Question 1

I'm locked out of my 2011 Cayenne in Alpine with no spare. Can you come to me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I come to your location in Harbison Canyon or anywhere in Alpine. I carry the tools and blanks to handle the Cayenne on site, so you're not waiting on a tow or trying to navigate a roadside assistance hold queue over a weekend.

One thing worth knowing about this generation: the Cayenne has a mechanical key blade tucked inside the fob. If the fob battery is completely dead, that blade can get you into the door. But the car still won't start without a fob that communicates with the vehicle's security system, so getting in the door is step one and getting the system sorted is step two. I handle both in one visit.

Question 2

Do I need to tow my Cayenne to the dealer for key replacement?

Accepted Answer

No. I come to you.

Porsche dealers do require the vehicle on site for key programming, which is where the tow conversation usually starts. Owners who've gone that route report waiting days for an appointment, paying for the flatbed separately, and then waiting again while the dealer works through their queue. One tow can easily burn most of a day before any key work even starts.

I come to your location in Alpine, work at the vehicle, and you skip all of that.

Question 3

What documentation do I need when you come out?

Accepted Answer

A valid photo ID and proof of ownership. Registration or title, either one works. The name on the ID needs to match the ownership document. That's standard practice for any legitimate key replacement, dealer or mobile locksmith. I verify the same documents on site before any work begins. If there's a name mismatch, like a recently purchased vehicle where the title is still transferring, bring whatever paperwork you have and we'll talk through it. Don't show up empty-handed expecting to skip that step.

Question 4

My 2011 Cayenne starts fine but shows a key warning on the dash. Is the fob failing?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. This generation can show a key-not-detected or key-related warning even when the fob itself is fine. The first thing to check is the CR2032 battery. A cell that's reading low voltage can pass enough signal to start the car most of the time but fail the system check intermittently, which triggers the warning without a full lockout.

If a fresh battery doesn't clear it, the next step is looking at the fob's internal contacts and whether the housing damage has let any moisture into the board. On the 2011 Cayenne, a cracked shell isn't just cosmetic. If the seam is open and the car lives outside in Harbison Canyon where morning dew is real, water ingress can corrupt the board over time.

If the battery is good and the shell is intact and the warning persists, that points toward the fob needing replacement or a communication issue between the fob and the vehicle that needs to be diagnosed with equipment, not guessed at.

Question 5

I bought a replacement fob online for my 2011 Cayenne. Can I program it myself?

Accepted Answer

No. The 2011 Cayenne smart key requires professional diagnostic equipment to pair a new fob to the vehicle. There is no button sequence or ignition-turn procedure that works for this system. The fob you bought online is an unprogrammed blank until it gets registered to your specific car.

Buying the shell or the blank fob yourself is fine and can save some money on the part. But you still need someone with the right tools to do the pairing. I can work with a blank you supply or provide one myself.

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