There may be various reasons one may want to remove the Dummy Key in the Entry and Drive system (valet, car wash, prevent theft etc). The official method described in the manual involves getting a tool from under the fuse box cover and inserting it into a hole next to the Dummy Key.

However there is an easy way to remove the Dummy Key that I haven't seen described yet:

1. Sit in car WITHOUT your key
2. Turn Dummy Key as if you're trying to start the car.
3. Error 2x message appears on LCD - see below
4. Turn Dummy Key to the left, hear a click and take Dummy Key out.

Done! Why bother playing with a pointy tool!
This only works with battery normal while the official method is useful even if the battery is flat.

 

Thanks! Love it when someone finds these little "secret" procedures / codes that apparently aren't documented anywhere!

 

Sorry, I have to ask: what is the dummy key?

 

With keyless entry a "stick" is inserted and stays in the ignition switch. It's silly and Porsche should have put a button there

 

Not! I love twisting the "dummy key" vs pushing a button. Very ingenious of Porsche to do this -- more driver involvement vs pushing buttons plus preserving Porsche tradition.

 

Amen...

 

While I agree that putting a button in place of the dummy key makes modern sense (and by the way, MB, others, actually just put a button on the end of the "dummy" key), turning the key has been very enjoyable to me in the 7 months I've had my car! But I remember the day of delivery, I actually asked the dealer the very same question.... Why? I was coming from several cars that all had big red "simple" buttons on the dash....
He said that Porsche actually spent a lot of time considering design for enter-and-go, and aimed to keep a tradition of sorts alive focusing on the tactile feel of entering a Porsche 911 and starting it up, going back to the days of racing when drivers would sprint to the car, jump in and turn the key. So, if the dummy key is an attempt at connecting me to the history of many years of brilliant design before the 991, it's perfect.

I don't know how much of his response was just BS, but it actually made sense to me! lol

Anyone else ever ask about this design?

 

In 1994 a Volvo salesman tried to convince me that the reason a 940 did not have a passenger side air bag was that it was so safe it didn't need one.

 

I also asked the salesman about this and got basically the same answer - to keep up tradition etc.

Personally I'd prefer to have a button too. As my first car with keyless entry, I initially struggle to find a place to put the key (pockets not big enough, bag in the frunk etc). Now I'm a little more used to it but the key often still sits in the centre console or door pocket. May be I'll permanent take the dummy key out so the key can go to its rightful place.

 

I don't believe there are any manufacturers out there that don't require the key to be on you, in the car, etc. so wouldn't you always have this problem?

I think I read somewhere that there was a smartphone app for a special edition Ferrari that served as the key.... All legal, technical, safety issues aside, I would LOVE that feature, since me and my iPhone have become like the Borg in the past few years.

 

Thanks, great info. Makes sense as, when my car got towed due to bad alternator, the tow guy - on top of the tow truck and in the my car -- came down with dummy key in hand. I wondered how he was able to remove it, but now know as I had the remote key in my pocket.

 

I wasn't criticising Porsche, merely commenting that this being the first keyless entry car I have, the lack of somethere to put the key is an obstacle I didn't realise before.

I agree if the key can be integrated into something we carry all the time eg phone that will be great.

 

I would not mind the dummy key vs a button if it did not look and feel so cheap. As it has been considered as part of the tradition and 'tactile' experience, a better material should have been used. I would happily replace my dummy key by a nicer -better finished- aftermarket part...

 

I actually rather like the dummy key, and I prefer it to a stop/ start button.

 

+1, I prefer the dummy key too