[Shop-talk] Tell me about transponder keys

[Scott]

I'm not ultra-knowledgeable about the keys in general, but the cars I've 
had have all been slightly different in how they executed them. I've got 
a Cadillac CTS-V now, and that's the first one that actually made me 
nervous--there are no holes in the door to manually unlock it with a 
key. If the transmitter in the fob dies...well, I assume there has to be 
a failsafe and it's in the owner's manual. Hopefully.

As far as I know, most of them have a RFID chip in the key (or some 
proximity chip). If the key with which you're trying to start the car 
doesn't signal the car with the chip, either (depending on the make, 
etc.) the wheel won't unlock, the engine won't crank, the ignition won't 
energize (so the engine will spin but no spark), the or the fuel pump 
won't power up.

The VW's I've had with this can't be copied anywhere but the VW service 
center. Not the dealer, the dealer has to send your VIN off to someone 
who will send them a key. $150 for the key/fob, $175 to program it and 
it takes a few weeks. Fords were easier. Cadillac was the best--the keys 
are cheap (though there are several variations so you have to be careful 
about buying the right one), anyone can cut the physical key, and then 
you can program it in the car with an OBD-like tool that most places 
seem to have. I *think* you can even buy them yourself as easily as a 
code puller (for all I know, the code puller itself does it), but the 
locksmith I went to charged me $20 to cut the key and program it, so I 
just paid him.

All that to say that there seems to be a lot of variation. Hope the 
Subie is one of the easy ones.

On 3/17/2013 3:54 PM, Dave C wrote:
> I just got a 2013 Subaru Forester.  It apparently uses transponder 
> keys.  It looks like the days of having a cheap copy cut to keep in my 
> wallet are over.  So what's the deal with transponder keys? Can Ace 
> Hardware clone them?  What's the deal about only being able to 
> "program" a maximum of four keys for the car (as per the manual)? Can 
> I make an unlimited number of clones?   Why is everything such a PITA 
> these days?    (I feel a rant coming on....)
>
> FWIW this car DOES NOT have remote start, although of course it does 
> have remote door lock fobs.
>
> Thanks
> Dave
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