2008 Chrysler 300
Key Replacement - Save vs Dealer in San Diego

2008 Chrysler 300 Smart Key Replacement - Fast, Affordable & Professional

Chrysler's immobilizer system is the reason your key costs more than a house key. Most Chrysler models use what's called a SKIM module or WCM depending on the generation. Every Chrysler key since the mid-2000s has a transponder chip inside the fob or key head. When you insert the FOBIK or press the start button, the car sends a signal to that chip. If the chip responds with the right PIN-matched code, the engine starts. If not, nothing happens. That's why you can't just copy a Chrysler key at the hardware store.

A retired school bus driver at the mobile home park near Crest thought only the dealer could handle that chip programming. He had a 2008 Chrysler 300 and needed a spare. The dealer quoted him $451 and he assumed that was his only option because of the "computer stuff" involved. His neighbor had used me on a Dodge and passed along my number.

I brought my Smart Pro to his car and walked through the immobilizer security sequence. His 300 uses an ID46 chip, which is Chrysler's main transponder type across most of the 2010s lineup. The technology is real, but the dealer markup on it isn't justified when a mobile locksmith carries the same programming tools.

His spare was cut, programmed, and tested in about 30 minutes. Total was around $263. He seemed relieved when I told him the "computer stuff" took about as long as a coffee break.

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