Immobilizer chip: types, characteristics, duplication, principle of operation

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Car alarm systems are equipped with remote start and interior and engine warm-up functions, which are provided by an immobilizer chip in the key. To safely install such devices on a vehicle, an auto-start chip is required.

How the chip works

The signal from the key or the immobilizer chip, when autorun is activated, is transmitted from the control signal to the reading antenna built into the ignition lock. The engine starts automatically as soon as the signal is recognized.

This type of key is undesirable due to certain reasons:

• Vulnerability of the car increases.
• When concluding an insurance contract, there are difficulties in providing a full set of keys.
• In case of car theft, it is difficult to get insurance payments.
• When the master key is lost or broken, it is difficult to get into the vehicle.

When installing bypass devices, for this reason, it is recommended to use eitheran additional key with a programmed transponder duplicate or a separate chip.

Benefit of single chip

• The car does not store a full key with which you can start the engine.
• No additional devices programmed.
• The autorun function is fully implemented.
• The car owner always has a complete set of keys with him, which makes it easier to sell the car.
• The vehicle insurance procedure is greatly facilitated by the absence of a key in the autorun system.
• Creating a duplicate immobilizer chip is several times cheaper than programming a new key.
• Specialized services make a new chip in minutes.

Types of chips

There are several varieties of immobilizer chips. One of them is a carbon fiber chip, which is small in size and contains a large number of electronic circuits filled with carbon fiber.

The glass chip is made in the form of a glass bulb and is extremely rare at present. The set of electrical circuits is no different from the carbon chip, but it works better in the cold season due to the larger transceiver antenna. Experts advise installing just such immobilizer chips in autorun systems. They work much more stable, but at the same time they are more expensive than their carbon analogues.

Emulator chips with and without batteries are considered a separate type. They are installed mainly in ignition keys with a radio channel and are a board with a microcircuit, in which a program is written that emulates the chip during operation.

The main misconception associated with such chips is that they do not work without a battery, but this is not the case: the battery is only required for the functioning of the buttons and remote unlocking and closing of the doors. The chip works without a battery and does not depend on power.

The range of the system is very large, which excludes the possibility of intercepting data exchange.

Chip creation process

Car keys use several types of chips. Employees of specialized services know how to register an immobilizer chip and do it in several ways:

• Duplicates of the simplest chips are created by copying the code sewn into the circuit onto a clean blank.
• Complex protection systems are written using special diagnostic devices directly into control units.
• Some immobilizers require the codes of each transponder to be entered into the memory of the control unit.

Immobilizer chips are made using special equipment that is available in workshops that service and install alarm systems.

What cars are the chips used for?

Chips are installed only on vehicles that meet the following requirements:

• The presence of a car alarm with a functionautorun.
• The standard car security system implies the presence of an immobilizer.
• The owner has the original code chip or key in his possession.

The ability to install a transponder is not affected by any other characteristics of the vehicle. Correctly programmed immobilizer chips function throughout the entire life of the vehicle and do not need additional reconfiguration.

Duplicate keys are made in case the original is lost, which may complicate access to the car.

Quality duplicate keys are made only on special equipment, so to obtain such a key, you should contact workshops that provide such services.

Features of the key making process

The whole process of producing a duplicate key, where the immobilizer chip is located, is divided into two stages: creating a mechanical part and programming the chip itself.

The procedure for creating a duplicate chip is greatly facilitated if the original is equipped with a self-copy function, but even in this case, the use of special equipment is required. Modern models of immobilizer keys are equipped with chips without the possibility of copying, however, the masters make their duplicates by programming the circuits using diagnostic equipment.

The cost of a mechanical duplicate is 1500 rubles, but its creation does not guarantee the launch of the vehicle, since the ignition is notbe sure to start from the received signal.

For this reason, it is advisable to contact specialized technical centers with modern equipment for diagnostic work and the production of high-quality chips, especially in the case of cars with a complex electrical system.

Benefits of duplicate chips

The car owner keeps a full set of keys with him if there is a duplicate - only a transponder is placed in the bypasser, which minimizes the likelihood of vehicle theft. The cost of the chip is affected by the brand of the car and the category of the transponder. Modern technologies make it possible to equip cars with a manual and automatic transmission with an autostart function. The type of motor installed has no effect.

Official dealers create high-quality copies of the immobilizer chip in the key, where all electrical circuits are correctly programmed. Usually the whole procedure consists of sending a set of regular keys to the dealership, which is due to the lack of access to the car for a long time. However, it is easier to solve such a problem - just leave an application for a duplicate immobilizer chip in a specialized workshop.

Key programming nuances

The data contained in the immobilizer chip is read and matched with the information contained in the vehicle's electronic control units. The code contained in the key is individual not only for the vehicle brandfunds, but also for a specific machine model.

Before programming the transponder, the car immobilizer is flashed. Obtaining the necessary data is carried out by a conventional scanner. The procedure can only be carried out by an experienced master, since any scan is perceived by the ECU as an attempt to steal and can lead to a complete blocking of the system.