Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
10-Minute Vehicle Key Relearn
This 10-minute learn procedure should be used when all vehicle keys are desired to be replaced or reprogrammed. This procedure will erase all previously learned vehicle keys from the TDM. Once the 10-minute learn procedure has been completed, any remaining vehicle keys may be programmed using the Adding Keys procedure to ensure their continued functionality.
- Connect a scan tool to the vehicle.
- Turn ON the ignition, with the engine OFF.
- Ensure that all power consuming devices are turned OFF on the vehicle.
- With a scan tool, select Request Info. under Service Programming System and follow the scan tool on-screen instructions.
- Disconnect the scan tool from the vehicle and connect the scan tool to a Techline Terminal with the current Service Programming System (SPS) software.
- On the Techline Terminal, select Service Programming System and follow the Techline Terminal on-screen instructions. Ensure the correct programming selection is chose based on component being replaced or programmed. For this procedure, go to the V.T.D. Vehicle Theft Deterrent Learn menu and choose the Vehicle Theft Deterrent Learn for Learning Replacement Keys selection.
- Disconnect the scan tool from the Techline Terminal and reconnect the scan tool to the vehicle.
- With a master vehicle key, turn ON the ignition with the engine OFF.
- With a scan tool, select Program ECU under Service Programming System.
- At this point the scan tool must remain connected for the duration of the 10-minute relearn procedure.NOTE:
- The scan tool will initially display 12 Minutes. The first 2 minutes allow the scan tool to initialize the appropriate control module. The remaining 10 minutes is the relearn timer.
- On some vehicles the security indicator may be illuminated for the duration of the 10-minute relearn procedure.
- Observe the scan tool, after approximately 10 minutes the scan tool will display "Programming Successful, Turn OFF Ignition". The vehicle is now ready to relearn the key information and/or the passwords on the next ignition switch transition from OFF to CRANK.
- Turn OFF the ignition and wait 2 minutes.
- With a master vehicle key, turn the ignition to the RUN position for 15 seconds, then start the vehicle. The TDM has now learned the key transponder information.
- With a scan tool, clear any DTCs.
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- β’ You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- β’ Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- β’ The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- β’ You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- β’ You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.