Cost of Replacement Car Keys

Losing your car keys is a huge trouble. The cost of replacing them is an expense of a major magnitude.

Calling an auto locksmith is the cheapest and quickest method of replacing your car key. You can also have your key copied by specialist dealers, but they usually charge extra.

Year & Make a Vehicle

The days when a lost car key was not a big issue are over. Today's cars are more advanced and keys are more expensive to replace. Losing your smart keys could cost you up to $350.

Modern cars utilize electronic fobs and keys to open doors and begin the engine. Keys and fobs are tiny electronic devices that have circuitry, a battery and transponder chips all paired with the vehicle you have chosen. This is a difficult procedure that requires specific tools and training.

Fortunately, there are ways to save money on replacement car keys. Comparing the prices of keys and features can help you to get an idea of much you'll have to pay for new keys.

One of the most important factors that influence the cost of replacement keys for your car is the year and model of your vehicle. Many newer cars have transponder chips that need to be connected with an auto locksmith or dealer. This is a time-consuming and expensive process.

It's cheaper to replace older vehicles and keys that don't have transponder chips. You can save money by purchasing online or using a third-party service to replace your car keys.

You may also want to look into buying an portable GPS device such as Tile or AirTag that will help you locate your car keys if they get lost. These devices attach directly to your keys, and can be easily used by using a smartphone app.

It's important to remember that misplacing or losing your keys to your car can be costly, so it's advisable to keep an extra key on hand at all times. If you don't have a spare, it's worth visiting your dealer to see if they have a free key replacement program as part of the warranty for your vehicle or roadside assistance add-ons or a longer bumper-to-bumper coverage. These programs can provide up to $400 worth of cost of replacement keys for your car each year and are well worth the security they offer.

Technology Type

While remote fobs and car keys might appear to be simple pieces of metal, they're actually miniature electronic devices. As such, there's a lot more to them than meets the eye and this makes them costly to replace.

The type of key you have will also influence the cost of replacing it. Key fobs with standard locks are cheap to duplicate, but they're not as durable as the modern ones that come with an additional layer of security. They come with a specific key head that has a small chip in it that communicates with the car's computer to verify that the key is legitimate. A duplicate key won't function without the chip, even if it has the same ridges and grooves as the original. They are more expensive than traditional keys because they require two steps laser cutting and programming the key to your vehicle.

In some instances, a locksmith will need to take apart the transponder chip in order to program it correctly. This is a risky job that should only be done by a professional locksmith. If they are required to replace other parts such as the housing that houses chips, the process could be lengthy and costly.

You'll have to take your vehicle to a dealer to have a key programmed. This requires you to show evidence of ownership, like your registration or title papers. Also, you'll need to wait for the dealer to order and connect a new key with your existing key.

Genesky says he's able to cut keys and programming for customers with older European vehicles in his shop for around $200-$250. However, he must turn away clients with the most recent models of cars since he doesn't have the expensive equipment needed to program keys for them. This is why it's crucial to locate a local locksmith or dealer that provides a wide range of services and can work with any type of vehicle. This will save you money on the long-term when it's time to replace or repair your lost car keys.

Where You Live

The location you live in can affect the amount the locksmith or dealer charges for key replacement. If you live in a large city the costs are likely to be more expensive than if you resided in a small town or rural region. This is because the service provider will travel further to get to you, which results in more expensive costs.

The timing and location of the loss can also affect the cost. If you lose your keys on the night of a holiday or during the night it can add to the overall price. You might also be charged due to the inconvenience of having to wait longer for a technician to arrive.

The kind of key you own can also impact the cost. Certain cars have only basic mechanical keys, or standard keys, while others have transponder chips, a key fob, or smart keys. Keys that are more advanced in technology will cost more to replace.

Certain of these high-tech keys need to be programmed by an auto locksmith or dealership. This can take about an hour or more, and is one of the reasons why a high-tech key will cost more than a standard one.

Older vehicles without transponder chips and standard keys will cost less to get a new key. Standard key cutting usually only requires a glance at the cut marks on the ignition or the VIN number to determine which key is right for the vehicle.

A lot of keys require that they are paired with the vehicle’s computer to open the doors and start the engines. If you have lost your keys and are unable to find them, you can contact the dealership that you purchased your car, but that is not always an option.

You may be able to make an insurance claim for a replacement key or fob, depending on the terms of your insurance policy. Roadside assistance companies such as AAA might also be able of assistance however, they'll likely provide an entry level key and not the advanced technology.

Security Features

It's an enormous inconvenience to lose your car keys and also give someone the opportunity to steal your vehicle. This is a danger that all drivers have to face. It's important to budget for the cost of a new car key.

There are several factors that influence the cost of replacement key fob for car keys. The cost of replacement keys is influenced by a variety of factors, such as the year and model of your car as well as the technology used in the key, as well as the security features. It is also important to think about whether you want to use an emergency roadside assistance program like AAA which can make a difference in the total cost of replacing the lost key.

Traditional keys made of metal that don't come with transponder chips are a lot less expensive to replace. These can usually be copied at a hardware store for less than $10. A newer smart lock must be programmed and linked to your vehicle by an auto locksmith. This could cost as much as $200 or more.

A lot of cars today have key fobs that utilize radio frequency identification to communicate with your vehicle's computer. These keys are harder to copy and are made to guard against theft. They can cost up to $500 or more.

You can also opt to add a tracker to your keychain to help locate it in the event that you lose it. These are usually small devices that can be purchased at most hardware stores and cost of replacement car keys can be used with an app to monitor the location of your lost keys. While they can add to the overall cost of replacing keys, they are an affordable and effective solution for the majority of people.

In the past, losing a set of car keys was a big hassle and could have left you out of pocket for a period of time. Today, we have more technology than we did in the past, so losing your keys is an issue. But it doesn't have to be costly to get back behind the wheel.