“How to start my car without chip key?”, this is a question that has haunted many car owners. Cars have come a long way from when they were first invented. There are several new features that not only make the cars better and more fun to drive, but also they have become safer. Some of these safety features include cars with a chip key.
Chip keys have helped people save their cars from theft from a lot of burglars. If you’ve made a spare key with your local locksmith, you might be wondering why the car won’t start even though the key looks identical to the original one. Even if your key has no remote lock feature on it, there’s still a transponder chip hidden inside the key.
It adds an additional layer of plastic acts and an additional layer of anti-theft protection. Unfortunately, there is no real way to start a car without the transponder chip. But, if you want to use several keys for one car with one chip, then there’s a way to get them all to work.
- What Is A Transponder KeyÂ
- How To Start Without A Chip Key?
- Types Of Car Keys
- Start Car Without Key
- Conclusion
- FAQs
What Is A Transponder Key
The transponder keys, chip keys, or key FOBs as are referred to as the classic metal keys with an anti-theft chip fitted inside the plastic cover. The safety of a vehicle comes in several layers. One of these layers includes the key that you carry as well. It is not easy to take out the chip from the plastic body. It also makes the key look aesthetic.
When talking about the real world, the most straightforward way for stealing a car is with the help of the original key. What we see in the movies where the thief would snatch the keys for a moment and make an imprint, that does not work.
To prevent these things from happening, manufacturers have introduced these transponder chip keys. Without this chip, even a perfect copy of the key would not crank the engine, or even turn the car to ignition. This is because there is no chip present to emit the Radio Frequency identification.
To help you better understand how a key with an RFID chip works, here is the explanation in simpler terms. When the key is inserted into the lock, the car checks whether the unique RFID frequency can be detected. This is why, for example, your Nissan shows a car with a key symbol on the dashboard if there’s an issue.
The chip inside a transponder key emits a very weak signal that can only register within the right proximity of the lock. If you have a transponder key, a thief would have no option but to steal your keys. So when we talk about,” how to start my car without a chip key”, there is something extremely difficult.
How To Start My Car Without Chip Key
Transponder chips are designed specifically for the fact that they can not be bypassed in any way. This means that anyone who does not have the transponder key can not start the car.
Only an authorized dealer can read the required frequency from your vehicle and create a replacement. However, there is a workaround you can try if you have one transponder chip available. So here is the answer to your question,” how to start my car without chip key”, you need to follow these steps.
The first thing you need to do is remove the plastic cover from your key. For that, it is better to use a screwdriver or pliers to apply as leverage as the seal is extremely tight. After that what you need to do is take out the transponder chip. It looks like a very small black square or a see-through tube.
Secondly, place the chip on a piece of tape, and then attach it near the ignition lock (and if the latter is faulty, maybe you have to consider the cost to replace the ignition cylinder). Once you have done this try to start the car with the disassembled key or a replacement key that doesn’t have the chip.
If the car does not start, reposition the piece of tape and you can try again. Once you’ve found the spot at which the chip works, use super glue to permanently fix it.
Types Of Car Keys
The 1900s was the first time in the world when a car key was used. However, this original car key could only be used to lock the ignition on your vehicle. Now more than a century later, many innovative strides have been made in the world of automobiles.
There are several new things introduced in this sector and there are several types of new keys available. While other vehicles utilize mechanically cut-out keys. Modern cars have come a long way now when we talk about security. New things like keys with lock and unlock remotes and transponder chips.
With a remote key, a driver can unlock their vehicle within a nearby distance. With a smart car key, you can not only lock and unlock your vehicle but also start the car without inserting the key into the ignition. Just make sure that you don’t have issues where the key is stuck in the ignition, or the key won’t turn at all in the ignition.
The automotive sector, as said before, has come a long way. Car keys that were mechanically cut are now replaced with keyless entry and keyless cars. If you want to know more about the types of cars and the keys they use, here is a breakdown of the different types of keys.
We will break down everything you want to know about these varying vehicle key technologies.
1. Flip Style Car Key
The flip-style car key is also known as or commonly referred to as a switchblade car key. This flip-style car key is used by many car manufacturers in today’s day and age. As the name suggests, the mechanical cut-out key is designed to fold away into the plastic part of the key when they are not in use.
The flip style key is extremely compact and practical in nature, and hence they are widely used. In fact, the compact design of the switchblade key is so popular that people convert their cars into folding keys. There are many services today that help transform your car key into a flip-style car key.
2. Laser Cut Car Keys
This type of car key was first introduced in the 1990s. The laser-cut keys were most commonly used for luxury car brands to reduce the risk of car theft. typically, laser-cut keys are thicker than other types of car keys. Alas, that alone won’t help with curbing catalytic converter thefts (but you could do with help from the best catalytic converter anti-theft device or a catalytic converter cover and an F-150 catalytic converter protector, and understanding the signs of missing catalytic converter).
