself. Did so and happy(ish) days, we're off and running. Not a great start to Porsche ownership!
Two months later, I didn't drive it for a week and I come back to find the remote key(s) are not opening the doors. Both show the red light when pressed. Red light on the top of the dash is still flashing and nothing from the indicators.
I didn't want to try the key in the door in case the alarm went off at stupid o'clock and wakened the street, so I will have to attend to it tonight.
What do I do?
Regards
John
PS. Great forum
 
Johny,

after a period of inactivity (I believe it's about 5 days), the r/c won't work...you need to use the key to open the car, and then put the key in the ignition. This will ensure everything is reset.

This should be covered in your manual ("RTFM"), but you can be excused, cos I've done exactly the same thing and was wondering what was wrong!!

Regards, Neil.
 
After being locked for 5 days the alarm goes into energy-saving mode, and shuts down remote operation. After this has happened, you have to unlock it with the key and IMMEDIATELY switch the ignition on, or the alarm will sound.

Edit: Need to type quicker! Beat me to it Neil.
 
ORIGINAL: WeeJohnyB

I have a 996 C4, yr 2000
The day after I got it from a dealer, the alarm went off and would not stop. (and the car would not start). Called the RAC who got it going with a battery booster. Not enough power in the battery as he reckoned it was being drained by the alarm and the alarm goes off when the battery gets too low?
Once running, I took it for a spin for an hour to charge it, but no joy, it was totally flat. Called dealer in the morning who said to buy a non-Porsche battery and fit it myself. Did so and happy(ish) days, we're off and running. Not a great start to Porsche ownership!
Two months later, I didn't drive it for a week and I come back to find the remote key(s) are not opening the doors. Both show the red light when pressed. Red light on the top of the dash is still flashing and nothing from the indicators.
I didn't want to try the key in the door in case the alarm went off at stupid o'clock and wakened the street, so I will have to attend to it tonight.
What do I do?
Regards
John
PS. Great forum
Click to expand...

How did the dealer get away with passing on the problem as yours to sort out only a day after you got it from them?
 
Hi Johny. As above - and also congrats on getting rid of your Porsche battery and replacing it with another one - any battery in fact as the Porsche ones are about as useful as a chocolate fire guard. I'm not sure whether your car has a permanently "live" cigarette lighter? If it does (Richard will tell you) then I would recommend one of these.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358&C=Maplin&U=SearchTop&T=SOLAR%20BATTER%20CHARGER&doy=11m9

Very handy if (like me) you don't have a garage and leaving electrical supplies outside to power trickle chargers can be a none starter. (Dohh!) My car is covered and the charger still works even in dim light. I had the same problem as you; not using the car enough and the battery gave out. One of the cells collapsed when I tried to start it and that was the end of that. Got a new Exide battery and a charger which I leave plugged in and on the back parcel shelf of the car. The battery is now always really strong. I now realised how slowly my previous Porsche one had been turning the car over for the last year or so when I got the new one! All the best. Adrian.
 
I think the cigar lighter goes off when you switch off the ignition on a MY2000 car. It does on my 1998. I'll have to work it out from the wiring diagrams, but I have the feeling it was changed in 02.
 
ORIGINAL: Richard Hamilton

After being locked for 5 days the alarm goes into energy-saving mode, and shuts down remote operation. After this has happened, you have to unlock it with the key and IMMEDIATELY switch the ignition on, or the alarm will sound.

Edit: Need to type quicker! Beat me to it Neil.
Click to expand...

There's an easier way:

  1. Put key in door lock and turn it
  2. The car will "wake up" (the interior lights come on)
  3. DO NOT OPEN DOOR!
  4. Press the remote button
  5. The car will now unlock, and the alarm will not now go off.
  6. You can now open door and get in, without having to rush for the ignition. (And no need to worry about the alarm).
 
"Top tip" Mark. (I put it on the FAQ [Alarm Issues] page a while ago).

