99 mustang

They make some of these mustangs without the chip in the key? How can you tell ?

No warning light on instrument panel. No plastic antenna ring around ignition switch. Won't start if you hot wire it. All obvious answers to a very basic question.

Easiest way is to go to walmart or a hardware store and tell them you just want a basic key for the doors (they may try telling you that it is a chipped key and blah blah blah, but just tell them you want a key for the door only). Then try starting the car with ONLY that key (leave the other keys out of the car). If it starts and runs for 1 minute and there are no warning lights, then you don't have a chip and you now have an extra key.Kenny

Owner / Technician

KKD Garage LLC

Albany, NY 12205

The easiest way is to wrap the head if the key in tin foil. Try starting the car. If it starts and stays running then no chip. If not then chipped

auto enhancers wrote: The easiest way is to wrap the head if the key in tin foil. Try starting the car. If it starts and stays running then no chip. If not then chipped

That normally works, but I have had cars with chips start even after fully wrapping it in foil. It completely boggled my mind how it worked, but somehow it did and it ended up screwing me over because I told the customer that there was no chip and no bypass needed... and I ended up having to call them back and say I was wrong... not fun.Kenny

Owner / Technician

KKD Garage LLC

Albany, NY 12205

I've never liked wrapping, theoretically it can't work unless the foil is grounded, I like Kenny's first post. Incidentally "Thack79" has over 500 posts but I notice a pattern, he or she always seems to ask very basic DIY questions, Thack if you're a pro you don't act like one

remove the shroud around the wheel and check for the pats transceiver around the ignition switch you should be able to tell there. the pats colors are white and light blue for the ignition wire and black and white is the ground wire. If you have those then it has a pats system (chip in key)

Thanks jeayoyo. I know about the cars I've done... Never said I was an expert. That's why I use this site along with many other people that ask "dumb" questions much like I do. Thanks