CAL Automotive Locksmith Key Cutting & Programming 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A locksmith is using an EEPROM programmer to read the PIN code from a vehicle's BCM. What precaution is most critical when desoldering the EEPROM chip?
- Wearing non-conductive gloves to prevent fingerprints on the chip
- Controlling heat carefully to avoid damaging adjacent SMD components and the chip itself (Correct answer)
- Disconnecting the vehicle battery before opening the BCM housing
- Using only leaded solder to ensure a clean joint
Correct answer: Controlling heat carefully to avoid damaging adjacent SMD components and the chip itself
Excessive heat during desoldering can destroy the EEPROM chip or adjacent surface-mount components, making it essential to use temperature-controlled equipment.
Question 2: On many GM vehicles, the PassLock II system sends a resistance value from the ignition lock cylinder sensor to the BCM. What happens if a new key is cut correctly but the cylinder sensor is faulty?
- The key will crank the engine but the fuel injectors will not pulse (Correct answer)
- The vehicle will produce a P0513 trouble code but still start
- The transponder chip will become permanently deactivated
- The ignition cylinder will physically lock up and require drilling
Correct answer: The key will crank the engine but the fuel injectors will not pulse
PassLock II uses a resistance signal rather than a transponder chip; a faulty sensor sends the wrong resistance, causing the BCM to cut fuel delivery even when the key turns normally.
Question 3: What is the purpose of 'cloning' a transponder key as opposed to 'programming' a new one?
- Cloning physically reshapes a blank to match the original key's cuts
- Cloning copies the existing chip's cryptographic data to a compatible blank chip without accessing the vehicle ECU (Correct answer)
- Cloning is only possible on vehicles manufactured before 2000
- Cloning requires the dealer to update the vehicle's key registry
Correct answer: Cloning copies the existing chip's cryptographic data to a compatible blank chip without accessing the vehicle ECU
Cloning duplicates the transponder chip's stored data directly from chip to chip, bypassing the need to communicate with the vehicle's immobilizer ECU.
Question 4: When cutting a Tibbe key (used on some Ford and Jaguar models), which characteristic makes it different from conventional keys?
- It has cuts only on the tip of the key
- It has a round profile with angled cuts at set rotation positions around the blade (Correct answer)
- It uses a double-sided bitting pattern with 12 cuts per side
- It requires a specialized heated cutter due to its titanium alloy composition
Correct answer: It has a round profile with angled cuts at set rotation positions around the blade
Tibbe keys have a cylindrical (round) blade with cuts at specific rotational positions rather than the flat-blade edge cuts of conventional keys.
Question 5: A locksmith is generating a key by code for a Honda using a bitting code of 23413. The Honda depth chart shows depths 1–6. Which code value indicates the deepest cut?
- 1
- 2
- 5
- 6 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 6
For Honda's depth-and-space system, depth number 6 corresponds to the deepest cut in the series.
Question 6: During an automotive key programming session, the term 'all keys lost' (AKL) situation means:
- The vehicle owner has misplaced one of two working keys
- No currently programmed working key exists for the vehicle, requiring advanced PIN extraction or module replacement (Correct answer)
- The key fob battery died, deactivating all remote functions
- The locksmith's programmer failed to retain the new key in memory
Correct answer: No currently programmed working key exists for the vehicle, requiring advanced PIN extraction or module replacement
AKL means there is no functional key to authenticate with the vehicle's immobilizer, requiring specialized techniques like PIN recovery, EEPROM reading, or module replacement.
Question 7: A 2019 Chevrolet Silverado uses a 6-cut B110 keyway. After cutting by code, the key enters the ignition but turns hard. The most likely cause is:
- An incorrect transponder chip was used
- A cut depth error causing a tumbler to bind against the shear line (Correct answer)
- The keyway warding does not match the vehicle
- The key blank material is too soft for the ignition's tolerances
Correct answer: A cut depth error causing a tumbler to bind against the shear line
A hard-turning key that enters the lock usually indicates one or more cuts are at the wrong depth, causing a tumbler to partially obstruct the shear line.
CAL Automotive Locksmith Key Cutting & Programming 3
A locksmith is using an EEPROM programmer to read the PIN code from a vehicle's BCM.
What precaution is most critical when desoldering the EEPROM chip?