Chip Key problems

Germanshepherd

Germanshepherd

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
May 22, 2016
Messages
495
Location
Pennsylvania, United States
Hi, 2004 Wrangler and I only had the one original key, it’s the Grey one that has chip in it.
Ace Value made me a spare chip key and it worked when I left the store. Then I tried to start it later and would not start. the dashboard lights go on along with the chip key light on the dash board. Then it eventually would start after trying for several minutes.
It would also do the same thing even with the original Jeep key now, works sometimes first try and other times have to try it several times.
It was fine until I used the replacement key but its not the keys in my opinion since BOTH keys are hit or miss now. Seems to be something with the chip reader in the ignition. anyone experience this problem? sounds like a trip to the stealership. maybe a reflash?
 
will try this this evening. may not know right away if it works since it was working hit or miss all weekend but will know right away if it doesnt work if it will not let me start the jeep. eventually it would work as is.
will keep you posted. thanks
 
When that happened to my wife's Grand Cherokee, it was determined we had a bad chipped (SKIM) key and the copy of that chipped key was also bad. New keys took car of her problem.

I'd take the registration and proof of ownership to your local Jeep dealer and have them program a couple new SKIM keys for you. That of course isn't guaranteed to fix it but there's a good chance it will. Eliminate the least costly things first and then only worry about the more expensive stuff like the SKIM reader, PCM, etc. if the new keys don't fix it.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
When that happened to my wife's Grand Cherokee, it was determined we had a bad chipped (SKIM) key and the copy of that chipped key was also bad. New keys took car of her problem.

I'd take the registration and proof of ownership to your local Jeep dealer and have them program a couple new SKIM keys for you. That of course isn't guaranteed to fix it but there's a good chance it will. Eliminate the least costly things first and then only worry about the more expensive stuff like the SKIM reader, PCM, etc. if the new keys don't fix it.
Click to expand...

thanks.. sounds possible but what is odd is that if my original key had bad SKIM, strange that it worked fine up to the point of getting the replacement. It started up first time today after work, stopped at bank, started fine. got home and tried it 5 more times and started up.
will see if it stays working, if not, I will try disconnecting battery and if that does not work, take it to the stealership. I regret now getting a spare key made. I have crappy luck. rather be spending money on this jeep for fluid changes etc than a darn key problem. technology is not always my friend.
fingers crossed it is ok but I think i will need numerous days of it working fine before I feel confident its ok now.
a gal I work with son is a junior tech at a chrysler/jeep dealer and supposed to be calling me tonight so anxious to see what he found out as well.
 
I bought my wife a used 04 Durango that only came with one key so I had a plain key cut just to use in the event the keys got locked in the car. The key worked fine to open the doors but if you tried to start the vehicle it would go into lock down and would not start even with the original key until I would disconnect the battery.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lBasket
UPJOHN said:
I bought my wife a used 04 Durango that only came with one key so I had a plain key cut just to use in the event the keys got locked in the car. The key worked fine to open the doors but if you tried to start the vehicle it would go into lock down and would not start even with the original key until I would disconnect the battery.
Click to expand...
thanks UpJohn. will see how it goes for the next few days. since it worked 6 or 7 times in a row today, will let it go but my gut feeling is it will act up again soon. if it does, then I can do the battery thing. hoping it worked itself out.
I was always able to get it started after several minutes of it not working. the dash lights would light up etc but would not turn over. it did not even do the thing its supposed to do when using a wrong key such as starting up and then shutting down after a few seconds, just would not start at all.
 
I think this has been resolved. per the jeep tech guy, replacement chip keys made the way ace hardware programs them can be hit or miss on older jeeps. they said the best way to program the key is the way the dealer does it by going through all the steps (could be a sales pitch to get you to dealer) but I can say that the replacement key was hit or miss when it worked and I think when it did not work and I tried the original key that would also not work, was because it was in some sort of frozen mode where neither key would work for several minutes.
got rid of the replacement key and the orig key worked about 20 plus times in a row now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lBasket
c8a25b492d899e54034b2ee5774d2154.jpg
 
Hi. That looks much darker than my gray chip key, yours looks black almost... You can go to Walmart or place that does keys and there is a scanner they out near key which would confirm if u have a chip key. Do u have the chip key icon in upper left of dash board that comes on when starting it up? Forget what year they started the chip key offhand.
 
Germanshepherd said:
Hi. That looks much darker than my gray chip key, yours looks black almost... You can go to Walmart or place that does keys and there is a scanner they out near key which would confirm if u have a chip key. Do u have the chip key icon in upper left of dash board that comes on when starting it up? Forget what year they started the chip key offhand.
Click to expand...

Nope, no key light.

I don't think I'm chipped either, I didn't see anything about it on the window sticker.

Glad!
 
Sorry. Thought I posted what the actual prob was. Ended up being the sensor at the clutch pedal was bad and intermittent. Removed the fuse that let's you start it without having to put in clutch first and starts every time now for months. Just an update in case this thread comes up for someone down the road. Time to go back and get another duplicate as I returned the other one thinking it was the problem. Timing was coincide when the problem started soon after I tried the replacement key.
 
I have a 1999 Jeep wrangler and my sentry key light stays on most of the time but some times doesn't come on at all I have a grey original key and a black spare key 3 times now on various occasions when I crank up my jeep it cranks and with in a couple seconds it shuts down it does this with either key. My question is i was told that it is either the chip has gone bad in the keys or i need a new skim does anyone have an opinions on which I should try first?
 
Top Bottom
Back