What is a “chip” key?
As you might imagine, I get allot of calls asking for prices to replace automobile keys. Back in “the day” making a new key consisted of determining the cuts for the key relative to the car and “cutting” the new key. The cuts to make weren’t always easy to determine, and locksmiths developed various ways to get them. Sometimes they were able to get them from the manufacturer, sometimes they had to pull a door panel to get to a door lock, and other times they had to pull the ignition to determine the cuts. A modern car takes much more than the correct cuts of the key to start the car. On a modern car, the car itself must be reprogrammed to recognize that new key.
How This All Got Started
There is always a hot item to be stolen. Today, “porch pirates” are always in the news. But, in the mid to late 1990’s, cars were the hot item to be stolen. They were expensive, readily available, and could be taken in a matter of seconds. A “slim jim” or coat hanger could open almost any automobile door. It frequently only took a screwdriver to start a car. It was a thief’s paradise, much like our porches are today.
To reduce theft, GM introduced one of the first commercially available anti-theft systems called VATS (Vehicle Anti Theft System). VATS is an extraordinarily simple system. VATS used a small resistor embedded in the key. There were only fifteen possible resistor values. Inside the ignition switch was a set of contacts that read the value of the resistor. The car would only start if the correct resistor was used to start the car. If the wrong value was used, the car would not allow another attempt until a few minutes had elapsed. The system was very simple, and it was common knowledge how to defeat it. Regardless, the system was so frustrating to would-be theives that theft of these cars plummeted.
The Next Step, Transponders
VATS had its problems. With a little knowledge, VATS could be defeated. The resistors in the keys were prone to failure. VATS depended upon wiring that was fragile. All of this led to many failures in the system. The next step was to replace the transistor in the key with a small RF ID. The move was facilitated by the ever-increasing complexity of entertainment systems, ignition systems, braking systems, and everything else in the car. Automobiles were still built from components from varying manufacturers, so each component had its own module. Vehicle manufacturers assembled these modules to make an automobile. To add a transponder, they added computer software and hardware to the ignition module, fuel injection module, or sometimes even the main ECU. That hardware and software combination would read the ID of the chip in the key, and only let fuel flow or the starter turn, or whatever, unless the correct key was used in the car.
The result was an extremely robust and highly effective system. It made another leap forward in security. Instead of 15 possible values, suddenly there were thousands. Even better for manufacturers, all of this hardware and software allowed for easy expansion into marketing blessings such as push to start and rolling-code keyless entry. These systems are still expanding today with things such as Bluetooth access systems, fingerprint systems, and even human-body implantable transponder systems. The core of all those systems is the small chip that gives each it’s individual identification tag.
Losing A Transponder Key
Transponder systems are highly effective. Look at any crime statistic and you will find that your automobile is far more likely to be broken into to steal items inside than the car itself. While they can still be defeated, there are other things of higher value that the current crop of thieves would rather steal. As effective as they are, the downside is that if a key is lost, the car must be programmed to use the new key.
Each manufacturer has heir own modules, and only recently has even the way they communicate with each other been standardized. Even after standardization there are still enough differences to result in each manufacturer and sometimes each model, having their own way of programming the new key. These modules, for added security, often use different types of transponder chips. Even complicating further is that each manufacturer has options of remote-head keys, flip keys, push to start keys, and more. It’s a touch-feely component and the Marketing-types love to differentiate. The combinations are endless. So, when you lose your key, the locksmith has to have both the inventory of your specific chips and remotes, but also the equipment to program your car.
It’s worthy of an aside to mention that the common vernacular is to “program a key.” That happens to frequently not be the case. More often that not, the key is relatively fixed, but it is the car that must be reprogrammed.
What To Expect If You Lose Your Key
Replacing a key is a multi-step process. The locksmith will first need the year/make/model of the vehicle. The locksmith will use this information to determine if they have the equipment to determine the key cuts, the equipment to program your vehicle, and the necessary inventory of key blanks, remotes, and chips to do the job.
After arriving at your vehicle, the locksmith will determine the cuts for the key, and make the physical key. This can be done in various ways, which is a whole separate topic of discussion. But, determining the cuts to the key is still an essential step. Be aware that even a push-to-start vehicle has an emergency key, so this is an essential step for replacing any key.
The Locksmith will then hook up a programming device to your automobile’s OBD-II port and communicate with the vehicle ECU or other modules to program them to accept the new key. In some cases, the modules themselves have to be removed and hooked up to directly in order to gain the correct access to program the key.
Does My Car Have a “Chip” Key?
If it was made after say, mid to late 1990, the answer is, sorry, “probably.”
Some less expensive cars made by Toyota do not use a transponder. Some fleet vehicles made by GM, Ford, and others do not use them either. Some modern Hyundai and Kia car prefer to use more complex high-security mechanical keys rather than a transponder system. But even these cars have keyless entry systems that require programming. Many modern Hyundai and Kia cars are push-to-start, so they have transponders and most certainly require programming. Some turn of the century cars had optional transponder systems and weren’t always included. There are other exceptions, and so I’m occasionally still surprised that a car came equipped without a transponder system.
Now, you might be thinking that’s allot of exceptions, so you might not have to go to the expense of replacing a transponder key. While that is indeed allot of exceptions, those cars consist of an ever-decreasing percentage of the market. If you drive a Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Dodge Ram, or just about any other popular model, it probably has a transponder system. That means the vast majority of cars on the road have a transponder system and yours probably does to.
But My Car Just Has A Metal Key
If it really is all metal, then you’re right, it doesn’t have a transponder. Most automotive keys in use today have a plastic head, and most of those have a tiny transponder embedded in them. The below is a picture of a Ford Key and a similar one split open to expose the transponder inside.
Looks can be deceiving, even with a key you’ve likely carried in your pocket for years. That’s what a “chip” key is: a very small piece of highly effective security technology that’s frequently overlooked.