Key Programming Service

Key Programming service is one of the services we provide in Alcatraz Locksmiths as one of the types of our automotive range of locksmith services.

What is Key Programming?

In 1995, Car manufacturers came up with a brilliant idea to enhance vehicle security. They invented the transponder chip. With this chip installed in your vehicle, your vehicle’s immobilizer is disarmed. So you can drive your car.

Key programming is the process of registering your transponder key’s chip with the receiver in your car. This way only that key can start your car’s engine.

What is a Transponder Key?

A transponder key is a key that has a transponder chip inside it. It is a next-level security procedure used by modern car manufacturers to ensure access to your car is restricted to only you – the one with the transponder key. With the transponder key, you can open the doors and trunk. But if it isn’t correctly programmed or it isn’t giving the right signal to your car’s receiver, the engine won’t start.

The transponder key works by giving a signature signal to your car’s receiver. This signature would have already been programmed into the car and key. If the signal your car gets isn’t the pre-programmed signal or no signal at all, the engine will not start. This ensures only you, the rightful user with the transponder key, gets to use your car.

How then do you program your Transponder Key?

Sometimes you can do this yourself. Most times you will need the services of a registered and trustworthy automotive locksmith.

We wrote a very descriptive way to program your transponder key here.

What if you don’t know if your car key has a transponder chip?

If your car key has a plastic portion attached to the metal part, it most likely is a transponder key. But you can’t really be sure of this since some keys have the black plastic purely for aesthetic reasons. The surest way to determine if your key has a transponder chip is to call your locksmith to look it over for you.

You can also make a copy of the key and see if it will start your engine. But one thing, don’t have your original key around or it might send a false signal. If the duplicate key starts your engine, then your car isn’t enabled with the receiver for a transponder key. On the other hand, if your car doesn’t start then you need to go about the process of having a duplicate of your transponder key. Because two is better than one, in case of an emergency.

Transponder Key Programming Service in Phoenix

How do you duplicate your transponder key? First of all, you will have to purchase a new car key. Uncut car key. Be careful of keys that have already been cut. This one will be almost impossible to recut. The best way, however, to make this purchase is with your locksmith. Secondhand keys (which have already been cut) are most likely already programmed. And they are near-impossible to reuse.

Get a blank transponder key. And the next step is to find a reliable automotive locksmith to do the key cutting for you. When the key has been cut, you can then proceed to program your new duplicate key.

It only takes about a few minutes to program a transponder key. This can be done by yourself. Or you can trust the services of an expert locksmith.

If you want to program your transponder key by yourself, you will need a few supplies the user manual of your car, and an unused cut transponder key (It’s important to have an unused cut transponder key because an uncut key is next to useless. The chip doesn’t work alone as the sole means of identification. It works side-by-side with the cut signature of the key. Which you will still need the services of a locksmith for).

Trust the services of a reliable and experienced locksmith to program your transponder key. Contact Alcatraz locks today.