Very Simple Key question

[TXLX470]

This is a very straight forward question which nobody seems to know for sure.

On a 98 LC Master key(with remote buttons) where exactly is this transponder chip located
1. Is it on the metel blade
2. Is is on the remote fob(which u can take out by opening the plastic shell)
3. Or is it on the black plastic shell(which covers the remote fob)
4. Or finaly " there is nothing called a transponder chip in a 98 LC

I have called Charly the keysmith and he does not know.

Thanks for your input

 

[BMWSTOY]

Its 2 or 3 - I opened up mine because its breaking and you can see the module and behind it is the battery

 

[spressomon]

Its 2 or 3 - I opened up mine because its breaking and you can see the module and behind it is the battery

Ditto

 

[LX470Pilot]

This is my educated guess, by no means learned fact:

It's 2.

The transponders are a very (commercially) early and simple form of RFID - or Radio Frequency Identification - and anyone who has Mobil/Exxon Speedpass is somewhat familiar with the capabilities.

RFID transponders, or 'tags' can be either passive or active:

Passive tags act somewhat like radar - a high power radio transmitter emits a frequency which is reflected by the tag to a receiver. When the radio waves hit the tag, the tag's signature changes the waves so that what came out of the transmitter is different than what is seen by the receiver. This change is interpreted as information. This is used in the key-ring Speedpass.

Active tags have a battery which causes the transponder to constantly broadcast the signature to a tunable distance (depending on power used). These are used in the vehicle mounted Speedpass, and for my best guess, LC/LX fobs. Also used in FASTPASS dash mounted transponders (for you SoCal people who know the 91 freeway)

This is what makes the most sense to me - they could be using some other technology, but based on what I know about RFID, the Master Key Transponders use Active tags to broadcast a (probably) 8 or 16-bit 'key' to the vehicle computer which, of course, allows the starter to engage.

Because the battery inside the fob is 3.3v(?) or less, the effective range is less than 1ft, probably less than 6inches - so the more paranoid among us needn't be concerned.

Also, don't confuse the alarm/door-lock transmitter with the ignition enabler transponder. The two operate completely independent of each other, except for sharing a power source.

-LX Pilot

 

[LX470Pilot]

Several GM cars in the mid '90s (specifically the '94 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon - I think contemporary Cadillacs had this too) had a component of the engine immobilizer in the actual blade of the key.

This was accomplished by inserting a small chip through the broad side of the blade, isolated from the blade by black plastic or hard rubber.

The edges of this chip would touch contacts in the ignition key cylinder and allow the car to start.

Just to justify the consideration of the blade theory.

-LX Pilot

Edit: an interesting experiment would be to remove the fob from the shell, and hold it near the keyhole while attempting to start with a non-master key. If that doesn't work, then I may well be mistaken and it could have something to do with the blade.

 

[jp213a]

On a 98 LC Master key(with remote buttons) where exactly is this transponder chip located
1. Is it on the metel blade
2. Is is on the remote fob(which u can take out by opening the plastic shell)
3. Or is it on the black plastic shell(which covers the remote fob)
4. Or finaly " there is nothing called a transponder chip in a 98 LC

I receive a quarterly Toyota publication called Service News. The Fall 2006 issue has an article titled Engine Immobiliser System. This article states, "The transponder chip is housed inside the key grip". I interpert this to mean the chip is part of the electronic module that is housed inside the grip (shell).

I recently purchased a new key blade with grip (shell) off E-bay for $19.95 because the key blade separated from the shell on my original key. The old key blade would not fit the new shell so I took the old and new blade to a locksmith and had the new blade ground (cut) to match the old blade. I installed the electronic module from the original key in the new shell. It works fine. I see no indication that the new key blade has an internal transponder chip.

 

[DMX84]

Now that wasn’t so hard now….
DMX

 

[TXLX470]

I receive a quarterly Toyota publication called Service News. The Fall 2006 issue has an article titled Engine Immobiliser System. This article states, "The transponder chip is housed inside the key grip". I interpert this to mean the chip is part of the electronic module that is housed inside the grip (shell).

I recently purchased a new key blade with grip (shell) off E-bay for $19.95 because the key blade separated from the shell on my original key. The old key blade would not fit the new shell so I took the old and new blade to a locksmith and had the new blade ground (cut) to match the old blade. I installed the electronic module from the original key in the new shell. It works fine. I see no indication that the new key blade has an internal transponder chip.

Thanks for your input. I did exactly the same thing but my truck would not start or the security light won't go off. What year is your truck? What I am going to try today is to remove the key fob from the masterkey and try to start the truck. If does that means there is something in the key blade. If it does not, I will keep the fob close to the ignition and try. If it does that means transponder is in the fob. I will let what the out come is.

Till then