Okay, so this is my very first post on this forum (which looks pretty awesome so far). What better way to introduce myself than to post a how-to for fellow Wrangler TJ owners.
Anyways, I live in a pretty sketchy area and sometimes leave my Wrangler out at night. Because of that, I want to make sure it's as safe as possible from potential thieves. Some of us Wrangler TJ owners were lucky enough to have the Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) installed and setup from the factory. However, others of us weren't as lucky. For those of you that don't know what the SKIM does, let me sum things up in a nutshell: SKIM will prevent your Wrangler from being hot-wired or having a non-chipped key being duplicated and used to steal it. When a non-coded key is used it will kill your Jeep after about 2 seconds, therefore effectively preventing someone from stealing it.
It's not perfect by any means, but I would speculate that it's enough to deter most thieves from attempting to steal your Wrangler.
So, this little how-to isn't my own. I found it on another forum and figured I'd repost it on this forum since it helped me immensely with installing SKIM on my Wrangler TJ. That being said, enjoy!
Parts
I bought the below keys and module to help deter the theft of my Jeep. Please consult with your Jeep dealer using your VIN # to determine part numbers specific to your vehicle. The following part numbers came from my receipt and are for a 2005 Wrangler TJ / LJ:
Key Blank # 5018699AA
SKIM Module # 56010209AD
The SKIM keys are grey and thicker than the black non SKIM keys.
Installation
Once you get the parts together remove the top and bottom half of the steering wheel covers, by removing the 2 screws at the bottom of the steering wheel as indicated. There are 2 screws at the base of the steering wheel...
and 2 screws on each side of the steering column and dash piece. The dash screws are longer and thinner so keep them separate from the steering screws. The panel has two metal clips at the top so you need to pull lightly and they will pop out once the screws are removed.
Once you have all that removed take your module and place the ring over the ignition. It slides over snuggly and seats up against the back of it...
Then rotate it down as needed to slide the clip onto the steering column support...
Take note of the small plug not being used and snip the tape holding it to the harness...
That is the plug that will be used by the dealer... DO NOT PLUG IT IN!!! Just remove the tape to make access for the dealer easier.
Now drive to your dealer of choice. They will need your VIN to get the PIN code to program your keys. They just enter it in their computer and it pulls it up. No need to call anyone. They will need the DRBIII tool for 05 and newer or scan gauge for 04 and older.
Once they have the proper tool and code they will need to take that loose plug and connect it to the SKIM module and activate it first by placing your VIN in the module via their tool.
Once the SKIM module is recognized/activated they can place the key in the ignition, turn it on, (Not start) and enter the PIN code and hit "yes". If you have more than one key they just repeat the previous sentence. Now you are done.
When you start your Jeep with a key you will now see the yellow/orange "No Key" symbol next to the cruise light on your dash. It will stay on until it sync's the key and module/computer. One of 2 things will now happen, the light will go off and let the Jeep continue running because a good key is being used or stay on and shut off the Jeep because a non-chipped key or bad key was used. It will do this in about 2-3 seconds.
If you brought your screwdriver with you you can place all the plastic back together or go home and finish it up.
I bought 3 keys. The reason is that if you have one key go bad you can replace it and program it yourself as long as you have 2 working keys. If you only have 2 keys and one goes bad you have to have the dealer program the new key.
To program a new key if you have 2 good ones, you simply place one good key in the ignition and turn it all the way on but do not start it. You repeat this with the second good key, then you use the new key and your all set. This procedure is in your owners manual. The system will keep track of up to 8 keys.
If you want to test to see if your Jeep shuts off after the install is complete, take your old key and start the Jeep. It should shut if in about 2 secs. DO NOT do this several times. After the 3rd or 4th unsuccessful attempt, it will lock you out of the computer and your Jeep will need to be towed to the dealer. Im not sure on the exact number of tries but it will lock you out if you do this too many times.
