Everything You Need to Know About Transponder Keys

Mar 23, 2017

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If you’ve heard of the term “transponder key,” that almost certainly means that you’re in need of a replacement key for your vehicle, and were only recently told that the technology present in your car’s key has greatly amplified the cost of it. Whether or not that is how you came upon the term, today Buckeye Locksmith in Columbus will share everything you need to know about transponder keys.

Transponder Keys – Past, Present, Future

If you’re still wondering what the heck a transponder key is, we’ll take a minute to explain; just about any car made in about the last 20 years features a transponder key, which offers users benefits like added security, keyless entry, and even the fancy fab technology that allow for push-to-start vehicles.

The Creation of Transponder Keys

While transponder technology originates from the need for US WW2 battleships to be able to identify incoming planes as friend or foe (an important distinction), it wasn’t adapted into car keys until the 1990s. Once they hit the market, however, vehicle manufacturers scrambled to incorporate the technology into their vehicles, giving rise to the dawn of computer systems in vehicles that eventually brought GPS navigation, touch screens, and just about every other luxury we enjoy in today’s vehicles. Transponder keys, however, have remained a largely unchanged entity in the automobile world to this day.

Transponder Keys Today

When you buy a vehicle, odds are it will come with two battery-operated transponder keys. These keys use a tiny microchip or laser-cut key design linked to a transponder within the vehicle to identify the key as genuine within a tremendously small margin of error. While it can’t be said that no two keys are alike, it is very unlikely you’ll ever find another vehicle that your key works with (although it is possible). Whether or not your vehicle has a discernable electronic component (often in the form of buttons that lock, unlock, sound alarm, etc.), it is likely that there is at least some form of transponder component that prevents it from starting without the correct conditions being met.

Why You Should Care

As mentioned above, transponder keys go far and above the typical metal key that unlocks a padlock or starts a car from before the technology was introduced, but this technological gap includes a tremendous difference in price. To put this into perspective: A standard key would cost similar to what you would pay at a hardware store, about 2 to 6 dollars, while a transponder key could cost from 200 to 600 dollars – easily 100 times more. So if you’re wondering why you should care about transponder keys, the simple answer is that, should you lose yours, you’ll definitely begin to care about the insane expense that can occur when they need to be replaced. Imagine, for instance, if you lost the keys to a car now worth 1200 dollars; it could cost as much to replace your keys as it would to sell the car itself – if it could start, that is. Therein lies the problem with transponder keys; they’re great as long as you have them in working order, but should a key break, wear down, or go missing, then you’re in a tight spot with little-to-no options to forgo a key replacement.

Looking Ahead

More and more, automobile manufacturers are moving to a keyless entry system that features a fab with a push-button or rudimentary key start. This technology, when properly adapted, should cost less to replicate and replace than a laser cut key would. For now, replacing a fab is an entirely other headache altogether. Still, the fab technology basically uses transponder technology to an amplified degree by automatically and continuously attempting to recognize whether or not the fab is within operational range of the vehicle. When the fab is in range, the vehicle can be unlocked, started, and operated, which effectively removes all need for a standard key.

Contact Buckeye Locksmith

When you attempt to deal with replacing a transponder key, a dealership will cost you a fortune, but our Columbus locksmiths can replace just about any key for far leses. Plus, we’re always available to lend a hand whenever possible, whether that means getting you home safe from the supermarket or getting you a new transponder key. Get in touch with our locksmiths anytime you need services involving a locked door in the Columbus area.