New Ignition and New Keys

[Liz]

I have a 2000 Tahoe LS 5.3l Vortec. A Now-Former friend broke my steering and Ignition and locked it up so badly I had to have it Towed home. If I knew he was only going 2 streets up, he would have been walking! This was in Nov '23. I Finally found a mobile mechanic who installed the steering part and the new Ignition I purchased. I bought the Ignition w/keys from AutoZone online. They said even though the keys were 'coded' since I have a security system, I need to have them Programmed before I can drive it. Now I just got off the phone with an auto locksmith who informed me that since it's a 2000, it doesn't have the same security as the newer ones and doesn't need the keys to be programmed. Please if someone can clear this up for me I'd appreciate it! That non-friendhas been sitting in jail, hopefully looking at 20, and a month after this his dog mauled my arm as I was dragging him off my smallest dog. So thankfully the surgeon saved my arm, but I've needed my Tahoe for Dr appts!