First: don't call the tow truck yet
When every key is gone, the first instinct is to tow the car to the dealer. Hold off for a moment. A mobile auto locksmith can often cut and program a new key right where the car is parked: at home, at work, in a parking garage or on the side of the road. Searching "car key replacement near me" or "car locksmith near me" and making one call can save you the tow and the wait for a dealer appointment.
If you think the keys were stolen, not just lost, report it to the police and keep the report number. Tell your locksmith too, because on many cars the stolen keys can be erased from the car's memory while the new ones are programmed, so they no longer start it.
What to have ready before you call
A few details make the call short and the price accurate. We text you the price for your exact car before we drive out, so the more we know up front, the fewer surprises there are for you later. Call or text us in English or Spanish. Before you do, try to have these at hand:
- Year, make and model of the car
- The VIN, from the registration, insurance card or windshield
- Whether it is push-to-start or a key you turn
- Where the car is parked right now
- A photo ID plus the title or registration
Why we check ID and proof of ownership
A car key opens and starts someone's property, so we only make keys for the owner. Before we hand over a new key, we check a photo ID and the title or registration in your name. If those papers are inside the locked car, we check them as soon as the door is open. It may feel like an extra step, but it protects you as much as it protects us.
How a new key is made with no original
With no key left to copy, the blade is cut from the key code that belongs to the VIN or by reading the lock itself. Then the chip or smart key is programmed to the car's immobilizer, the anti-theft system that decides which keys are allowed to start the engine. Both steps can usually happen at the car, and we test the start before we leave.
While we are there, it is a good moment to make a second key. Copying a key that already works is much simpler than starting from zero, so a spare made in the same visit keeps you from going through all of this again the next time a key goes missing.
What decides if it can be done on site
Most all keys lost jobs are done at the car, but not every one, and it is better to know that before anyone drives out. A few things decide it, and we ask about them on the phone so there are no surprises once we arrive:
For some late-model cars, a new key can only come from the dealer. When that is the case, we tell you honestly before we drive out, so you don't pay for a trip that can't end with a working key in your hand.
- The year, make and model, and how its security is programmed
- Whether the car asks for a security PIN or code
- Whether the right key is available for that car
- Whether a fault in the car's computer must be fixed first
- Whether the car can be reached safely where it sits