On both sides of a laser-cut car key, the same laser groove is made on both sides. This allows the key to be inserted into the ignition in any direction and makes the car key more difficult to replicate.
Many cars that have been laser-cut also come with a remote section to which the physical the metal key is attached to. Due to this, this type of key also can be utilized with a transponder chip. With the help of these chips, the manufacturers can easily add another layer of security to make the car more secure.
Speaking of theft, some cars might suffer issues with their anti-theft systems. Our guide on how to disengage the anti-theft system might help (not to mention the catalytic converter theft prevention and the most common catalytic converters stolen). That’ll hopefully solve any concerns you might have with how do I get my car out of anti-theft mode.
3. Master Car Key
As it is hidden in the name, a master car key has the ability to lock and unlock all the different locks on the car doors as well as the ignition of numerous different vehicles. Due to this diverse set of functionality of these keys, there are several laws that govern the use of this master key.
In fact, any person with the illegal possession of a master key can face serious consequences. In general, the use of a master key is reserved for locksmiths and manufacturers. Always look for trusted companies in your area to replace your car key for your safety such as city auto locksmith.
However, these car keys are often sought out by criminals due to their sheer versatility. Usually, these criminals try to obtain or create these master keys illegally.
4. Remote Car Keys
Remote car keys closely resemble laser-cut car keys. Lazer-cur keys typically only utilize a transponder chip which acts as a layer of security for your vehicle. On the other hand, when we talk about remote keys, they have much more functionality than normal keys.
This remote key is powered by a battery, a remote car key will have feature buttons that can not only unlock the vehicle and deactivate the alarm. When we talk about the remote car key, users will be able to lock and unlock their vehicle from a nearby distance.
Unlike remote keys, smart keys can also unlock a car without physical contact as well as several other functions. The most common function is that you can open the boot of your car with the key. Unlike smart keys, a remote key will need to be inserted into the ignition to start a vehicle.
5. Smart Car Key
Smart keys are one of the latest types of car keys that are utilized by several vehicle manufacturers. Alongside being smart this type of car key also allows keyless car features.
Smart keys can be easily detected by your vehicle when you are nearby. One really cool feature that comes with the smart car key is the ability to turn it on with the press of a button. While driving, these car keys do not need to be inserted into the ignition to turn the car on.
Even though smart car keys have several features and can be considered extremely cool, they are really expensive to replace. Alongside that, if you lose a smart key, you might have to replace the whole locking system as it might put your car at a security risk.
This whole thing can be extremely difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. So keep your smart key with a lot of care. It’s not as easy as it used to be when even places like Autozone does indeed make car keys, and you don’t have to worry about whether does Home Depot also make car keys.
With simpler key designs, duplicate car keys with chips are much easier to get your hands on to replace lost car keys (or else, learn how to open car door without key).
6. Valet Car Key
Valet car keys, as the name suggests, are car keys specifically designed to be used by valet services. This valet key is owned by vehicle owners so that they can hand over a specialized key with extremely limited functionality when using these convenient services.
This makes it way more secure and less stressful for drivers to use the valet services. To explain you better about this valet key, here are its functionality. The key will only be able to lock or unlock the doors and start the ignition.
However, a valet key will not be able to unlock a glove box or trunk that has been locked by the owner. Many drivers keep the valet keep the valet keys in handy in the event that they need to use these services or people are locked out of their cars or misplace their keys (which you can solve by learning how to get into a locked car as well as how to unlock car with keys inside).
Start Car Without Key
As said before, the main question that got you all to this article is,” how to start my car without chip key”. This part of the article will help you understand how to start a car without a key. Let’s assume that you own a car with a smart keyless key system.
Unfortunately, the smart key started to malfunction for some reason. This might be because the key might have gotten damaged, or needed a battery replacement. The question is can you still start your vehicle without the key?
Yes, it is possible but it can be extremely but only if you decide to bypass the ignition switch. To start a car without a key fob, you can manually unlock your door and start the car engine with a dead battery smart key.
A similar strategy is familiar if you’ve gone through our guide on how to turn the ignition without the key.
How To Start My Car Without Chip Key, Method #1: Screwdriver And Drill
The quickest, most popular, and most illegal method for turning your car’s ignition is to use a screwdriver and drill. You need to do this process extremely carefully as you might want to avoid harm or damage to the ignition.
If in order to go ahead with this, you need to deactivate the lock mechanism (our guides on troubleshooting steps with a door lock actuator might be handy to refer to), this method is the most sustainable. But you need to be informed about the fact that the car key mechanism will be irreparably damaged.
If you do decide to use this method, you will need to drill keyholes starting at the inner flaps position. These drills need to be 2 to 3 inches long. Once that is done, you must pull the drill and lock bits out before going further.