It never works for me though [:(]. On the very rare occasion I leave my car locked for more than 5 days the alarm ALWAYS goes off as soon as I unlock or lock the car with the key (even before I open the door!). No faults are shown on the system either. At least I know about it now, so I'm ready. First time it scared the life out of me - boy, are those sirens loud!
 
ORIGINAL: Richard Hamilton

"Top tip" Mark. (I put it on the FAQ [Alarm Issues] page a while ago).

It never works for me though [:(]. On the very rare occasion I leave my car locked for more than 5 days the alarm ALWAYS goes off as soon as I unlock or lock the car with the key (even before I open the door!). No faults are shown on the system either. At least I know about it now, so I'm ready. First time it scared the life out of me - boy, are those sirens loud!
Click to expand...

Maybe worth clarifying:
  1. Put key in door lock and turn it
  2. The car will "wake up" (the interior lights come on)
  3. DO NOT OPEN DOOR!
  4. Press the remote button WITHOUT removing the key from the doorlock. (or is this not necessary? I press the remote button then remove the key)
  5. The car will now unlock, and the alarm will not now go off.
  6. You can now open door and get in, without having to rush for the ignition. (And no need to worry about the alarm).
 
You'll almost certainly have a constantly "live" cigarette lighter - so you can use the charger discussed above.
 
Thanks, that's useful but what I really wondered about was the 5 days, goes to sleep routine - whether that applies?
 
ORIGINAL: THX911

ORIGINAL: Richard Hamilton

"Top tip" Mark. (I put it on the FAQ [Alarm Issues] page a while ago).

It never works for me though [:(]. On the very rare occasion I leave my car locked for more than 5 days the alarm ALWAYS goes off as soon as I unlock or lock the car with the key (even before I open the door!). No faults are shown on the system either. At least I know about it now, so I'm ready. First time it scared the life out of me - boy, are those sirens loud!
Click to expand...

Maybe worth clarifying:
  1. Put key in door lock and turn it
  2. The car will "wake up" (the interior lights come on)
  3. DO NOT OPEN DOOR!
  4. Press the remote button WITHOUT removing the key from the doorlock. (or is this not necessary? I press the remote button then remove the key)
  5. The car will now unlock, and the alarm will not now go off.
  6. You can now open door and get in, without having to rush for the ignition. (And no need to worry about the alarm).
Click to expand...

You don't need to leave the key in the lock.

I regularly use my wife's car for 5 days or more and always unlock manually and then press the key fob to lock and unlock (when the key's out of the lock).
 
Thanks Richard, yes it possibly would. Problem is I don't get that till I pick up my first Porsche until this Thursday (2008MY C2S) and I was interested to know.

I think it could be the sort of thing that wouldn't be told to me on collection and I probably wouldn't RTFM until it had got me.
 
I ordered an owners manual from the parts dept when I specced the car (to read whilst awaiting it to be built).

Was I excited? [:D]
 
Just had a look at the MY05 997 Manual, and it looks like they have changed it to 7 days:

[FONT=verdana,geneva"]If the vehicle is not started or unlocked with the[FONT=verdana,geneva"][FONT=verdana,geneva"]remote control within 7 days, the remote control[FONT=verdana,geneva"][FONT=verdana,geneva"]standby function is switched off (to save the[FONT=verdana,geneva"][FONT=verdana,geneva"]vehicle battery).[FONT=verdana,geneva"][FONT=verdana,geneva"]1. In this case, unlock the driver's door with the[FONT=verdana,geneva"][FONT=verdana,geneva"]key at the door lock.[FONT=verdana,geneva"][FONT=verdana,geneva"]Leave the door closed in order to prevent the[FONT=verdana,geneva"][FONT=verdana,geneva"]alarm system from being triggered.[FONT=verdana,geneva"][FONT=verdana,geneva"]2. Press button 1 on the remote control.[FONT=verdana,geneva"][FONT=verdana,geneva"]The remote control is now activated again.[FONT=verdana,geneva"]
 
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