2009 Cayman Key Issue
 

New drover has requested assistance from the Dorki community. Apparently his 2009 Cayman key will not manually nor electronically unlock the door. Had to abandon the car and is looking into getting it towed to the dealer. Any suggestions?

My first thought would be if he hadn't opened the locks in five days there is an unlocking proceedure that needs to be done. Short of that you may want to direct him to the Cayman site Planet9 where I'm sure there is an answer. http://www.planet-9.com

The electronic function can drop for a variety of reasons. But hard to believe the manual key function suddenly stopped working. Even if the battery is dead, the manual key function should still work on the driver's door.

If the key is turning in the cylinder, then something has broken in the door's hardware, and the lock cylinder is no longer correctly controlling the rest of the mechanism.

If the key is not turning in the lock cylinder, then there may be a possibility that someone has tampered with lock, maybe trying to pick it to break in. If damaged internally, the key may no longer be interfacing correctly with the cylinder.

It's not the wrong key, is it?

The only other thing I've ever heard of is a bizarre alarm feature on some Range Rovers. If the vehicle detection system thought there was a break-in in progress, it would completely lock down the entire vehicle, so that nothing work or unlocks. And apparently, only the dealer can reverse. But I doubt the Cayman is so equipped.

Maybe it's a 2009/Gen II "thing" but as I recall my key works the doors even when I have the battery disconnected.

If you suspect the battery to be the issue there is a way to pop the front trunk manually. There is an emergency trunk release outside the car behind the left fender well. You could connect another battery and then hopefully the key will work if it's a battery charge issue.

Hello Friends!

I am the sad Drover with the unlockable 09 Cayman S. I am using the correct key. The key does turn in the cylinder of the driver's door handle, but this does not unlock the car or cause anything to happen. The buttons on the key do work and the red diode lights up each time you press any of the three buttons. The red alarm light on the dashboard was also flashing. I was only gone from the car for 1.5 hours and I'm sure I locked the car when I walked away, as I watched the daytime running lights turn themselves off after 30 seconds as I walked away. This is a true puzzle for sure. I had to leave the car downtown and hitch a ride home last night. Now I have to figure out the best way to get back into the car. The manual suggests that if I push the central unlocking button on the dashboard the doors will unlock... it also says that if I pull the door handles twice the door should open. So I'm thinking of taking the extra-second key, some rods and stiff wires with me when I go back down there. Short of that I have arranged for a tow truck to come and pick up the car... which will be interesting as well as the car is completely locked, in park (PDK) and parallel parked on a side street with cars in front and in back. I am thinking they might have to drag the car out into the street in order to pick it up. What a day.

Have you called a Porsche dealer (service center) to get advice? I would want them to recommend how to proceed.

Yes and no. I put a call into them first thing this morning but they haven't called back. I plan to call again before I leave to go back down to the car.

x2 on what Tony said. Something in the door is amiss then. Speak with a the dealer again before you get the tow truck involved.

Once you try the second key (and if it fails - hope not) I'm going with dead battery since you couldn't open the frunk or hatch. Except, you said the door will not mechanically open either... Did you happen to notice what the blinky light on the top forward center of the dashboard was doing? I'm wondering now if someone tried to break into your car, broke the lock, set off the alarms and the immobilizer, and that took out an already weak battery?

Doing this on the street in the city will be a challenge but:
Use the emergency release behind the front right wheel well (have to remove wheel and wheel well liner :( ). Get a jump, which will set off the alarms again, and open the car with the remote. Get in, close the door, insert the key, and switch it on (position 3) and off. This should reset the alarm. Start the car. Drive it somewhere to test the battery and possible replace it or re-jump again (so make sure they have your battery in stock).

There is also a second emergency release cable for the hatch in the left rear wheel well (I can't remember if this is only on 9X6s, sorry) that may be easier to get to. Pop to hatch, crawl through, and use the key to reset the immobilizer as above. That is a Plan B if the battery is actually dead as it won't help then. If that battery is fine, the door lock is broken, and it is an immobilizer reset that is needed, this would help.

I wouldn't let anyone tow the car out of the described situation sideways unless they have the devices that let you lift each of the tires off the ground. Unfortunately, they all have damage waivers and if the car rolls like that.... I think you'd want to camp out there and wait for the car in front to move and then put out some autocross cones and THEN call for the tow. :( Good luck, man.

The red light on the dash was blinking. I am starting to get the impression that someone may have tried to break in and that activated the immobilizer. I still haven't heard from the Porsche dealership, but I have since spoken to Omar at Intersport, where I bought the car, and he thinks that might be the case. He is trying to get me some help now too.

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to having to tow it so let me see what happens when I get back down there. I appreciate everyone's advice and will advise what I find out.

Thanks!