New (used) XJ, funny type of disabler key, what is it?
 

I just bought a nice '00 XJ (4x4 Command Trac) that had been a rental car...
the
owner's manual asserts that the ignition key is electronically coded; from
what I've
read here, the key needs to be big and grey for this to be so, mine's not,
just normal
black plastic. Under the keyhole on the column a small socket, about 1"
wide, has
been added, with wires running to it, with a disabling device plugged in.
The vehicle
will not grind the starter with the disabler removed, unlike the symptoms
described
in the manual (starts for two seconds)... this seems to be an aftermarket
disabler
of some kind. I'd like to know what I'm dealing with... the disabler key is
obviously
PC-board based, with about 8 contacts on each side of a double-sided epoxy
board. The black handle of the disabler key is shaped like half an ellipse,
with prongs
that don't quite meet at the end of the handle (used, I suppose, to clip
over a keyring,
although it won't clip easily over mine).

I'd like to know the brand of this system, and what it's connected to (I
suppose there's a
module hidden somewhere, tied into the system). Has anyone seen a disabler
system
with a key fitting this description? Thanks for any help...
__
Steve
..

Re: New (used) XJ, funny type of disabler key, what is it?
 

I think I know what you're talking about, let me give it a shot.

My last Jeep I had used something similar to what you're referring to. Mine
was an '89 Cherokee that
had a system like you're describing, where you have to put the "key" into a
special socket in order for the car to crank. If you don't put in the "key"
the car won't crank at all. I didn't have any special car key (gray or black
head), at that point I still had two keys; one for the doors and one for the
ignition. This system was already installed at a dealership on my Jeep when
I got it.

There is a way to bypass it, although I don't know how. My father bypassed
it for me when I was having some problems and we though that it might be
that system.

Hope that helps.

Hank

"Steve Cowell" <scowell@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:MDZ0b.2842$v13.1087@newssvr22.news.prodigy.co m...
> I just bought a nice '00 XJ (4x4 Command Trac) that had been a rental
car...
> the
> owner's manual asserts that the ignition key is electronically coded; from
> what I've
> read here, the key needs to be big and grey for this to be so, mine's not,
> just normal
> black plastic. Under the keyhole on the column a small socket, about 1"
> wide, has
> been added, with wires running to it, with a disabling device plugged in.
> The vehicle
> will not grind the starter with the disabler removed, unlike the symptoms
> described
> in the manual (starts for two seconds)... this seems to be an aftermarket
> disabler
> of some kind. I'd like to know what I'm dealing with... the disabler key
is
> obviously
> PC-board based, with about 8 contacts on each side of a double-sided epoxy
> board. The black handle of the disabler key is shaped like half an
ellipse,
> with prongs
> that don't quite meet at the end of the handle (used, I suppose, to clip
> over a keyring,
> although it won't clip easily over mine).
>
> I'd like to know the brand of this system, and what it's connected to (I
> suppose there's a
> module hidden somewhere, tied into the system). Has anyone seen a
disabler
> system
> with a key fitting this description? Thanks for any help...
> __
> Steve
> .
>
>

Re: New (used) XJ, funny type of disabler key, what is it?
 

I think I know what you're talking about, let me give it a shot.

My last Jeep I had used something similar to what you're referring to. Mine
was an '89 Cherokee that
had a system like you're describing, where you have to put the "key" into a
special socket in order for the car to crank. If you don't put in the "key"
the car won't crank at all. I didn't have any special car key (gray or black
head), at that point I still had two keys; one for the doors and one for the
ignition. This system was already installed at a dealership on my Jeep when
I got it.

There is a way to bypass it, although I don't know how. My father bypassed
it for me when I was having some problems and we though that it might be
that system.

Hope that helps.

Hank

"Steve Cowell" <scowell@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:MDZ0b.2842$v13.1087@newssvr22.news.prodigy.co m...
> I just bought a nice '00 XJ (4x4 Command Trac) that had been a rental
car...
> the
> owner's manual asserts that the ignition key is electronically coded; from
> what I've
> read here, the key needs to be big and grey for this to be so, mine's not,
> just normal
> black plastic. Under the keyhole on the column a small socket, about 1"
> wide, has
> been added, with wires running to it, with a disabling device plugged in.
> The vehicle
> will not grind the starter with the disabler removed, unlike the symptoms
> described
> in the manual (starts for two seconds)... this seems to be an aftermarket
> disabler
> of some kind. I'd like to know what I'm dealing with... the disabler key
is
> obviously
> PC-board based, with about 8 contacts on each side of a double-sided epoxy
> board. The black handle of the disabler key is shaped like half an
ellipse,
> with prongs
> that don't quite meet at the end of the handle (used, I suppose, to clip
> over a keyring,
> although it won't clip easily over mine).
>
> I'd like to know the brand of this system, and what it's connected to (I
> suppose there's a
> module hidden somewhere, tied into the system). Has anyone seen a
disabler
> system
> with a key fitting this description? Thanks for any help...
> __
> Steve
> .
>
>

Re: New (used) XJ, funny type of disabler key, what is it?
 

The rental place should be able to tell you where they got the part. I think
they put it on all the vehicles that have the chip in the key. That way they
can reproduce the keys many times without having to pay the $80 a key price
that the dealer charges.

