2019 Porsche 911 Key Replacement

2019 911 key specs

The 2017 update switched the Carrera models to turbocharged 3.0-liter engines, while the key stayed the car-shaped fob that goes into the slot left of the wheel, or stays in your pocket on cars with Porsche Entry & Drive. The part number on your own fob decides what fits, not the model year, so don't assume a fob from a 2015 911 will work. The emergency key inside the fob opens the driver's door when the fob battery or the car's 12-volt system is dead.

What's specific to the 2019 911

2019 was the final model year of the 911 991.2, before the 992.1 arrived for 2020. Late-run cars occasionally pick up running changes, so we check the VIN instead of assuming a 2019 Porsche 911 matches a 2017. A 2019 Porsche 911 is about 7 years old now. Original fob batteries are near the end of their life at this age, so weak range or a "key not detected" message is often a battery before it is a failed fob. Cars this age are often on their second owner, which is when a single remaining key and a request for a spare tend to show up.

Smart-key cars like the 2019 911 can be targeted with relay attacks that extend the fob's signal from inside your home, so keep fobs away from exterior walls or in a signal-blocking pouch, and have any missing fob erased from the car.

Key options for the 2019 Porsche 911

• Remote head key. A remote-head key puts two separate systems in one piece: a cut blade with a transponder chip that the immobilizer reads, and a small circuit board with buttons that signals the body control module to work the door locks. On a 2019 Porsche 911 with this style of key, each side is programmed separately. That explains some confusing failures. If the remote stops working but the car still starts, the problem is usually the battery or the remote board. If the buttons work but the engine won't run, look at the chip side. Knowing which half failed tells us whether you need a repair, a reprogram or a whole new key.
• Smart proximity key (push-to-start). A smart or proximity key lets a 2019 Porsche 911 open when you touch the door handle and start with a push of a button while the fob stays in your pocket or bag. Antennas in the doors and cabin send out a low-frequency wake-up signal; the fob answers on a higher radio frequency with an encrypted reply, and the car only allows a start once it confirms the fob is inside. When the fob battery is weak, that conversation fails, which is why most designs include a backup: hold the fob against the start button or set it in a designated pocket. The owner's manual shows where, and it's worth checking before you need it.

How the Porsche immobilizer works on the 911

Porsche has changed its key technology roughly once a decade, so the model year tells you a lot about the system you're dealing with. The 996 911 and the 986 Boxster use a one-piece key with an HU66 blade and the remote buttons in the head. For 2005 the 997 and 987 moved to a switchblade key, and the first Cayenne uses a similar flip key. The 2010 Panamera introduced the car-shaped fob that later spread to the Cayenne, 911, Boxster, Cayman and Macan. On those cars you push the fob into a slot left of the steering wheel and turn it, unless the car has Porsche Entry & Drive, which leaves a fixed handle in the slot so the fob can stay in your pocket. Starting with the 2017 Panamera, newer platforms such as the 2019 Cayenne, the 992 911 and the Taycan start without inserting anything, and their new fobs normally come from a Porsche dealer. On every one of them, a cut blade only opens a door. The engine or motor won't run until the car recognizes the key's electronics.

• Every 991.2 Carrera uses a turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six, the first time the base 911 had turbocharging.
• In the US the turbocharged Carrera was a 2017 model, so 2016 cars are still 991.1.
• Match a spare to the part number on your own fob rather than assuming a 991.1 fob fits.

Getting a 2019 911 key from the dealer

New fobs for the 991.2 are ordered by VIN through a Porsche dealer and coded with the factory diagnostic system. Aftermarket coverage for 2017 and later Porsche sports cars is inconsistent and depends on the car's module version, so we check by VIN before saying anything is possible and we don't promise it. We can still open the car, cut the emergency blade and help you arrange the dealer visit with your paperwork ready.

Plan on a Porsche dealer for new keys; we check by VIN in case a spare is possible, and we handle lockouts and emergency blades.

How we help when the key must come from Porsche

Losing every key to a Porsche can mean anything from a long visit to a dealer-only job, depending on the generation. On 2000s cars with HU66 blades, we verify your ID and ownership papers, cut a new key and learn it to the immobilizer, though some cars need immobilizer data read from a module first. On the 2010 to 2016 cars with the car-shaped fob, all-keys-lost work usually involves removing a control module and reading it on the bench, and certain cars are better handled by the dealer. On everything newer, keys are ordered by VIN through a Porsche dealer, and the car may need to get there on a flatbed. Call with your VIN and we'll tell you which route applies before anyone drives out.

