Don’t Panic If You Lose Your Sophisticated Transponder Key

What’s one of the easiest ways to get to know your local locksmith? That’s right; start to lose your vehicles transponder key on a regular basis. That’s because these keys are hard to duplicate and you will almost always need the help of a professional locksmith to get your car going after you lose them.

The good news is that these keys can be replaced. It’s not like you can simply cut a new key but there are ways that your locksmith has of making you a new one. We will get into how that’s done later on in this article. By the time you are done reading this article you will probably know everything you never thought you would know about transponder keys and more

What is a Transponder Key?

If you have been alive and driving long enough you probably remember that at one time all of the car keys you owned were metal in nature and simply unlocked your car door and turned the ignition to your car on. Eventually these keys morphed into a version that had a thicker, more bulbous and hard rubber or plastic handle. 

That is how you were welcomed into the world of transponder keys. These keys became even more fun when they had panic alarms added to them and also unlocked your car doors and popped your trunk too. That description does not however describe how they work.
These are actually pretty simple devices in nature. Think of them like launching America’s nuclear arsenal; it takes two pieces to make that happen. You have the transponder key itself which sends out a small radio frequency when it’s placed in your ignition and a component in your cars electrical system that only allows your car to start when it receives a particular radio frequency. 

A History Lesson on Transponder Keys

Just because transponder keys have only been in use over the last few decades do not mean they are a relatively new technology. As a matter of fact, that’s hardly the case at all. Transponder devices were actually first invented and used as far back as the WWII. They were used as a means to determine if incoming aircraft would wave hi to you or they wanted to blow you to smithereens. 

Why did these types of keys start to become popular in the early 1990’s? If you guessed it was because of the strong correlation in the rise of car thefts you would be absolutely correct. Since without a corresponding transponder key a car engine would not turn over and start they became a very popular deterrent to car theft.

How Is It Possible to Duplicate Them? 

Yes, transponder keys are simple yet complicated devices at the same time. So how you wonder can your local locksmith actually duplicate them. Contrary to popular belief your locksmith does not hop into the back of their service vehicle and wave a wand over a new key blank.

So how do they program them then?

The answer lies in the chip that resides in the interior of these devices in the new key bank. It’s somewhat like computer software in that it can be programmed. The trick for your locksmith is to track down the proper code that will make your particular enjoy receive the proper signal to allow your vehicle to start.

Sometimes this process can simply be done by your locksmith using their online connections and other easy resources they have at their disposal. Other times it can be a nightmare scenario for your locksmith. When this happens, it may take several phone calls to dealers and lock manufacturers for them to properly reproduce for you a working transponder key.

The finished product is usually made using one of two specific devices your locksmith carries with them. One is used to reproduce non-encrypted transponder keys and the other is used to duplicate encrypted transponder keys. There are circumstances when a locksmith cannot duplicate a transponder key no matter how hard they try.

In some cases, it’s not even necessary to duplicate the entire transponder key if you don’t want to spend the money to do that. You can simply have your locksmith cut a new regular key for you that will open your car door and work its ignition. Of course, when you do this you will lose your panic alarm and the ability to lock and unlock your car doors simply by pushing a button

Are Transponder Keys Expensive?

This is a tough question to answer really. Why is that you ask? Because transponder keys are like cars themselves in that they come in all different qualities and with all different options on them. A simple transponder key may only run in the $50-$100 range and one for a fancy European sports car can run you several hundred dollars. Some transponder keys are not all that fancy but simply cost you more because of the make and model of car you have.

When transponder keys are being duplicated because you have lost them you also have to figure in the price the cost for your locksmith’s time. That will add some to the cost of them too. This is especially true if you are not stranded at your home and you had to call for emergency locksmith service to get back on your way.

What should you take away from this somewhat vague answer? You don’t want to make a habit of losing transponder keys for sure
Your Local Daytona Beach, Florida Transponder Key Specialists

Who do you call in Daytona Beach, FL when your transponder key is not working or its been lost. You need to call the area’s most trustworthy and reliable locksmith services provider, 24/7 Daytona Beach Locksmith. We can not only repair or replace your unique transponder locks but we can fix any type of lock that you are having a problem with. As the name implies, we also offer some of the fastest dispatched emergency locksmith services in this part of East Central, Florida.