Re: New (used) XJ, funny type of disabler key, what is it?
 

The rental place should be able to tell you where they got the part. I think
they put it on all the vehicles that have the chip in the key. That way they
can reproduce the keys many times without having to pay the $80 a key price
that the dealer charges.

Re: New (used) XJ, funny type of disabler key, what is it?
 

In message <MDZ0b.2842$v13.1087@newssvr22.news.prodigy.com> , "Steve Cowell"
wrote:

>I just bought a nice '00 XJ (4x4 Command Trac) that had been a rental car...
>the
>owner's manual asserts that the ignition key is electronically coded; from
>what I've
>read here, the key needs to be big and grey for this to be so, mine's not,
>just normal black plastic.

You're correct. The sentry key with the transponder in it is thicker than the
normal key.

> Under the keyhole on the column a small socket, about 1"
>wide, has
>been added, with wires running to it, with a disabling device plugged in.
>The vehicle
>will not grind the starter with the disabler removed, unlike the symptoms
>described
>in the manual (starts for two seconds)... this seems to be an aftermarket
>disabler
>of some kind. I'd like to know what I'm dealing with... the disabler key is
>obviously
>PC-board based, with about 8 contacts on each side of a double-sided epoxy
>board. The black handle of the disabler key is shaped like half an ellipse,
>with prongs
>that don't quite meet at the end of the handle (used, I suppose, to clip
>over a keyring,
>although it won't clip easily over mine).
>
>I'd like to know the brand of this system, and what it's connected to (I
>suppose there's a
>module hidden somewhere, tied into the system). Has anyone seen a disabler
>system
>with a key fitting this description? Thanks for any help...
>__

Can't help you with the brand, as there are several different ones that look
similar. Most of them just interrupt the crank signal from the ign. switch to
the starter/relay. Some use a module, and some don't. Usually they just cut
the wire from the ign. switch that activates the starter circuit, and the device
is wired in between. With the real cheap ones, the key is nothing more than a
'shunt' to complete the circuit from the ign. switch to the starter circuit.

>Steve
>.
>

Re: New (used) XJ, funny type of disabler key, what is it?
 

In message <MDZ0b.2842$v13.1087@newssvr22.news.prodigy.com> , "Steve Cowell"
wrote:

>I just bought a nice '00 XJ (4x4 Command Trac) that had been a rental car...
>the
>owner's manual asserts that the ignition key is electronically coded; from
>what I've
>read here, the key needs to be big and grey for this to be so, mine's not,
>just normal black plastic.

You're correct. The sentry key with the transponder in it is thicker than the
normal key.

> Under the keyhole on the column a small socket, about 1"
>wide, has
>been added, with wires running to it, with a disabling device plugged in.
>The vehicle
>will not grind the starter with the disabler removed, unlike the symptoms
>described
>in the manual (starts for two seconds)... this seems to be an aftermarket
>disabler
>of some kind. I'd like to know what I'm dealing with... the disabler key is
>obviously
>PC-board based, with about 8 contacts on each side of a double-sided epoxy
>board. The black handle of the disabler key is shaped like half an ellipse,
>with prongs
>that don't quite meet at the end of the handle (used, I suppose, to clip
>over a keyring,
>although it won't clip easily over mine).
>
>I'd like to know the brand of this system, and what it's connected to (I
>suppose there's a
>module hidden somewhere, tied into the system). Has anyone seen a disabler
>system
>with a key fitting this description? Thanks for any help...
>__

Can't help you with the brand, as there are several different ones that look
similar. Most of them just interrupt the crank signal from the ign. switch to
the starter/relay. Some use a module, and some don't. Usually they just cut
the wire from the ign. switch that activates the starter circuit, and the device
is wired in between. With the real cheap ones, the key is nothing more than a
'shunt' to complete the circuit from the ign. switch to the starter circuit.

>Steve
>.
>

Re: New (used) XJ, funny type of disabler key, what is it?
 

"Mark12211" <mark12211@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030821220856.15613.00000444@mb-m12.aol.com...
> The rental place should be able to tell you where they got the part. I
think
> they put it on all the vehicles that have the chip in the key. That way
they
> can reproduce the keys many times without having to pay the $80 a key
price
> that the dealer charges.

I didn't buy it from the rental place... I did a Carfax to find that bit of
info out.
Don't have any idea which rental agency it belonged to... not too critical.
Now I know that it's not connected to any super-duper anti-theft module,
I'll just bypass it.
__
Steve
..
(ps thanks group, you rock)
..

Re: New (used) XJ, funny type of disabler key, what is it?
 

"Mark12211" <mark12211@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030821220856.15613.00000444@mb-m12.aol.com...
> The rental place should be able to tell you where they got the part. I
think
> they put it on all the vehicles that have the chip in the key. That way
they
> can reproduce the keys many times without having to pay the $80 a key
price
> that the dealer charges.

I didn't buy it from the rental place... I did a Carfax to find that bit of
info out.
Don't have any idea which rental agency it belonged to... not too critical.
Now I know that it's not connected to any super-duper anti-theft module,
I'll just bypass it.
__
Steve
..
(ps thanks group, you rock)
..