Cars and Light Trucks manufactured from 1996 onward have extra security features built in to the key to prevent theft. These features include a “transponder chip” embedded inside the head of the key. This technology prevents the engine from starting by turning the ignition by force or picking the ignition lock and makes “hot wiring” the vehicle impossible.
When a key is inserted into the ignition and the ignition is switched on, a transponder embedded in the head of the key is energized by an exciter coil that surrounds the ignition lock cylinder. The energized transponder transmits a signal that contains its unique alphanumeric code. If the code received doesn’t match what is stored in the vehicles anti-theft system, engine starting is disabled.