I own a 2017 Jeep Wrangler Sport. Low mileage...not daily driver. Purchased used from a dealership several years ago and dealership (not a Jeep dealer) only had one key and I never took the time to get another one (not smart). From early on, Jeep was sometimes a tiny bit hard to turn the ignition...may have to jiggle key or slightly turn steering wheel...but no real bother at all. Several months ago, my wife was going to drive Jeep and it would not start. I messed with it a little bit and had no luck so we had it towed to repair shop. They called and informed us that they realized that the "chip" had fallen out of the key but they found it on the floorboard and taped it back to the key and it started right up. This is NOT a key fob but is just a basic key with a chip that is located under a rubber covering on the fat end of the key.
We have been using the taped up key with no issues...until yesterday. Tried to start and wont turn over. Chip is still there and warning light that was on when chip fell out is NOT lit. However, the check emissions light is lighting up. Any advice on my course of action now is much appreciated. Think its related to the key? Or ignition? Or electronics related?
YES, I need to end up with at least two good keys after this experience. Hopefully this can be done without taking to dealership and getting ripped. THANKS AGAIN

Have an 18 jeep that likes to act up whenever the battery starts to crater... might want to check that.

Nab85ag said:

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I own a 2017 Jeep Wrangler Sport.
<snip>
Several months ago, my wife was going to drive Jeep and it would not start.
<snip>
We have been using the taped up key with no issues...until yesterday.
<snip>
YES, I need to end up with at least two good keys after this experience. Hopefully this can be done without taking to dealership and getting ripped. THANKS AGAIN

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That's a hell of a hot streak before you crapped out.

It's pretty easy to get an aftermarket key made.

I had to deal with my 88 y/o father's F-150 this past weekend and I wound up having to workaround a dead battery and a starter kill with an aftermarket key.

Here's what I recommend checking:

• Battery - Is there enough juice to power the lights? Do the lights dip when you try to crank the engine.
• Starter - Does the starter try to turn over?
• Starter Kill - Does the vehicle have an alarm with a starter kill? Do the alarm lights flash to indicate that it is armed? When you try to crank the vehicle do the lights change - like flash faster?
• Fuel Pump - Does the vehicle crank and try to start but never gets any gas to run?
• Key with Chip - Does the vehicle try to start and maybe even run for a few seconds before dying? That's kind of the behavior I had with my 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee when I had a problem with the chip in the key.

It could be any of those things.

One thing I'll add is that when I had a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee, if the battery was dead, it was impossible to jump start due to the starter kill. I wound up having to buy a new battery every time.

Remove the ignition (that apparatus into which you slide the key). Tape the "RF pill" (from inside the key) to the inside of the ignition housing... positioning it so that when you reinstall the ignition... it doesn't hit/touch/bind the pill.

Get more keys made. Lose one? No big. Pill is with vehicle.

Yes... there is a security challenge... but no one is stealing Jeeps.

When you say that "Its pretty easy to get an aftermarket key made", are you referring to a key with a chip in it? If so, what's the easy way please? THANKS

Nab85ag said:

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When you say that "Its pretty easy to get an aftermarket key made", are you referring to a key with a chip in it? If so, what's the easy way please? THANKS

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Most any locksmith can do it. Plenty of mobile services. I see them outside my local Sam's all the time

Nab85ag said:

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When you say that "Its pretty easy to get an aftermarket key made", are you referring to a key with a chip in it? If so, what's the easy way please? THANKS

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These days, Locksmiths can do it.

The last time I got a Jeep key made, I might have gone to the Jeep Dealer near where I lived in Sydney, Australia.

But in the mid-2000s when I owned a BMW and had to get one made, that was a huge pain in the ass.

Do you have the gray colored key that is kind of round and rubbery?
Or is your key the black one with the integrated key fob with buttons?

The gray colored key that is kind of round and rubbery.

I have a 2010 Jeep Wrangler and when I got it, it only had one key. I never wanted to pay for a new one but Costco has a service that comes by every once in a while selling them.


Cost half the price of the dealership and took about 5 minutes.

You can even just order one online from carkeysexpress. I've used them before. You upload pictures of your key so they can cut it, then they send it to you with something that plugs into the ODB that allows you to pair the chip to the vehicle. I think this is the same company that shows up at Costco from time to time but you can do it yourself a bit cheaper.

bought a used jeep. Local Ace Hardware made some copies for us.

Battery - The battery meters at 12.7 volts and lights, radio, etc appear to be working fine.
Starter - Engine is not turning over AT ALL.
Starter Kill - Jeep has no alarm system.
Fuel Pump - Engine is not turning over AT ALL.
Key with Chip - Jeep is not trying to start at all.

- This seems unlikely, but could the chip have simply "gone bad"?
- I am wondering if there is some safety feature related to the chip key that shuts the start feature down completely and a "reboot" will be needed?
- The Jeep is in my garage on level ground and should not be a situation where it doesn't recognize that its in PARK. Nevertheless, I have turned the key and moved the shift from PARK to NEUTRAL, etc Lights on dash indicate it is in PARK...
- If this is an ignition issue, would it potentially go from starting perfectly fine to not turning over at all?

I am not sure what my next step should be. Hate the expense of having it towed to mechanic as I continue to THINK it is something rather simple...but with zero progress on my part, not sure that I have much choice. THANKS

When I had a chip key problem with my 2001 Grand Cherokee, my symptoms were that the vehicle would crank and run for a second or two and then die as soon as it detected the chip wasn't present.

I don't know if that helps with respect to the failure method. I have the gray round rubbery type of Jeep key that it sounds like you have so I assume they'd behave similarly.

From your description, it sounds like the starter has failed.
Assuming there is no alarm system with a starter kill in play.

I've been meaning to stop into a local place that says they can clone car keys with a chip to see if they can copy my Jeep Grand Cherokee key but I haven't done it yet.

Also - scour the various Jeep Forums. I'm sure somebody has seen something similar.

Make sure your shifter is all the way in park. Slap it forward a little even. Had similar issues in a 2010 and that was the problem with mine

I've got a 21 JL. Keys are different, but I had a Dodge pickup before that. It had only one key (bought from an individual). I tried a couple places local that said they could do Dodge chip keys, and none worked. Truck would start, die, and red light on dash. I had to spend $300 at a local locksmith to clone it. I had two extras made, one for the wife, one for the safe.

Aggie in a brodozer rear ended me on 2818 in stop and go traffic totaling the truck about a year later and gave me a nice concussion. Fun times.

Defective brake switch.

Hmmm…How could I check this ?