eBay Folding Key - Issue/Warning

[yournamehere]

I've searched to no avail.

I bought a very cheap folding key off eBay. It came from China. Initial quality is very good. Got the key blade cut and it operates the ignition. However the motor will not run.

I've taken the key-fob guts out of the broken key and installed it in the new key. There is a difference in the configuration of the key-fob.
The old key (O.E.) has the Lock button at the 12 o'clock position (compared to the ignition switch face). The new key (not O.E.) has the Lock button to the 3 o'clock position.

Is this enough of a change to activate the immobilizer?

Do you think this can be remedied?

The folding key from eBay was less than 15 shipped from China, however sending it back would be more difficult and more expensive than throwing it away.




Cheers,
b

 

[patrickfinley]

Seems like the folding key closed would be bigger than the old non folding key. Cut your losses and toss it.

 

[APKhaos]

FWIW, I've used a couple of replacement cases from 'made in china' sources on ebay. Visually identical to the original, like the top key in your pic above. They've worked really well and lasted every bit as long as the OEM key case. At around $15 a pop I'm OK with a new one every year or even less. I've moved the internals from the original keys several times and they've worked perfectly.

The folding key config above puts the RFID chip a lot further away from the detector ring around the ignition switch, which may be why the key is not being recognized. Chuck it and buy the original shape. They work.

 

[TeCKis300]

However the motor will not run.

...

Is this enough of a change to activate the immobilizer?

I believe you have to program the immobilizer to accept the new key. If you look at the security light, and it is still flashing upon putting in the key into the ignition, the immobilizer is active.

You can find the instructions on programming the immobilizer on the net.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

^ that and depends on if the new key even has a security chip in it that can be programmed.

 

[Roverrad95]

I got another folding key as well. While mine worked fine no problem starting the truck, because of the design (where you push the key in in order to take it out), I had to disassemble the entire fob to take the key out of the ignition. While they may look better, stick with the cheap factory knock offs, not worth the headache