Replacing Lost Car Keys Can Be Expensive!

Lost car keys… mom and dad to the rescue! This week we got a call from our daughter saying she had lost her keys. The problem is she’s a college student taking some summer classes and is working two jobs. Not having a car is not a real good option. Did I mention she lives an hour and a half away? It could be worse; it could have been our son who is doing the same thing, but is eight hours away!

In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t a huge crisis. We were able to take her the spare set of keys we had at home and have a nice dinner with her. The problem came when I was checking to see what the options where to get a replacement key made. To have another key made was going to cost $100 from the dealer! Ouch! Needless to say, I started doing some research and found there were some cheaper options.  I also found ways we could have prevented these higher costs altogether. We’d like to share this information with you and encourage you to get extra keys made now. Don’t wait till it’s too late!

The Issue

The days of just going to the hardware and having a duplicate key made has become a little more complicated. Starting back in the late 1990’s vehicle manufacturers began installing a “chip” (they are really called a transponder, but I prefer chip) in the plastic cover on your car keys.

This chip must be programmed for your vehicle or it will not start. I knew this and I’m sure most folks reading this article know this. However, if you’ve never had to get a replacement made for one of these keys, you probably didn’t know that the cost went from having a key cut at the local hardware for $4 or $5 to close to $100 at the dealer! It can be more than twice that amount if you lose all your keys, or are stranded somewhere without a second set of keys available!

Can You Program Your Own Transponder Key?

The short answer is yes you can, in most cases.  The manufacturers I research for this article did provide a means for the vehicle owner to program their own keys.  Each manufacturer has a different procedure or series of steps that you have to follow to do this.  The one thing they all have in common is you must have at least one original key to program a new key.

The Best Solution

Follow the old boy scout motto, “always be prepared”. Well… I think it was the boy scout motto. Regardless, they’re definitely words to live by. Always have at least one set of spare keys available. Even when you’re traveling.

As I noted above, I found that most vehicle manufacturers have a means for you to program a replacement key yourself. If you search the internet you can purchase a “blank” key, with the chip in it, for about $10 - $15. Once you have the key you can take it to your local hardware or locksmith and have them cut the key for your vehicle for somewhere around $5.

Then you can follow the manufacturer’s steps for programming the chip for your car. So for $15 - $20 you can always have a duplicate set of keys and potentially save yourself about $80.

The Catch That Got Us!

Our daughter’s car is a 2006 Ford Taurus. The catch was is in order to program a new key for a Ford yourself, you must have two original keys to program the new key! We didn’t know that. So we had to have a new key made. We were fortunate to find an aftermarket store, called The Keyless Shop, that makes replacement keys for $50 and it was in the same city our daughter lives.

If we would have been in a situation that required them to come to us and make the new key, it would have cost $225! We were lucky and are already planning on programming the third key ourselves as soon as possible.

Additional Vehicle Information

Our family also has a 2006 Toyota Camry and a 2008 Chevy Silverado. Both of these vehicles are able to program a replacement key with just one original key. So, as a rule, you should be okay with just having two sets of keys. For the Ford, you should always have that third set.

My wife’s car has the push-button start with a smart key fob. I’m still researching it, but my initial thought is to guard it with your life!! The cheapest programmed replacement I’ve found so far is $225. I’ve read that depending on the brand and functionality of these fobs they can cost anywhere from $300 to $900 at the dealer!!

Replacement Key Resources

• As I mentioned above, the aftermarket store that made the replacement key for our daughter’s care is called The Keyless Shop. They appear to be associated with Sears and are located in small kiosks outside of Sears stores in several of the bigger cities around the country. They made the replacement key for $50 as advertised. The key here is if you have the opportunity, search the area you are in and make a few calls. It could save you a lot of money.
• If you are wondering whether your vehicle’s key has a chip in it, go to Transponderkey.com. Click on the manufacturer and it will show you the model, year and whether it has a chip. It’s a useful tool.
• Steps to program most Fords from 1998 to 2007. The first step is to locate the appropriate blank key
  that is compatible with your original key. Most keys have a mark (letter, number, or some other mark) stamped into it to identify it. Then have the key cut to fit the ignition.
  1. Insert original key #1 into the ignition and turn it to the run position and back off. Do not turn it to engage the starter.
  2. Remove key #1 and within 5 seconds insert original key #2. Turn it to run position and back off, just like step “a”.
  3. Remove key #2 and within 10 seconds insert the new key.
  4. Turn it to the run position and leave it for one second and then turn it back off.
  5. The security light will remain on for 3 seconds indicating the key has been successfully programmed.
• Steps to program most 2006 Toyota Camry key. Locate and have the new key cut similar to the Ford above.
  1. Setting inside the vehicle, with all the doors closed and locked, insert and remove the original key into the ignition five times, leaving it in the ignition the fifth time.
  2. With the original key still in the ignition open and close the driver’s side door six times.
  3. Remove the key from the ignition and insert the new key into the ignition. Do not turn it on.
  4. The security light will be flashing on and off for about one minute and then it should go out.
  5. Remove the new key from the ignition and open and close the driver’s door.
  6. The key should be programmed.
• Steps to program a 2007-2013 Chevy Silverado key. Locate and have the new key cut similar to the vehicles above.
  1. Insert the original key into the ignition and turn it to the on position, without starting the vehicle.
  2. Leave the key in the ignition until the security light quits blinking and goes out.
  3. Turn the key off and remove it.
  4. Insert the new key into the ignition and turn it to the on position, without starting the vehicle.
  5. Leave the key in the ignition until the security light quits blinking and goes out.
  6. Turn the key off and remove it.
  7. The key should now be programmed.
• Most keyless entry remotes are easily programmable. As long as you have one good key you should be able to easily find and program your own remote. If you’d like to support our blog, just click on one of the links in the sidebar and then search for your specific make, model, and year of vehicle. And there’s no extra cost to you.
• So far the research on our 2016 Nissan Murano has not turned up a self-programming option and as mentioned above they are expensive to replace. One option to help protect losing your keys is a “key finding” device that works with your smartphone. Many of these devices can be used in reverse to help you locate a misplaced phone too! We are using the TrackR Bravo. If you are considering one of these devices, be sure to do your research. They have different features and there pros and cons. You’ll need to decide what will work best for you.

Lost Car Keys Take Away

The best way to keep from being stranded is to have an extra set of car keys readily available. For most vehicles two sets of keys are sufficient, but there are the exceptions as I’ve pointed out above.

It would be a huge undertaking for us to try and identify every vehicle make, model and year replacement key programming requirements. However, with a little research, you can easily identify and purchase keys and keyless remotes online and program them yourself at home. Do yourself a favor and do it before your keys come up missing!

Our goal with this article was to help you become aware of the requirements and costs involved with replacing a lost set of keys. We also want to point out that the best way to avoid the high costs is to be proactive and have the necessary number of spares. Being prepared can save you time and money!

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