DIY: Made my flip key for 04 RX8 for $30.00
 

All,

Just wanted to share this little gem of how I got a cool new key for my 04 RX for 30.00!!! I bought a USED remote with Key on Ebay from someone who had an extra, then I used a lockout key that was with my car when I bought it to MAKE a key that worked in the ignition.

Here are pictures:

I bought the remote and removed the pin holding the (not mine) key from the fob.

I then took the lockout key (key that works in a doorlock, but not in the ignition, cause there is no chip in it) I taped it to the (not my car) key and I drilled a hole in it for the pin I took out and I cut the end you normally hold on to to match the one I removed(not my car).

I then replaced the key (my lockout key) into the key fob (the cool flip one), put the pin back in, followed the instructions on programming the remote and the extra key that are EVERYWHERE on the forum and VIOLA!!!!!

for 30.00 and about an hour of my time from old key to new cool one, I have a new RX8 cool flip key.

More pictures
 

When I was done, it worked like a charm.

After you program it, were you able to use it in the ignition?

yup, it works perfectly in the ignition, on all the doors, the trunk and the panic button.

Basically, I created a piece of metal cut to fit in the fob, the dealer charges you $$ for the blank 35.00 I think i saw posted, and they may or may not cut it for free... I skipped steps. :) I had the piece of metal that fit the ignition (lockout key), I just needed to make it fit the fob that had a microchip in it, and then code it to work using my two existing original keys.

That makes sense, for some reason, I had the impression that the spare lockout key didn't have a chip in it.

Nice...Now you have a key just like mines! Good job!

The lockout key does not have a chip in it... The chip is in the used FOB that you purchase. You then program your car to start with that fob / with your lockout key installed in the FOB.

Ah, makes perfect sense now! I wasn't aware that the chip in the FOB can be reprogramed to be used in an 04. From what I'm looking at, it seems like the chip just have to be right next to the ignition and not attached to the key in order to start it... unless it's transferred magnetically from the FOB through the key into the ignition... GREAT FIND! Awesome DIY as well.

Actually you are reprogramming your car to accept a different Chip, not the other way around. Search on this forum for 04 key, etc. THere are several Do it Yourself threads on HOW to reprogram the car. It is simple and easy, took me 35 minutes to shape the key and figure it out, took 2 minutes to reprogram the car, 30 seconds of programming and 1.5 minutes of me giggling and locking / unlocking / trunk popping / panic buttoning / for joy that I no longer have old lady keys. :)

as for your above comment about the chip, I took the one I purchased on Ebay apart, looked for any hyper complicated doodad that would shoot down my idea, but as you can see in the pics, the key I removed is just a hunk of Metal, nothing special about it, other than it is keyed to fit your ignition.

Well, I understand that. The only thing that I really have trouble understanding is how the heck the car reads the chip? I always thought that the signals of the chip were transfered through the key so in cutting it, wouldn't this separate the transfer of signals to the ignition? Sorry for the uber complicated questions... I'm just really interested in this. I want to find my lockout/valet key and see how far I can drive without the car shutting down on me... unfortunately, I misplaced it somewhere...

BTW, I can't seem to find the other DIY on this :)

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-code-your-own-key-remote-43873/

This is the thread I used to get the instructions on programming the car for the FOB and the Key.

The lockout key wouldn't start my car, that is why they make them, so you can hide it somewhere , but if someone finds it they cannot drive off with your car. :)

Truly, I do not know the science behind it. I do not know if the ignition gets that signal through the metal of the key or if it just needs to be RIGHT NEXT TO the ignition.

I just took one apart one that worked (replicated what I found) and put it back together as closely as I could... and it worked.

Ah, I see. Thanks for all the info, I did read the thread you provided me with but it doesn't say anything on how the signal is transferred. This is really interesting, I'll call Mazda later to find out :)

Thanks!

Genius! I made the mistake of getting my flip key cut at Walmart and it only works in one direction (one side of the cut is quite f'd up.) I was looking on Ebay for anyone who had just the key part of the flip key, but I never thought to just get a generic key cut and make it fit into the flip.
I also wasn't sure if the chip resided in the key part (held by the cylindrical pin,) or the flip part, but you also answered that.
I think the keys use RFID. I wouldn't be surprised if you could use a plain key (no chip) key in the lock, but hold a programmed key next to it and it would start the car. I'm not sure why you'd want to do this.. but you probably could.

thanks!
 

I just wanted to say thank you. I got my my key cut for four dollars and and working with the switch blade.

This is correct. there is a chip in the fob, or in regualr keys in that large black plastic part of the key. There is a ring around keyhole that picks up the signal from the chip when it is directly infront of that ring. (when the key is in the ignition). As long as the signal is there when the car gets power (ignition to ON) then the car will be able to start and run. You are also right that if you wanted you could use the lockout key to drive the car by holding up a regular key next the the ignition while starting.

nice job. these key fob really are overpriced.

I did this as well with a key from a local hardware store. Works better than the first key, but still won't unlock the door :( I'm hoping it will break in.
It's funny that it works great in the ignition and will unlock the door, but no matter how much I fiddle with it, it won't unlock it. I'll have to compare it to the old key and see if there are any differences I can get rid of with a triangle file.

Glad I could help!

Yeah, I read someone on a post say they had paid 280.00 one Key was paid, programming was done, etc. that was crazy. Glad I could find a solution that others could use. :)

Here is a simplified explanation:

It's called Radio-Frequency IDentification (RFID). There are two parts to this. There is a computer chip in your key, and a computer chip in your ignition. When they are close together, the chip in your ignition "sees" the chip in your key and allows the car to be started. If the ignition does not "see" the chip in your key, it will not start. It does all of this using radio frequencies.

If you want to see this in action, you can cover the "handle" (black plastic part) of your key with tin foil and try to start your car.

I'm no expert on this, so you can go to the site below for a much more thorough explanation.

http://money.howstuffworks.com/blink2.htm