Do Hyundai Santa Fe Keys Have Chips? (Explained)

Since Hyundai introduced the Santa Fe model in 2001, they have continued to work hard to improve.

They have tweaked the design, engine power, and all other aspects of the car model.

One thing they have continued to improve on, like all other companies, is the security of their cars. With the introduction of transponder keys, the issue of car theft has dramatically reduced.

Unless your Hyundai Santa Fe model was made before 2007, there are high chances of having a chip in the key. It has taken time and generations for this feature to become standard. It is impossible to buy a Santa Fe that does not have a chip in its key with recent models.

Do All Hyundai Cars Keys Have Chips?

The only Hyundai car keys that do not have chips are spare keys and those of older models. Hyundai began using transponder keys in their second-generation cars.

This generation refers to cars manufactured between 2007 and 2012.

In this generation, Hyundai received awards and recognition for the additional safety measures they included and implemented.

Despite this evolutionary achievement, not all the cars in the second generation had the transponder feature.

For example, Hyundai Elantra and Accent cars made before 2014 have no chips.

However, by 2012, most of the car keys made by Hyundai were generally transponder keys.

Hyundai has gone through stages of growth with its car keys. They began with regular mechanical keys and moved to chip mechanical keys.

There are also remote key fobs and remote transponder keys. Sometimes these key fobs also have a flip metal key. In 2020, with the 2020 Sonata, Hyundai introduced a digital key.

This digital key allows you to use your mobile phone as a key. 

What Year Did Hyundai Start Using Transponder Keys?

Generally, transponder keys were introduced in the 90s; the first company in the US to introduce this was the GM with the 1985 Corvette.

This invention came as an answer to the prayers of people who were afraid that their cars would be stolen.

By the beginning of the new century, other companies had included transponder technology in their car keys. 

For example, the Hyundai XG300 manufactured in 2001 has two types of keys. They are the transponder key and the non-transponder key.

But it was not until 2007 that transponders became common in Hyundai cars. Even at that, not all vehicles produced in that period had transponders.

Most times, like in the case of the XG300, there would be two types of keys available.

The advent of transponder keys led to a significant decrease in car theft rates. A chipped key or a transponder key can look exactly like a mechanical key.

The difference is that it has an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) microchip embedded in the plastic part of the key. 

This chip is what is known as the transponder. The uniqueness of transponders is that each has a set of codes specific to the car.

For example, when you insert the key into the ignition and turn it, it signals the receiver in the dashboard. This is what allows the car to move.

Even with this invention, car companies still produce at least one copy of mechanical keys.

All the car keys manufactured since 2014 are now transponder keys with mechanical keys as spares.

These mechanical keys are not to drive the car but to open it. This would come in handy in case of emergency if you accidentally locked your transponder key in the car. 

How Do I Know If My Car Key Has a Chip?

Most transponder keys usually have a thicker plastic hold when compared to regular mechanical keys. This is because of the presence of the chip embedded in it.

But you cannot rely solely on this tip to know if your key is chipped. 

There are other ways of telling if your key has a transponder chip. The first and easiest way to know is to check the owner’s manual that comes with the car.

This manual usually contains information about the car’s ignition process. With the information in this section, you can tell if your keys are chipped.

But what happens when you no longer have your owner’s manual? Or when you purchased your vehicle second-hand and did not get the manual?

If this is the case, there is a simple DIY project you can carry out. This project involves wrapping your key in tin foil paper.

For this, you will require a squared foot measurement of foil paper. Fold this paper into layers until you have at least six or seven layers. Then punch a hole in the middle of the layered tin foil.

You can use the key to punch this hole in. After punching the hole, pass the key through the hole and wrap up the plastic end tightly in the foil. 

This tightly wrapped up key acts as an obstruction to the radio signals that pass from the key to the car.

After wrapping the key, stick it into the ignition and turn as if you want to move the car. Again, the result differs from one car model to another. 

Some models will not crank up at all. Other models will crank up but not move. And on the dashboard, you might see a small lock sign indicating that the car is locked down.

If your car acts like this after your experiment, your key has a chip embedded in it. All you have to do to restore it to its normal functioning state is unwrap the foil.

If you would instead not go through all this, you can contact your car dealership. They will be able to tell you all the information you need about the car.

If you cannot easily reach a car dealership, you can turn to a trusted car key locksmith.

Conclusion

Even with transponder keys, car theft is still a problem. Therefore, it is better to take appropriate preventive measures.

However, if you happen to lose the transponder key, fret not. A good locksmith or a car dealership can easily help you with a key fob replacement.

But you should know that locksmiths are the real key specialists and are cheaper.