I just re-programed a new switchblade last summer, my bet is that you are going to fast during the 3 seconds with the keys in the 'lock' position.

 

Thanks for your input. It’s funny, other posts were saying the opposite, it fails if you go too slow switching if being the 3 keys. I guess I’ll keep trying at different speeds in the off chance I get lucky

 

I concluded that the switchblade I got from eBay has a bad chip. I bought an actual key and it registered on the first try: https://www.ebay.com/itm/232772343368

So, I'm going to open that one up, take the RFID chip from it and move it to the switchblade. We'll see if that little surgery finally gives me a fully functional switchblade.

 

Well, that didn't work out at all! the chip is fully fused into the plastic handle and basically impossible to extract intact.

 

Does the switchblade also include keyless entry/ignition?

 

Yes, it has everything. I ended up buying this one and both keyless entry and ignition worked great: https://www.ebay.com/itm/16510137337...mis&media=COPY

my mistake with the first attempt was to ignore that the model was not compatible with a 2004. The last one was and it worked fine. I programmed the chip with Forscan.

 

Does that mean I need a programmer? Or would it just be easier to pay a stealership? I have a brother in-law who's a locksmith who's so insistent that aftermarket keys won't work for the keyless entry/ignition because of the proximity sensor so I was under the impression a switchblade key would only work for the key section.

 

No, you can do everything yourself. Read the early parts of this thread for instructions. I had the key cut at the Home Depot. They even did it for free since it brought my own key. Forscan is free software and optional, unless you only have one functional key left. Again, search this forum for instructions to program the chip either manually with 2 keys or with Forscan with only one valid key.