Spare Key

[CamaroBarb]

When I bought this Camaro it came with 2 key fobs with a loose key attached to each with a ring AND a loose key that the dealer told me would only open the door. I asked why the loose key will only open the door and they told me "it doesn't have a chip in it" OK forward to yesterday just for grins I tried the loose key and it opened the door but would not start the car. The key goes into the ignition and turns but when turned to start position the engine does not start. SO I tried one of the keys attached to the key fob and of course it starts right up, then I can turn it off and the loose key will start it. I'm puzzled so far because I don't know how the system works. TY

[Mr_Draco]

Simple. The loose key that "only opens the door" always had a chip in it but it was never programmed to the car. When you put in a programmed key and then put in that one, it programmed the key.

[CamaroBarb]

But it still doesn't start the car unless I use the fob key 1st.

[tomlink]

This article explains pretty well how it works.
https://electronics.howstuffworks.co...ion-system.htm

[fhrex]

sit in your car, close the door. turn ignition on (do not start engine) with your original key, wait until chime stops. Then, within 10 seconds, turn ignition on with new key, wait until chime stops. DIC should show new key learned.

[CamaroBarb]

How do I know which is the original key? I assume you mean the key that works on the fob?

[tomlink]

The key that works is the original key. But note that if the dealer was correct in telling you that the new key has no chip you are wasting your time. No harm to try though.

['10CamaroDude]

I got a metal key from the dealer that has a FAT head on it, used to program FOBs.
That key will never start the car, you use it to program FOBs that do not have a
flip-key in them. You put the fob against the head of the key, put that key in the
ignition for the program step, and it will see the FOB as a valid key, even if there is
no physical flip-key in the FOB. You can have up to nine keys programmed.

There is a RESET procedure too, so you can start over. For that, you need a key with
a transponder that is NOT programmed into the car. When done, that key will be
the new primary key (#1), then you can program all the other ones normally.

[CamaroBarb]

Yes the key that won't start the car has a bigger metal head the regular keys have a smaller plastic head.

[jlsat3]

2013 Carmaro

Have a spare key with plastic head that works. No FOB. Using it for a while now.

Had another with a FOB that I lost. Plastics head key with fob (not switch blade one)

Got a new FOB from dealer that has metal key. Didn’t get programmed from them.

How do I program the new metal key with new fob???

I tried tried the following ways.
1) Start with working key, switch and start with new key set

2) the 3x ten minute thing with the new key set.

3). The on/off/on/off thing while holding the unlock button

Nothing works.

Any advice?

Thanks!

[jlsat3]

Ok. I got the fob programmed with method 1. Yay!

The problem is that the car will not start with the metal key attached to this fob. It only works if I hold the back of the fob to the metal key head.

What’s up with that? Will the metal key ever start my car without having to inconveniently hold a plastic key or fob really close to the ignition and touching the metal key head?

?????

Thanks.

[camguynj]

FYI... all 5th gen year keys do NOT have chips in them. The chip (ie. RFID circuit board) is in the fob, either a switchblade fob or a key ring fob

[Machh5]

Now that makes sense, TY