Originally Posted by ZERACER

To my knowledge they cannot be "reprogrammed"? There is a company called SOS Diagnostics that says they can repair them but I am not sure what your mechanic has dome and if it was, in fact, the screem he was playing with. There is the ignition ring that reads the chip in the key and then sends info to the screem allowing the car to start. The screem is a little black box mounted behind the dash. It sends the info to the ECM under the hood to start the car. All of the info must match between the key, screem and ECU. Right now, no replacement screems are available. You can buy a complete set of used components off Ebay and change them all out as long as where you live does not have smog check requirements. If you change everything out, the wrong VIN number will come up when scanned because it thinks it is in the donor vehicle. I have never heard of what your mechanic attempted to do.