1. Get you back into the car. If the car is locked, we open it on site without damage, so you can reach the registration, the VIN plate and anything you need inside.
2. Line up the dealer order. We help you gather what the Porsche dealer will ask for: the VIN, current registration or title, and photo ID in the owner's name. That avoids a second trip.
3. Keep the car where it is if possible. Ask the dealer whether the key can be programmed with the car in place or whether it needs to be towed in. Some brands deliver a pre-coded key; others must program it at the vehicle.
4. Plan for a spare. Once you have a working key, order a second one. Losing the only key on a dealer-only system is the slowest and most expensive situation to recover from.

Why the 2019 911 needs a dealer key

Some keys can't be made outside the factory network, and the 2019 911 is one of them. Porsche generates the key data on its own servers and ties it to the car's VIN, so a new key is either pre-coded before it ships or programmed at the vehicle with an online session that only authorized dealer equipment can open. Aftermarket tools that handle older Porsche models can't complete that handshake on this generation, at least not reliably today. That is a security feature: it is the reason relay and key-cloning thefts are harder on cars like this.

What to bring to the dealer

Before you call the dealer, collect three things: proof of ownership (registration or title), photo ID with the same name, and the 17-character VIN. Write down which keys you still have and whether any of them still start the car. That one detail changes the order, the price and whether the car has to be at the dealership for programming.

While you wait for the new key

Waiting on a factory key can take anywhere from the same day to a week or more, depending on stock. In the meantime, avoid buying a used key online; on dealer-only systems a used key almost never programs to a different car. If you're locked out of the car or need something from inside it, call us; that part is quick and doesn't depend on the dealer.

What affects the dealer's price for a 911 key

Dealer key pricing depends on the key type (a smart key costs more than a basic remote key), whether the car needs to be at the dealership for programming, the dealer's programming or labor charge, and whether a tow is involved because no working key remains. Ask for the total, parts plus programming plus any tow, before you agree, and ask whether ordering two keys at once lowers the per-key cost.

Avoid doing this twice

Once you have a working key for your 2019 911, order a second one while the car's information is already on file. On dealer-only systems, adding a key while one still works is simpler, faster and cheaper than replacing every key after a loss. Keep the spare somewhere you can reach quickly, not in the car, and note where you stored it.

911 key battery

A fob battery rarely dies all at once. The warning signs build: you have to get closer to the car before the doors respond, the dash shows a key battery or key-not-detected message, or the push-button start only works with the fob held near the button. Inland heat speeds that decline, especially for fobs left in a hot cabin or on the dashboard. Keep a spare CR2032 at home in a cool drawer, sealed in its original package, and buy from a busy store where stock turns over quickly. A cell that sat on a shelf for years may arrive already partly spent.

Common Porsche key problems

• Rubber buttons on 996 and 986 remote keys wear through and the plastic heads crack with age. If the board and chip are still healthy, moving them into a new shell and cutting a fresh HU66 blade usually beats buying a whole new key.
• A fading CR2032 in a car-shaped fob often shows up first as Porsche Entry & Drive ignoring the door handle. Replace the cell before ordering a new fob, and check the owner's manual for the backup procedure when the fob isn't detected.
• Used Porsche fobs sold online are often locked to the car they came from. Unless a fob is new or properly prepared, it may refuse to program, so buy by part number from a source you trust or let us supply it.
• Keyless and standard fobs can be different parts on the same Porsche, and button layouts vary with tailgate, roof and trunk equipment. The part number on the back of your fob matters more than the model year when you order a replacement.
• Plenty of used Porsches change hands with a single key. On cars from 2010 onward, losing that last key turns a simple spare into module work or a dealer order, so get a second key while you still have one that works.

Tips from a mobile locksmith

• Southern California heat is hard on keys. Fob batteries drain faster, plastic housings turn brittle, and rubber button pads crack when a key spends summer afternoons on a dashboard or in a sunny cup holder. Carry the fob with you or keep it shaded, and replace batteries before summer rather than after they fail.
• When a key's head cracks or its blade bends, replace it before it fails. A transponder chip can slip out of a split head, and a bent blade can break off inside the ignition or door lock, turning a simple key replacement into an extraction and repair job. Small symptoms are the inexpensive time to act.
• Make the spare before you need it. Adding a key while one still works is quicker and less expensive than starting from nothing, and it keeps the simpler programming options available. Good moments are right after buying the car, or as soon as one of your two keys goes missing.

Proof of ownership

Not every situation fits the simple case, so here's how we handle the common exceptions. For a leased or financed vehicle, a registration that lists you as the registered owner or lessee works with your ID. If you just bought the car, bring the signed title or bill of sale along with your ID. For a company or fleet vehicle, we need written authorization from the business plus the driver's ID. If the car belongs to a family member, the registered owner should be present or provide signed permission and a copy of their ID. Rental vehicles go through the rental company.

Need a 2019 Porsche 911 key?

Call Julian's Locksmith at (951) 903-3193 if you're locked out of a 2019 Porsche 911 or need help preparing a dealer key order. We'll tell you plainly what we can do on site and what has to go through Porsche.