2000 Nissan Altima Security Key/Light and No Start

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
May 1, 2012
Messages
2,918
Location
Indiana
I'll try to sum this up as quick as I can.....

A few years ago, I locked my keys in my car. Had the locksmith open it up. He wanted $80/key for copies because of the security chip in the key and programming. I had him make him several copies of the ignition key WITHOUT the security chip for free. I then removed the security chip from my original key (it slid right out) and I adhered (with duct tape) the chip right to the ignition key switch on the column. The car started and run just fine for years.

Today, while cleaning up the car, I noticed that duct tape wasn't looking too good and now how much trouble I'd be in if the chip ever fell off and I lost it, I decided to removed the chip, and re-tape it to the same exact spot. No problems, right?

Wrong.

Now my car won't start. The security light is on solid while cranking the car. This is an anti-theft system. With the security light on solid while cranking, it means that the fuel pump or the injectors or the ignition system has been disabled.

What I've done so far: disconnected the battery for 15 minutes. Reconnected. Light still on. I also read that if you turn the key/ignition to the ON position for 15 minutes, it might reset itself. I'm waiting the 15 minutes now, so I came in here to ask for advice before I go back out and try this again.

One thing I did notice when I put the key to the on position, I heard a buzzing noise that I never heard before. Sounded like it was coming from the column perhaps.....but I'm not sure.

Anyone got any words of wisdom for me??
 
Wonder if there`s a way to bypass the security system,or maybe the chip has to be exactly in the right location for the sensor to read it?
 
At least you have a key that works in the locks. You'll need that key to duplicate it to a proper transponder key, and then have it programmed to the car. You probably damaged the chip when you removed the tape. You need to find a locksmith with a TKO programmer.
 
NATS requires the dealer to reset it and possibly reprogram the ecu to your chip. You cannot reset NATS yourself. NATS is built into the ecu and cannot be bypassed. NATS is one reason I'm glad to be in a 96.
 
Well, my local locksmith said he could order some new transponder keys and re-program my ECM to accept the new key. $220.

I guess that's not bad.

Anyone got any ideas or theories on why the transponder quit working after I re-taped it back on?

Anyone know of any method of re-learning my ECM to accept my old key/transponder?

I read online that I could put the ignition to the on position for 15 minutes and the car should re-learn the key. It didn't work. My local Nissan dealers of course said, "you need to bring it in." LOL!!

Another Nissan dealer told me that if I had access to computer, I could turn on the "exciter ring" and get it to re-learn that way. I wouldn't have a clue how to do that.
 
UPDATE:

I fixed the problem. Turns out, now the transponder needs to be in the same orientation as if it was part of the OEM key for it to work correctly. I don't know why this changed, but it has.

I really didn't want to attach the transponder to the key, because if I loose that key, I'm sunk. So I cut up a tooth brush, mounted the chip to the end of it, and then secured the chip/toothbrush creation to the steering column so the chip is held virtually in the same position it would in a factory key.

It's a pretty hillbilly solution, but it worked.
 
I think I would have a new key made before you're stuck again. Do you really only want to have 1 key that starts your car, and is a hillbilly solution at that?
 
Could take the steering column over off and secure your chip somewhere there? That is what most remote start guys do when they need to bypass the factory security.
 
Check with a locksmith if they can "clone" the key, I know in our 2000 F-150 he can check the voltage on the chip and program the new key and chip to trick the security system into thinking it is the original key. Cost around 50.00 when I did it.
 
$90 for a cloned key. It isn't that bad I guess.

What I don't understand, is that in this 2000 Nissan, the "transponder" simply looks like a piece of greyish metal, like a magnet. So, how can a magnet transmit a signal? It can't.

I wonder if putting a refrigerator magnet near the key would work? Perhaps back in 2000, this technology was fairly new, and simply having a magnet into the key was rare enough, that it was a security measure.

There is nothing about a magnet that would allow it to transmit a signal. It can transmit a magnetic field though. But I doubt there is any way for a magnet to transmit a "unique" magnet field detectable in a 2000 Nissan ignition system.

I'm calling [censored] on this. I'm gonna try a few magnets tonight. More to report later.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top