The Truth About Transponder Keys
Safety first. In a time of increased security the world of cars has followed suit. While we worry more about if our Vanilla Chai Frappe was made correctly, there are people out there actually trying to increase security features and make our everyday lives easier. In walks a transponder key, making our lives more hands free, helpful and electronically savvy.
Not all locksmiths are able to work with such a technology, as the intricate system has to be handled with quite the amount of care. Luckily for Phoenix – US Key Service is Arizona’s premier locksmith, exceeding all of your mobile auto locksmith expectations, including reprogramming transponder keys.
If you drive a vehicle that is any newer than around a 1995 you probably have one. With electronic lock and unlock buttons, you may notice that these keys are getting better and better. Basically these keys are now designed to send and receive messages to better equip you with hands-free car entry and increased car security.
There is a science as to why they are so much bigger than normal keys. With an increase in technology, the plastic piece attached to the base of the key has to house a micro transponder chip. Although it looks simple enough, the electronic security system that is hidden under the plastic is actually quite advanced, providing you with a number-one way to keep your vehicle secure and diminishing the chances of someone breaking into your vehicle.
Car remotes are not transponder keys. Remotes control locks, not an ignition. Remotes simply allow you to unlock and lock the car within a certain range to allow for convenience of not having inserting the key into the vehicle. Transponder keys create a communication between car and key to double check that the key trying to start the car is connected to the car. The technology concealed in a small key eliminates the option of hot-wiring the vehicle to start.
Transponder keys are the ignition’s best friend. They are attached at the hip, one of those ‘can’t go anywhere without the other one’ type friendship which is actually true. Transponder keys send signals to the cars computer, more specifically the ignition, and allow the car to recognize that it is safe to start. This enhances security feature makes it easy to feel confident about car theft – without the transponder key the car won’t be ‘allowed’ to start.
The even cooler technology behind these small pieces of plastic? Transmission locking. The transmission will lock until the car confirms that the serial number on the transponder key and the car computer match. Genius. I’m sure this has upset all of the car thefts, but someone had to be smarter. On top of the awesome security increase, transponder keys are built to last. Designed to outlast the lifetime of the car, it’s rare you would ever have to worry about your transponder key ‘dying’.
Can I make a copy?
Perhaps. You may find yourself equipped with a zero-bitted key. These can be duplicated and copied with the obvious benefits being that we’re not always on our A game and sometimes misplace even the most important necessity. Encrypted keys are much more difficult to copy, requiring you to have them programmed by a locksmith. Having a go-to mobile auto locksmith is a good way to stay ahead of the potentials of forgetting your keys or worse, locking them in your car.
It’s never a bad idea to have a back up, but the programming that stands behind the security of transponder keys are more than what a Youtube video can teach you.
With a technology as complicated and crucial as transponder keys, it’s always better to defer the work and programming to a locksmith capable of doing the work correctly. US Key Service not only reprograms and creates new keys for your convenience, but we can get you out of just about any situation. Us Key Service provides these services at less than dealer pricing, with the convenience of the service meeting you wherever your problem may have arisen. Call our Gold Canyon mobile auto locksmiths today!
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