James - there are two different mechanisms at work with the locking. The manual key in the door handle is exactly that - manual, it will work with or without electricity. It's pretty bone simple and not prone to breaking because of its simplicity. The other mechanism is more complex - that's the electronic locking system. It uses the same latch assembly as the manual lock does - but actuates it electronically. That may be what the dealership is referring to - that latch assembly likely does have a switch in it that tells the immobilizer/alarm that the door is closed and when the door is locked. I doubt they're replacing the door handle..
Since this is a Boxster - do your windows drop down 1/4" when you lift the door handle? That's one switch that's known to go bad once in a while. If the windows drop, that switch is working fine.
If they don't - first I'd be checking fuses - all of them. Make sure it's not something simple like a fuse. Then I'd be hooking up my Foxwell diagnostics tool to the car and looking for error codes related to the locking system. Those codes would give you a clue to what's happening. The other thing the Foxwell can do is look at the "state" of a switch in a control unit (state = on/off). It would tell you if one of the switches is misreporting its state preventing the electronic locking from working.
If you're serious about not paying dealers exorbitant prices for repairs, or if you just want to REALLY know what is wrong with the car before taking it to a shop, a Porsche-specific diagnostics tool is really a must. And knowing what the tool is saying is wrong will make it much more likely someone here can help you narrow down the problem, and not just start replacing parts based on guesses.
Good luck!
BTW - I noticed you haven't introduced yourself or your car. That's sort of a tradition here.. you can do it at New Member Introductions and lots of photos are welcome!
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Since this is a Boxster - do your windows drop down 1/4" when you lift the door handle? That's one switch that's known to go bad once in a while. If the windows drop, that switch is working fine.
If they don't - first I'd be checking fuses - all of them. Make sure it's not something simple like a fuse. Then I'd be hooking up my Foxwell diagnostics tool to the car and looking for error codes related to the locking system. Those codes would give you a clue to what's happening. The other thing the Foxwell can do is look at the "state" of a switch in a control unit (state = on/off). It would tell you if one of the switches is misreporting its state preventing the electronic locking from working.
If you're serious about not paying dealers exorbitant prices for repairs, or if you just want to REALLY know what is wrong with the car before taking it to a shop, a Porsche-specific diagnostics tool is really a must. And knowing what the tool is saying is wrong will make it much more likely someone here can help you narrow down the problem, and not just start replacing parts based on guesses.
Good luck!
BTW - I noticed you haven't introduced yourself or your car. That's sort of a tradition here.. you can do it at New Member Introductions and lots of photos are welcome!