For information on the two methods used for programming the SKIS keys, check out this thread: SKIS (SKIM) Sentry Key Programming.
Anyways, I live in a pretty sketchy area and sometimes leave my Wrangler out at night. Because of that, I want to make sure it's as safe as possible from potential thieves. Some of us Wrangler TJ owners were lucky enough to have the Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) installed and setup from the factory. However, others of us weren't as lucky. For those of you that don't know what the SKIM does, let me sum things up in a nutshell: SKIM will prevent your Wrangler from being hot-wired or having a non-chipped key being duplicated and used to steal it. When a non-coded key is used it will kill your Jeep after about 2 seconds, therefore effectively preventing someone from stealing it.
It's not perfect by any means, but I would speculate that it's enough to deter most thieves from attempting to steal your Wrangler.
So, this little how-to isn't my own. I found it on another forum and figured I'd repost it on this forum since it helped me immensely with installing SKIM on my Wrangler TJ. That being said, enjoy!
Parts
I bought the below keys and module to help deter the theft of my Jeep. Please consult with your Jeep dealer using your VIN # to determine part numbers specific to your vehicle. The following part numbers came from my receipt and are for a 2005 Wrangler TJ / LJ:
Key Blank # 5018699AA
SKIM Module # 56010209AD
The SKIM keys are grey and thicker than the black non SKIM keys.
Installation
Once you get the parts together remove the top and bottom half of the steering wheel covers, by removing the 2 screws at the bottom of the steering wheel as indicated. There are 2 screws at the base of the steering wheel...
and 2 screws on each side of the steering column and dash piece. The dash screws are longer and thinner so keep them separate from the steering screws. The panel has two metal clips at the top so you need to pull lightly and they will pop out once the screws are removed.
Once you have all that removed take your module and place the ring over the ignition. It slides over snuggly and seats up against the back of it...
Then rotate it down as needed to slide the clip onto the steering column support...
Take note of the small plug not being used and snip the tape holding it to the harness...
That is the plug that will be used by the dealer... DO NOT PLUG IT IN!!! Just remove the tape to make access for the dealer easier.
Now drive to your dealer of choice. They will need your VIN to get the PIN code to program your keys. They just enter it in their computer and it pulls it up. No need to call anyone. They will need the DRBIII tool for 05 and newer or scan gauge for 04 and older.
Once they have the proper tool and code they will need to take that loose plug and connect it to the SKIM module and activate it first by placing your VIN in the module via their tool.
Once the SKIM module is recognized/activated they can place the key in the ignition, turn it on, (Not start) and enter the PIN code and hit "yes". If you have more than one key they just repeat the previous sentence. Now you are done.
When you start your Jeep with a key you will now see the yellow/orange "No Key" symbol next to the cruise light on your dash. It will stay on until it sync's the key and module/computer. One of 2 things will now happen, the light will go off and let the Jeep continue running because a good key is being used or stay on and shut off the Jeep because a non-chipped key or bad key was used. It will do this in about 2-3 seconds.
If you brought your screwdriver with you you can place all the plastic back together or go home and finish it up.
I bought 3 keys. The reason is that if you have one key go bad you can replace it and program it yourself as long as you have 2 working keys. If you only have 2 keys and one goes bad you have to have the dealer program the new key.
To program a new key if you have 2 good ones, you simply place one good key in the ignition and turn it all the way on but do not start it. You repeat this with the second good key, then you use the new key and your all set. This procedure is in your owners manual. The system will keep track of up to 8 keys.
If you want to test to see if your Jeep shuts off after the install is complete, take your old key and start the Jeep. It should shut if in about 2 secs. DO NOT do this several times. After the 3rd or 4th unsuccessful attempt, it will lock you out of the computer and your Jeep will need to be towed to the dealer. Im not sure on the exact number of tries but it will lock you out if you do this too many times.
For information on the two methods used for programming the SKIS keys, check out this thread: SKIS (SKIM) Sentry Key Programming.
