(bear with me...) Hi Guys, we recently picked up a 2008 Mazda5 and we love it!
Bummer is we only got 1 key from the seller...and my local Mazda dealer wants $360 for a fully functional, programmed 2nd key.
So, meanwhile I got an Ebay replacement plastic outer shell for our single key fob, and in replacing the "guts" the following happened:
I merely switched the circuit board, battery and actual key "blade" to the new fob....and it worked fine last night. I think I still had the old fob in my pocket because this morning when the car wouldn't start, I discovered the actual "chip" resides in another part of the key fob. Since it was in the house, the car didn't allow it to start.
No problem, I switched that part of it back, and it worked fine. I guess the chip needs to be in close proximity to the car, along with the "blade" that is cut to fit that particular ignition.
That's a no brainer but my wife says (and finally, here is my actual question!!!)
"Why can't you just have another key blade cut to match that one, but keep the "chip" in the car? Like in the glovebox or under the dash? That way the car won't know if it's your key in the ignition, or my exact copy of the same key?"
Does that make sense? Could we get away with 1 chip (always in the car), but 2 identical key blades?
Thanks! This is one of those things I wish my generation never dreamed up...car keys with batteries and microchips!!!?!?!?!?!
Bummer is we only got 1 key from the seller...and my local Mazda dealer wants $360 for a fully functional, programmed 2nd key.
So, meanwhile I got an Ebay replacement plastic outer shell for our single key fob, and in replacing the "guts" the following happened:
I merely switched the circuit board, battery and actual key "blade" to the new fob....and it worked fine last night. I think I still had the old fob in my pocket because this morning when the car wouldn't start, I discovered the actual "chip" resides in another part of the key fob. Since it was in the house, the car didn't allow it to start.
No problem, I switched that part of it back, and it worked fine. I guess the chip needs to be in close proximity to the car, along with the "blade" that is cut to fit that particular ignition.
That's a no brainer but my wife says (and finally, here is my actual question!!!)
"Why can't you just have another key blade cut to match that one, but keep the "chip" in the car? Like in the glovebox or under the dash? That way the car won't know if it's your key in the ignition, or my exact copy of the same key?"
Does that make sense? Could we get away with 1 chip (always in the car), but 2 identical key blades?
Thanks! This is one of those things I wish my generation never dreamed up...car keys with batteries and microchips!!!?!?!?!?!