What a Transponder Key Actually Does
A transponder key looks ordinary, but the plastic head hides a passive RFID chip. When you turn the ignition, a coil around the lock cylinder energises the chip, which replies with a code the immobilizer must recognise before fuel and spark are enabled.
That is why a hardware-store copy turns the cylinder but never starts the engine — the cuts are right, the electronics are missing.
Chip families differ: fixed-code chips can often be cloned onto a blank in minutes, while rolling-code and encrypted chips must be programmed to the vehicle through the diagnostic port.
If your dash immobilizer light blinks and the engine cranks but dies after a second, the chip is the first thing to test.
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