[steve_bev]

This may seem like a silly question, but is the transponder portion of the key needed to unlock the driver's or passenger doors? I'd like to get a copy made of my key without the transponder portion, just a flat key I can slip in my wallet; I have a weird habit of locking my keys in my car once or twice a year and have always kept a spare in my wallet for just such an occasion, saves a bunch of time over calling AAA and having the guy slim-jim it open while my engine's running!

So if I go to a hardware store and just have them cut the key onto a flat blank, will it open the car, or do I need the bulky transponder part to unlock the doors? That's all it has to do, obviously, is unlock the door so I can get my locked-in keys out, I don't want it to be able to start the car or open the glovebox or anything else of course, so even if I have my wallet lost stolen the key won't let anyone get away with my car, too.

 

[mrbrace]

from what the dealer told me its hard to copy these keys because of the transponder, you could open the doors with a copy but you could not start it...thats what I heard

 

[gottc?]

yeah, the only thing you should need the chip in the key for is to enable the starter to work

 

[onefunkyfreshdj]

Originally posted by steve_bev@Sep 22 2005, 09:53 PM
This may seem like a silly question, but is the transponder portion of the key needed to unlock the driver's or passenger doors? I'd like to get a copy made of my key without the transponder portion, just a flat key I can slip in my wallet; I have a weird habit of locking my keys in my car once or twice a year and have always kept a spare in my wallet for just such an occasion, saves a bunch of time over calling AAA and having the guy slim-jim it open while my engine's running!

So if I go to a hardware store and just have them cut the key onto a flat blank, will it open the car, or do I need the bulky transponder part to unlock the doors? That's all it has to do, obviously, is unlock the door so I can get my locked-in keys out, I don't want it to be able to start the car or open the glovebox or anything else of course, so even if I have my wallet lost stolen the key won't let anyone get away with my car, too.

Did you not get 3 keys when you got the car? We got 2 with the transponder & one "xB" type smaller key.

 

[Alpman]

The plain and simple answer is...YES!!! Copy the key and it WILL open the doors w/o the transponder. That'll get you into your car when you lock the keys in it. Then retrieve the original key and start your car.

 

[krdshrk]

Go to a locksmith's shop to do this - don't go to a Home Depot or the like. They'll just tell you they can't do it. Locksmith shops make better keys anyway.

 

[eddiemoney]

It's not like making keys is rocket science here, i did it at the auto store i worked at with a machine that was 15 years old. It's a pretty simple process unless you are retarted

 

[steve_bev]

Cool, thanks. I did get 3 keys, but they all have the bulky transponder attached, freshdj, but 1 is smaller and doesn't have lock/unlock and won't open the glovebox--the 'valet key'. Can't tell you how often I end up locking my keys in my car, that spare in my wallet's a lifesaver.

 

[zoltiz]

I just made a habit of locking the car with the remote - that way it's harder to lock the keys inside

But making a door-only spare makes sense. There are so many nooks you can hide the spare key under the car and never worry about locking one inside.

 

[moriarty]

your best bet to get a key made is to go to your dealer with the key cut code. they should be able to make you an emergency key without the transponder. it should cost around the same as Ace Hardware ( or whatever) but, it will work.