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Guys, I bought a 2000 Dodge Neon at a US auction and I'm exporting it to my country, Belize. The thing is, the car only came with one key. Someone told me that this model comes with a transponder key and that I can't get a spare one without taking the car to the dealership and having them cut one there and program it. The car is now on a ship on its way to Cayman before coming to Belize. Is there any other way of getting a spare key? Thanks.

dude, mine is a 2001 and I went to Walmart. It took 5min. ... unless there is something else I'm unaware of, but I doubt it.

We are talking about a neon... not a lexus

Well... if you do have the transponder keys aka Sentry which i think you do and you only have one key, then yes you will need the dealer to program the key so the sentry module reconizes it and you'll be able to start the car. If you dont' have Sentry then yeah you can just go to any parts store or locksmith and have them copy your key, but if you do have sentry that key will not start the car.

Hey jason, how do you know a sentry car from a non-sentry one?

The "rubber" part will be grey instead of black.

Or try starting your car w/spare one that you got done, and see if your car stays on. It should start but will turn off in about 3-7 seconds ...

my key is grey....seems like a normal key to me...but i have two...so it don't matter

Hmmm, I don't remember the color of the key. It is possible that 2000s came with sentry keys though, right?

hey, well guess what, i have transponder keys and didn't even know it.... whooohooo

slonoma98 wrote:Hmmm, I don't remember the color of the key. It is possible that 2000s came with sentry keys though, right?

Mine did. I have the alarm and everything. You can program a new key yourself but only if you already have 2 programmed keys. Otherwise you need to go to a dealer and pay them to program one.

Is there anyway of telling if the car came with a factory alarm? I didn't get an alarm key fob or anything. When you buy from auctions something is always missing.lol

slonoma98 wrote:Is there anyway of telling if the car came with a factory alarm? I didn't get an alarm key fob or anything. When you buy from auctions something is always missing.lol

Lock your car with the windows open. Now reach in and unlock the door and open it. If your alarmed, it will go off. Trust me I did this at a car show by mistake.

I have a 2000 as well. And mine is a sentry equipped car. The difference is the key head as stated above. A Grey Head key with programming from the dealer will cost ya some $$$. But if you want a different route....try Ebay.

as stated in other forums, PM me your VIN and I'll tell you what you got....
Also if you DO have 2 of the grey keys you can program the car yourself. otherwise if you have only one key the dealer is going to have to hit it up with the DRB...
We charge $35.00 to program a key, other dealers might charge more or less....

BlackRoseRacing I sent you a PM. I found a website that sells the key blanks, but they're aftermarket keys, would they work? www.streetkeys.com is the site.
I tried locking the door and reaching in to open the door, but no alarm. I do have the blinking security light on the dash though. Does that mean anything?

As for the aftermarket keys....its a gamble. and the dealer probably wont program any key but there own.
As for the blinking light..yeas your car is equipped with the VTS security system. It might not be enabled though, the dealer has to turn it on for you.
When you go there to program your second key, they probably wont charge you to activate the VTS system.

Can the dealer program a new sentry key without the old one just by using the VIN?

I've lost my only key, and the family doesn't know where it went to after I put it on the counter last night.

^^Yes.

Sweet. Hopefully someone has my key, I don't have the money to spend to have the dealer get anywhere near my car. lol

I had two transponder keys, and now I only have one because of the alarm system I had installed. It goes off the signal of the key, but each key is different.

So you've got to program the car to recognize the key? Oh, and my dad had my key but didn't know it until he got home and started looking for it! Hooray!

got lucky on that one sword lol

Just so you know...

I if you have one key and it is a sentry key, you need to bring the car to the dealer for them to program it. The key and the car need to "communicate" to each other via the DRBIII. A dealer cannot program a key without the car there.

Probably a silly ass question, but you know me........ Do the sentry keys ever die? Is there a battery encased inside? I only ask as my keys are over 8 years old now.

IIRC there is just a chip in there, and the "antenna" around the ign. switch is what reads the chip. So the voltage required comes from your car's battery via the antenna. I could be wrong tho.

04Slvrsrt4 wrote:got lucky on that one sword lol

Yeah no shit!

Danteneon wrote:Just so you know...

I if you have one key and it is a sentry key, you need to bring the car to the dealer for them to program it. The key and the car need to "communicate" to each other via the DRBIII. A dealer cannot program a key without the car there.

Crap, I should do that soon then. I really don't want to have my car towed to the dealer again because I can't use the key. Or rather can't find it. After the other night it doesn't leave my possession.

occasional demons wrote:IIRC there is just a chip in there, and the "antenna" around the ign. switch is what reads the chip. So the voltage required comes from your car's battery via the antenna. I could be wrong tho.

You are correct sir I wouldn't worry David. I haven't ever sold a SKIM key (non remote type) for any reason other than replacing a lost one, or someone wanting an extra

Swordfish2Cowboy wrote:Crap, I should do that soon then. I really don't want to have my car towed to the dealer again because I can't use the key. Or rather can't find it. After the other night it doesn't leave my possession.

That's a good idea. We tell people that when they buy a new car. We sell the new SKIM/remote keys for $135.00 plus $45.00 for programing. When people get shocked at the price, we inform them that unless they have a back up key, the car needs to be towed to the dealership, and they will pay that price, plus towing, plus loss of work

How about I just buy a bunch off ebay? I'll only need to program the first new ones, right? I need to get a new keyfob because the rubber ripped where my unlock button is. Might as well just replace it, they're cheap.

Like BRR said before, you take your chances with the e-bay keys. I have seen one so far, and it worked fine. I have heard from two other people that said the keys wouldn't take a program. So eh, it's a crap shoot. Plus some dealers won't even program non OEM keys. We sell the Neon keys for $50.50 iirc, plus $45.00 to program it. And the programing fee is for 1 or 20 keys.

And yes, once you have two keys in your possession you can program more (up to 8 ) yourself.

Danteneon wrote:

occasional demons wrote:IIRC there is just a chip in there, and the "antenna" around the ign. switch is what reads the chip. So the voltage required comes from your car's battery via the antenna. I could be wrong tho.

You are correct sir I wouldn't worry David. I haven't ever sold a SKIM key (non remote type) for any reason other than replacing a lost one, or someone wanting an extra

Thanks occasional demons & Danteneon you guys rock. Peace of mind restored (more ways then one).