Sure, if you find yourself locked out of your car, you may long for the days when all you needed was a “Slim Jim” to unlock it and could hotwire the ignition to get going. But there are a lot of benefits to today’s transponder keys. Cars manufactured in the US started using limited transponder technology in 1996, and some Japanese transponder-equipped cars started arriving in the US a year later. There are two immobilizer systems in wide use today, the transponder system, and GM’s Passlock system. For the purposes of this article, we’ll just use the generic term “transponder keys” to refer to keys for today’s cars.

Cars today have two separate security layers. First is the physical protection in the form of the physical door locks, ignition lock, steering column lock, etc. The second layer is electronic and includes the transponder system. Therefore, to start and operate a car without both a correctly cut mechanical key and a vehicle-specific transponder, a thief would have to defeat both the physical and electronic layers of security separately. In other words, brute force isn’t enough because transponder key systems require skill as well as specialized equipment.

This means, if the last time you were locked out of your car was in 1976, if it happens today, you’re going to be surprised by how much it costs to get back into your car. That’s the bad news. Many people are under the impression that if they lose their car keys they have to get the car dealer to create and program new ones, at a cost of about $150 a pop, plus programming costs of around $90. Ouch!

However, car dealers do not have a lock (so to speak) on creating replacement car keys. You can just as easily call a qualified car locksmith who will do the same job at a fraction of the price, and usually a lot quicker. That’s why it’s important to have the name and number of a professional Chicago locksmith programmed into your phone before you ever need to have new keys made. Searching for a locksmith from scratch when it’s late and you just want to get home is not fun.

If you happen to know your car’s key code, write it down and keep it someplace safe, like in your wallet. Many Asian cars have the key code displayed in the locks. Hondas, for instance, usually have the number in one of the locks, often the passenger side lock. This will help you get a new key cut quicker if you have to have one made. However, you can also have a key cut from the car’s VIN in many cases, and if all else fails, a practiced Chicago area locksmith will know how to decode the locks.

Once the transponder key is cut properly, it then has to be programmed. If you have a Chicago local locksmith with experience replacing transponder keys, you’ll have no problem, because he’ll have the right hardware and software in his service van to reprogram and resynchronize the key with your car and have you on your way promptly.

Author Bio: Jason Bacot – Are you looking for an Automotive Locksmith because you lost your keys? Then I suggest you get your Transponder Keys and Replacement Car Keys fixed at OmegaLockSmith.com immediately.

Category: Business
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