Question 1

How do I spot a fake or unprepared locksmith before I get burned?

Accepted Answer

A few things to watch for, especially if you own a 2006 Eclipse where the transponder programming is model-specific.

If they quote you a very low flat rate on the phone and say they will figure out the rest on-site, that is a warning sign. The bait-and-switch version of this job ends with a bill several times the phone quote once they have already started.

Ask them directly: have you programmed keys for a 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse before, and what tool do you use for it? A tech who knows this car should answer without hesitation. If they pause and say they will figure it out when they get there, keep looking.

No real address, no reviews you can verify, a listing with a stock photo and a call center number. Those are also red flags. A mobile locksmith is still a business. They should have a digital footprint you can check before you hand them your car keys.

Question 2

What exactly is a transponder key and why can't I just copy it at a hardware store?

Accepted Answer

The 2006 Eclipse uses a transponder key, which means the key blade alone does nothing. There is a chip inside the plastic head of the key that communicates with the immobilizer in your car every time you turn the ignition. If the chip is absent, cloned wrong, or not registered to your specific vehicle, the engine will either not start at all or it will crank and immediately stall.

A hardware store key copy duplicates the metal blade only. The chip never gets touched. You end up with a key that fits the lock and turns the ignition but the car will not run.

Programming the chip correctly requires the right diagnostic equipment and knowledge of how this generation of Mitsubishi handles the immobilizer enrollment. That is not something you can do at home with a phone app or an ignition-turn sequence on this vehicle.

Question 3

What tools does a locksmith actually need to program a 2006 Eclipse key correctly?

Accepted Answer

Professional-grade key programming equipment that supports this generation of Mitsubishi is the baseline requirement. Not every tool on the market handles the immobilizer protocol on a mid-2000s Eclipse correctly, and this is where a lot of bad locksmith experiences come from. Owners on forums describe techs showing up, failing to get the key to register, and leaving without finishing the job because their equipment did not support the vehicle.

The other piece is having the right key blank. The 2006 Eclipse takes a specific transponder blank. Showing up with a generic blank that does not match will waste everyone's time.

I carry equipment that handles this car's programming protocol and I keep the correct blanks stocked. That is the conversation you should have with any locksmith before they drive to you.

Question 4

My 2006 Eclipse starts fine sometimes and stalls right after other times. Could this be a key or immobilizer issue?

Accepted Answer

Yes, that symptom pattern points directly at the transponder side of the ignition system. A start-then-immediate-stall on a mid-2000s Mitsubishi is a classic sign that the engine management system fired up, then the immobilizer cut fuel because it did not get a clean read from the chip in the key.

This can happen when the chip in your key is damaged or starting to fail, when the antenna ring around the ignition cylinder has a wiring issue, or when the key's registration in the immobilizer has somehow become corrupted. It can also happen with a worn key where the chip has taken physical damage over the years.

The intermittent part is what makes it feel unpredictable. Some mornings it catches, some mornings it does not. That inconsistency usually gets worse over time rather than better. Worth addressing before it stops starting at all.

Question 5

I only have one key left for my 2006 Eclipse. Is it worth getting a spare made now rather than waiting until I lose it?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely worth it now. All-keys-lost on this car is a longer, more involved job than add-a-key. When you have a working key present during programming, the process is faster and cleaner. Lose that last key and the job gets harder and takes more time. Getting a spare made while you still have the original is the easier version of this problem.

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