As technology becomes more advanced the demand for building sophisticated systems has increased over the years. These technological advances have revolutionised various industries including the locksmith industry. These technologies are changing the way of securing things in the most advanced methods to your house, office or your car.
Everything you own is an invaluable asset so are your cars. In recent days, modern car lock systems have been equipped with various digital components which are specially designed to secure the cars. It is no longer easy or an option to get a duplicate key since keys have unique codes and require programming to link the key to the vehicle.
Nowadays, there are lots of security issues with vehicles which are generally encountered by automotive locksmiths. The most common customer problem is lost keys. it is not so easy to get key duplication as the modern-day car lock systems are automated and you will not recognise the importance until it’s lost or stops working due to several things such as physical damage, water damage or any other damages. And when this happens, your vehicle fails to recognize the unique code of the key, and you have to get it reprogrammed. That is when you need a professional locksmith’s help.
So, it is important to either have a pre-coded key (in most of the cases is not available) or to opt for EEPROM method, an alternative method to create new keys when required.
What is EEPROM?
Among various electronic component in the vehicle, you will find one component with memory part which stores the key data sequence is called as EEPROM.
EEPROM (also known as E2PROM) stands for “E”lectrically “E”rasable “P”rogrammable “R”ead “O”nly “M”emory. It is a type of non-volatile memory chip specially designed to provide a piece of specific information to the user. This type of memory technology is used by locksmiths to solve the lost key problem, it allows the user to erase the content and reprogram by using specialized tools and pulsed voltage. And the procedures followed to make the keys using EEPROM is called an EEPROM method, an alternative method for key making widely used for automotive locksmith services.
Applications of EEPROM:
- It is used in computers.
- It is used to integrate remote keyless systems and microcontrollers.
- It is used in certain vehicle immobilizer systems and other electronic devices to store minute amounts of data.
Benefits of EEPROM
- The method of erasing is electrical and immediate.
- It is possible to re-program EEPROM an unlimited number of times.
- It is possible to erase entire contents of EEPROM as well as particular byte as per selection.
- It is quite easy to program and erase the contents of EEPROM without removing it from the board.
- To change the data, additional components are not required.
EEPROM Method
EEPROM method is the process of creating a key from the information enclosed in the vehicle immobilizer module or ECU. To run this programme, you need to have a locksmith kit as it uses the kit to read the data from the EEPROM and save it to a file. Once the file is generated, it is passed to a “Transponder Programmer” or “Key Cloner” which then processes the file and creates a key. There are several transponder programmers (Tango, Zed-Bull, Mira Clone, AD900) which are capable of creating a key from the EEPROM data file.
How does EEPROM work?
To conduct EEPROM work, we need to remove the module from the vehicle and locate the chip where the data is stored. Once it is located, we can read it in or out of the circuit.
Then we need to either replace the data with a fresh file, read the EEPROM data to produce an existing transponder chip, or add values to the ROM for the transponder.
Reading the chip in the circuit is always the preferred method.
If you are using a programmer that doesn’t control variable supply voltage you may end up with power up other components in the immobilizer and that can cause a barrier to collect the EEPROM data. In this kind of circumstances, you either need to lower the voltage supply, or simply short the oscillator out. If you don’t find this option as feasible, you must remove the chip and read it out of the circuit.
So, once the data is read, we need to create a course of action to create a programmed transponder that helps to start the vehicle or manipulate the data as needed to add our chip to the immobilizer.
After reading the data and interpreting it we need to save the data back to the chip or prepare the blank transponder as needed. Finally, the immobilizer is installed back in the vehicle and is ready to hit the road.
Vehicle brands which require EEPROM method:
Brands which require EEPROM technique are BMW, Mini Cooper, Volvo, Mercedes, Jaguar, Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche.
Why do you need EEPROM?
You need EEPROM method for key generation and car key programming. The goal is to make sure that your vehicle is operating safely and prevents theft.
To implement this programme, you need to have the knowledge, skillset and right tools. Otherwise, your results may not be what you need them to be. Moreover, a proper automotive key generation is not possible without proper programming system access like this.
Professional Automotive Locksmith Service in Portland:
We at Locksmith Monkey in PDX handle end to end automotive locksmith process for your vehicles. We provide solutions for all types of vehicle lock and key security problems. Our automotive experts help you with different kinds of onsite services from car door unlock, key duplication, extraction of a broken key, re-keying and more for different brands. We use the latest technologies to provide you with a wide range of auto locksmith services.
If you are looking for a local auto locksmith in Portland, get in touch with our experts today. We ensure to provide the best auto locksmith services at the most affordable rates. For more information, call us at (503) 465-4595.
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