Question 1

Do I have to go to the Infiniti dealer to get a replacement key for a 2001 Q45?

Accepted Answer

No. A mobile locksmith who works on this generation of Infiniti can cut and program a transponder key on site, at your location. The luxury badge makes some owners assume the dealer is the only option, but that's not the case here. The 2001 Q45 uses a well-documented immobilizer system that independent locksmiths with the right tooling handle regularly. The important thing is finding someone who actually has experience with this platform, not just someone who says they can figure it out. Call and ask directly: have you done all-keys-lost on a first-decade Q45. That question tells you fast whether they're the right person.

Question 2

What exactly is a transponder key and why does the 2001 Q45 need one?

Accepted Answer

The key blade is what gets cut to your ignition, but inside the head of the key there's a transponder chip. When you turn the ignition, the immobilizer sends a signal to that chip. The chip responds with its programmed code. If the vehicle security system doesn't get the right response, it won't allow the engine to run, even if the blade turns the cylinder perfectly.

On the 2001 Q45, a key that's cut but not programmed, or one whose chip has been erased, will crank but not start. The engine turns over and then dies. That's the immobilizer doing its job.

Programming has to be done with diagnostic equipment specific to this system. There's no ignition-turn sequence or button trick that works on this vehicle to add a key yourself.

Question 3

How long does the dealer process actually take for a Q45 key replacement?

Accepted Answer

Longer than most owners expect. On a vehicle this age, dealers often have to source the key by VIN, and parts availability on early-2000s Infiniti models isn't always fast. Forum threads from Q45 owners describe being told a few business days and then chasing the service department when the part doesn't show. Once the key arrives, add at least an hour for programming and testing.

With EZ Car Keyz, the job is done in one visit at your location. No waiting for parts to be ordered, no dropping the car off, no second trip to pick it up.

Question 4

My 2001 Q45 cranks but immediately stalls. Could this be a key or immobilizer issue?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it's actually one of the clearest signs. Crank-and-stall on this vehicle, especially when it happens consistently every attempt, points directly to the transponder not being recognized by the immobilizer. The engine fires on the mechanical turn of the key but cuts out the moment the security system doesn't get a valid chip response.

A few things can cause this: a damaged chip inside the key head, a key that was never properly programmed, or a fault in the immobilizer antenna ring around the ignition cylinder. If you have a second key and one starts the car while the other produces the stall, that isolates it to the specific key rather than the module. If both keys do it, the antenna ring or the immobilizer itself is where you start diagnosing. I handle all of that on site.

Question 5

I bought a replacement key online for my 2001 Q45. Can I program it myself?

Accepted Answer

Not on this vehicle. The 2001 Q45 immobilizer requires diagnostic equipment to register a new transponder chip. There is no owner-accessible self-program sequence built into this system.

The key you bought online can still be used, it just needs to be cut to your vehicle and programmed by someone with the right tools. Bring it when you call, and we can work with it on site rather than sourcing a new one.

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