Replacement Key Fobs and Smart Keys, Programmed On Site
A fob that fell in a pool, went through the wash or simply disappeared does not mean a trip to the dealer. We bring a matching remote, program it to your car, and test every button before we go.
Not every fob problem needs a new fob
Before you buy anything, it helps to know what actually broke. A weak battery makes the range drop until the remote only works next to the car. A cracked case can still hold a perfectly good circuit board. A flip key with a loose blade often just needs a new shell.
Send us a photo and tell us what it is doing. If a battery or a new case will fix it, we will tell you that instead of selling you a full replacement.
One more thing worth checking: if every fob for the car stopped working on the same day, the fobs may be fine. That points to something on the car side, like a weak car battery or a fault in the receiver. We will say so plainly rather than program new fobs that would act exactly like the old ones.
When the fob is lost or dead
If the remote is gone or the board inside has failed, we bring a replacement that matches your car's frequency and chip. For push-to-start cars this is a proximity key: the car senses it in your pocket and lets you start with the button. For older cars it may be a remote head key or a separate remote with a plain key.
Programming happens at the car. When we finish, the new fob locks, unlocks, opens the trunk and starts the engine, and we can remove the lost fob from the car's memory so it no longer works.
The emergency blade inside
Almost every smart key hides a small metal blade for the door when the battery dies. A new fob arrives with an uncut blade, so we cut it to your car's lock while we are there. People forget this part until the day they need it, usually in a dark parking lot.
We show you how the blade slides out and where the hidden keyhole is on your door handle, because on many cars it sits under a small cap.
Then we show you where the fob needs to be held to start the car with a dead battery. Most push-to-start cars have a spot, often near the start button or in the console, that reads a fob even when its own battery is flat. Knowing that spot turns a stranded night into a two-second fix.
Signs it is time to replace the fob
Often needed with this
Common questions
Can you just change the battery?
Yes, and if that fixes it we will tell you. Many fobs take a common coin battery. If the range does not return after a fresh battery, the problem is usually the board or the antenna, and that is when a replacement makes sense.
Will a replacement fob look like the original?
We use fobs that match your car's buttons and layout. Some are original-equipment parts and some are quality aftermarket units. We tell you which one you are getting when we quote, before any work.
Can I use one fob on two different cars?
No. Each fob is paired to one vehicle. If your household has two cars of the same make, each still needs its own programmed fob. Keeping both on one key ring is fine, but they are two separate keys to the car's computer.
Do you cut the hidden key blade too?
Yes. The emergency blade in a new smart key comes uncut, so we cut it to your door lock on site and check that it turns before we leave. It is the part you will be glad of the night the fob battery dies.