2001 Ignition Assembly/Chipped Key

[Harmon]

My 2001 Pathfinder was stolen and they wrecked the Ignition assembly. (they had the key and fob?). Anyway I got car back and have a spare chipped key.  I am not a mechanic but am pretty handy.  Went to junk yard and got an ignition assembly with wiring connectors etc and have installed it.  I removed the tumblers so my key (any 2001 Nissan key ) will turn ignition.  Obviously car will turn over but not start.

 

Can I have my old key programmed to work with used ignition assembly?  I spoke with one locksmith and he said no and it might be time to get rid of car.  I need a solution!  

 

Can security system be bypassed?  Security with a chipped key is not my biggest concern.  I just want to get my car started.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Sincerely,

Harmon from Denver

[Slartibartfast]

Man, that sucks. I would've expected what you did to work. Seems like the chip key reader on the used ignition would read the code from your key, which was matched to the computer already. The thieves tearing it apart when they didn't need to makes me wonder if something else went wrong and they were trying to get around it. Or they might've just been tweakers who tore into it for no particular reason, and they damaged something else that you haven't found yet.

 

From what I've read, the security system is pretty much baked into the R50s, so you don't have much choice but to work with it. You may need to have a dealer get in there with their special Consult computer and reprogram it to work with your key. The service manual should have some explanation of the process, though of course it won't be that useful without the special scanner. It might have some wiring diagrams and component checks you can do to rule out physical problems, though.

[RainGoat]

Ugh! What an answer too - get a new car! Geesh! For what it’s worth, on one if the many times my ‘93 Maxima was broken into, they sawed halfway through the steering wheel, until their saw broke (found it on the floor well) & then just drilled out the club’s lock. When it was repaired, they couldn’t find a steering wheel & I had to drive with a slot cut halfway through my steering wheel for the rest of its days (I was too lazy to ever take it back).