how long would my car stay started with the wrong key

Your car wont start at all with the wrong key.

Actually that is incorrect. The way you worded it implies that the car started at least once. If that's the case and the car did start, it should stay started even if it's the wrong key. Then again, if the key does work, who is to say that it is considered to be a wrong key, because having it cause the vehicle to start would make it the right key.

That's what I thought that the car wouldnt start with the wrong key. the dealership said that the key I bought from the locksmith did not belong to my car and don't know how it started my car. So they told me that I have to buy a key from them and they can't get their key to work either. Stating that the locksmith is the key that messed up the car. But I had problems starting it before I got the key. I thought by taking it to the dealership it would be better than a local mechanic...maybe I was wrong.

Incorrect some of them will start but as soon as you put it in gear it will die out an go into a lock out mode, from which you must use the correct key and leave it in the on position for an hour with a battery charger hooked up.

ok I see in the manual that it will start with the wrong but only for 5 seconds and it will shut down. So really dodge is giving me the run around.

By wrong key you meant that you had a key made for it with the same key pattern, but no transponder. My bad yes to the 5 second rule. Any dodge dealer should know this.

I was having problems starting my car so I thought it was the key I went to a locksmith and they made me a key. the car started and I drove home. then I went to start it again and it wouldnt start at all, which I was already having problems starting it before I got the key. So I took it to a mechanic and he said the it was the wireless ignition node, so I decided to take it to the dealership since the key had to be programed anyways. So they put the wireless ignition node in and say the key I have doesnt work and is not the key for my car. because they couldnt program it to my car. so i would have to by a key from them which i did now they cant get their key to work and my car wont start. my car has been there since monday. I believe they messed something up and trying to blam it on the key I got from the locksmith which they said they looked up the key and goes to a dodge journey but how would I been able to drive it? I drove it like 50 miles or so after gettin the key from locksmith. just lost and confused and wanted to make my situation clear..thanks for all the responds.

Some other things that will cause your car not to start......gear position switch, security system, ignition switch. One simple thing to try is see if it starts in neutral...

yea we tried starting it in neutral. hopefully i will hear something good monday. thanks!!

found out it was the starter relay. I should have my car by tomorrow!

Of course that makes sense now. Thanks for posting to let us know.

Also after your post I made a key for my 300 m. It would not start at all. So I guess there was no absolute answer to this afterall.

I think it depends on the year. I had an 01 Neon and it had a plain key we made for it as an extra to unlock the doors. My husband tried to use it to start the car one time and it would run for about 5 seconds then die. It never hurt anything but sure did make him mad. I've never tried it on my current car. I really don't think the new key is responsible for the starter relay going out.

this happened 2 me awhile ago, i have a truck and a van, i accidentally tried to start the van with the truck key, it started, and i could drive it. but it took only a matter of seconds for the engine com. to realize it was the wrong key and it shut down, but i drove it out of a parking lot like this, it`ll put ur car in neutral and all electricity is shut down, so if u get it to move before it dies than power steering will be disabled and only gravity will pull u, but for 5 seconds u can move someones car about 25 feet. so a robber could do this but the car, after using the wrong key a series of 30+ times, would eventually cause engine failure due to this wrong key input, NOTE: u must keep in mind that the car will only start if the wrong key is similar enough to where the engine doesnt realize it until max power, but if you can easily tell a difference this will not work, so ya, in short, u can drive ur car with the wrong key. itll tear up in about 30 mins of doing this but u`ll get about 5 miles out of it before, so unless u wanna see if ur key is compatible enough to start the engine than test it but dont try to continuously do it or try to drive it like this.