What is a Car Immobilizer System?
The Car Immobilizer System and transponder keys can only be found in the recent car models, as it is an additional security system, designed to protect your car. The advance of technology and the worrying numbers of car theft made car manufacturers consider an advanced method of keeping a car safer. If you want to see how this system looks, it would be a bit hard, as it is actually a chip integrated into the Engine Control Unit or ECU. So how safe is it? How does this system work?
The system is very secure, because even if a burglar manages to break in, the car will refuse to start, in the lack of the authorized key. So a car that has the car immobilizer system will be hard to ignite by using a needle or connecting some cables, as you may see in movies. It is easy to tell that the car key is another piece of the system, as it also contains a security system. Practically, the key is digitally coded and has a chip inside, which contains the code or password of the car. Thus, the code within the key and one in the car immobilizer system must match. Otherwise, the ECU will not connect ignition circuit and fuel to start the car. So it is impossible to start a car that uses this safety system.
If you think this feature is great, you should know that some cars have an advanced car immobilizer system, which does something extra in comparison with the system you just found out about. It periodically changes the security codes, so the car will be even harder to steal, just in case the thieves are updated with the latest technology. Thus, the system has a personal code and a changing code. The personal code is permanent, but the car will change the second code each time the car is ignited, saving the newly set code in the key’s chip. When the car is started, it will first read the personal code, followed by the second one, before allowing the car to be started. Only after these two have been matched and declared correct, the ECU will unblock the engine and allow the driver to start the car. Again, it will not work stealing such a car with the short-circuiting method, because the system will not start the engine without the security codes, making the car impossible to steal.
Do you think that the key can be duplicated? That is not an option since the chip is placed in the key. So even if you lose it, you won’t be able to have another key unless to contact your car’s dealer. They are the only one authorized to deactivate the system of the lost key and get you a set of brand new keys to start your car.