Now it is the time when you attempt to start the car by putting in the screwdriver head. Suppose you do not have a screwdriver, any metal piece can do the job. It is expected that your car will start successfully with the help of this.
How To Start My Car Without Chip Key, Method #2: Hotwiring
Hotwiring an automobile is another technique to start a car without a key. Cars that were made in the 1900s, hotwiring your car is the perfect method of turning on your vehicle. And if you don’t know how to hotwire a car, we also have a guide on that.
Hence to hotwire your car, you must remove the steering column’s plastic cover to start with this procedure. Both sides are screwed together, so you must make sure to get rid of them first.
This will allow you to access to the system of ignition. Before you move on to the system of ignition. Moving on to the next stage, you need to wear proper protection like insulated and protective gloves.
In the next step, you need to pay attention to distinguishing the battery cables and starters. The red lines are usually the battery wires. The brown and yellow cables, on the other hand, are the ignition cables.
To hotwire the car, make a small insulating cut to your battery’s cable. Now, cut the cables running from your cylinder as well. finally, twist the ends of the battery cables and wire together to turn on the car.
How To Start My Car Without Chip Key, Method #3: Red Coil Cable
This method is usually used by enthusiasts that have sufficient knowledge and expertise to work on a car. A good example of this is to start your vehicle without the key if you have the abilities of a skilled technician.
The first thing you need to do is to look under the hood and grab the jump starter cord. Then you need to connect the positive terminal of the battery together with the red coil cable. This cable is also called the coil’s positive side.
The dashboard should not have received some electricity at this point, Â To discover the starting solenoid, continue this procedure by unlocking your steering wheel. You need to remember that the positive connection of the battery should be linked to the solenoid.
Disconnect the switch wire out of the solenoid one while using a screwdriver to shortchange the solenoid’s positive post. This is where the wiring harness is mounted. This method lets you supply 12 volts to your car’s battery automatically. Once the solenoid is activated, it allows the starter to turn on the automobile.
How To Start My Car Without Chip Key, Method #4: Bypass The RFID System
The RFID system has become extremely common in modern cars. The full form of RFID is radio-frequency identification. This system is responsible for identifying the radio frequency with the help of the transponder chip.
If the original key is not used the car won’t turn on. Hence if you lose the original key or you have a broken key, you will have to bypass the system. To bypass this you will either need to reprogram the RFID system by sending the car to the dealership.
Granted, there are more DIY-able alternatives. For example, our guide on how to program a Dodge key fob without a working one might give you some insight into that. Alongside that, you can also bypass the system by disconnecting the RFID wiring present in the steering column.
If you’re curious, be sure to check out our guides on where to find key fob programming near me. Not to mention, how this whole key fob program thing works.
How To Start My Car Without Chip Key: In Conclusion…
As said before in this article, when we talk about the chip key it is referred to as a key with a transponder chip. It is responsible for matching a unique frequency telling the car that the key used is the real one.
This might be an extremely good safety feature, but can be extremely problematic when you lose the key. Hence comes the question, “how to start my car without chip key”.
Keys have come a long way since they were first invented. Now, most of the modern cars that come entered the market come with a transponder chip emitting an RFID or radio frequency identification signal.
This allows the car to identify the real key and only then allows the engine to crank. Hence if you lose the original key it can be extremely difficult to start your vehicle.
FAQs On How To Start My Car Without Chip Key
Here are some of the most common questions that come to mind relating to the question, “how to start my car without chip key”.
What Is A Transponder Key
A transponder key or device is a key that uses a microchip that is placed inside the plastic cover. This microchip transmits a low-level signal that can only be read by a remote receiver.
This microchip is programmed by the manufacturer with a unique serial number. This whole system uses radio-frequency identification to make sure that the key being used is the original key.
Only when the receiver detects the correct frequency will the car can easily be locked and unlocked. Similar to the key docs, transponder keys are also used in locks, home security systems, ETC. Even when you try to turn the car on, it is the radio frequency that allows the car vehicle to know that the original key has been put into the ignition.
The signal from the key is sent to the receiver located near the ignition. If the digital serial number in the transponder matches the one programmed in the car, it will start when the driver turns the key.
How To Bypass Ford PATS System Without Key
Original keys are often referred to as the chip key or the transponder. You have to remember that your vehicle will not start without a signal emitting from the chip. Therefore, if you do not own an original ket, you will need that chip to start your vehicle.
Before we get to bypass the PATS system, you need to make a copy of the original key that will fit into the ignition. Here are some of the tools you will need to get done with this job.
You would be in need of a new key, that matches the shape and size of the original key. Secondly, you’re going to need a flathead screwdriver to remove the chip from the original key. Lastly, ducktape is the savior gluing the chip near the ignition.
It is important to know that bypassing the PATS system for a Ford car is not the permanent solution you hoped for. The security of your vehicle is obviously compromised. Ensure to get a new chip with a new RFID to protect your vehicle from getting stolen.
