So just kind of an amusing story...

[KJ zGal]

So about a year ago I had two copies of my key made, only to find out the original had a computer chip in it, so the copies wouldn't allow me to drive the vehicle. It'll start, but then some key light shows up and it turns itself off. Well, I figured, at least I could use them to unlock the doors manually if I ever locked the original key inside.

Well, apparently, trying to manually unlock the doors with the spare key (out of laziness besides--I didn't feel like running back up to the house to get the original) sets off the panic alarm. Needless to say it scared the !*@& out of me and my mom came running outside freaking out thinking someone had broken in. Wound up having to go get the original key anyway.

Moral of the story? Don't try to unlock your doors without the computer chip in the key.

Hey, at least the security system works :-#

 

[Corwyyn]

Hmmm, must have been an upgrade cuz my '03 Sport runs just fine with a generic key in it. I just wish it had the lock cylinder on the passenger front door, but noooooo they decided that just the one on the driver's door is good enough...

 

[KJ zGal]

Well I have a remote but it's on the key ring with the original key, which was in the house at the time =P Mine has the manual lock things on the driver and passenger sides both, but I really wish it had them on the back doors as well.

 

[jnaut]

Hey, at least the security system works :-#

Great, so if the kids down the street try to break into my car by using a non-chipped key, the alarm will go off. But if they throw a brick through the window-- silence.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I had to use the grey key once when I left the remote key in my brief case, and set the alarm off and nearly had to clean out my shorts!!!

 

[JeepJeepster]

Ive used that key to unlock my jeep some dozen odd times now. Either my keys are locked in the Jeep or they are in my room and since I keep my spare key in my wallet I use it all the time. Never had the alarm go off with the spare key(no chip) but oddly enough Ive had it go off with the regular key a couple times. Always happens at 1am when Im trying to be quiet.

In our WK you cant use the key at all to unlock the door. Its made to set the alarm off so the only way to get in is to use the keyless remote. Not sure what you would do if the battery died in the remote,etc.

 

[Dave]

Yea, I have set mine off by accident also.

But I also have a blank unchipped key I carry in my wallet in case I lock the keys inside. It will open the door and set off the alarm but then I can just grab the key and shut it off.

With the 02-04 KJ's there is a seperate alarm fob I think and the 05-07 has the buttons integrated into the key so it is all one PIA piece. As far as I know I think the OEM alarm works the samefor all years???

Dave

 

[HoosierJeeper]

What's wired is that it'll set the KJ's alarm off, but not the Durango's. They are both Sentry Key I believe. Must be in the settings...

 

[jnaut]

Yea, I have set mine off by accident also.

But I also have a blank unchipped key I carry in my wallet in case I lock the keys inside. It will open the door and set off the alarm but then I can just grab the key and shut it off.

Dang, Dave. I never thought about that. That's the kind of outside the box thinking that gets a promotion. Take the rest of the day off. I'm gonna go get my spare made this week.

I never got a spare made because I knew the factory key was chipped.

 

[desertkj]

Do you have aftermarket alarm systems? The one installed on my Jeep can only be deactivated using the remote, so, even by using the chipped key, my alarm goes off if I use the manual door lock. Just a possible scenario.

 

[Dave]

Do you have aftermarket alarm systems? The one installed on my Jeep can only be deactivated using the remote, so, even by using the chipped key, my alarm goes off if I use the manual door lock. Just a possible scenario.

desert.....I was referring to OEM. That's what I thought the OP had and what the thread was about.

On my 05, if I lock it I can open the door with the chipped OEM key and it will not set the alarm off. I have the 05 OEM key where the buttons are integrated on the key and not a seperate fob like the 02-04 KJ's have. I don't know if the alarm system is any different or if it is just the different key fob for 05+.

Dave

 

[TruLiberty]

heh, i keep my spare in the car, spare remote in the house, and my keys stay attached to my hip at all times unless im biking.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Either my keys are locked in the Jeep or they are in my room and since I keep my spare key in my wallet I use it all the time. Never had the alarm go off with the spare key(no chip) but oddly enough Ive had it go off with the regular key a couple times.

But I also have a blank unchipped key I carry in my wallet in case I lock the keys inside.
Dave

Dang, Dave. I never thought about that. That's the kind of outside the box thinking that gets a promotion. Take the rest of the day off. I'm gonna go get my spare made this week.

I never got a spare made because I knew the factory key was chipped.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

The alarm does *NOT* work the same for all of the model years.

'06 seems to be the changeover year. In mine, with the security group, I could (and did a few times) unlock the door with the chipped key and the alarm would go off. But my friend with her '02 KJ can unlock the door with her chipped key and the alarm won't go off. Weird.

 

[jnaut]

heh, i keep my spare in the car, spare remote in the house, and my keys stay attached to my hip at all times unless im biking.

Ex-wife carries the spare remote, so that about wraps it up for that. And I'm not paying $40,000 to purchase a new spare. So it'll be an unchipped spare if I lock my keys in the car. If I lose the keys... well then I'm just screwed because it won't drive on the unchipped key.

 

[Dave]

..............

 

[desertkj]

desert.....I was referring to OEM. That's what I thought the OP had and what the thread was about.

On my 05, if I lock it I can open the door with the chipped OEM key and it will not set the alarm off. I have the 05 OEM key where the buttons are integrated on the key and not a seperate fob like the 02-04 KJ's have. I don't know if the alarm system is any different or if it is just the different key fob for 05+.

Dave

I know. I was also referring to the OP. If I remember correctly, she picked it up used, and there are many, many times I have seen on automotive forums where dealerships have installed aftermarket alarms and the person was not even aware it was not OEM, so I was making sure that was not a possibility.