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Cost of Replacement Car Keys It's a major trouble to lose your car keys. And, the cost of replacing them can be a significant expense. The most cost-effective and easiest method to replace your car keys is to contact an auto locksmith. You can also get your key cloned at a specialist dealer, but they will charge you more. Year & Make a Vehicle The days when a lost car key was not a major issue are long gone. The keys of modern-day automobiles that are more sophisticated, are expensive to purchase. In fact, if you lose your fob or smart key it could cost you up to $350. Modern vehicles utilize electronic keys and fobs to unlock doors and start engines. Keys and fobs are tiny electronic devices with circuitry, a battery and transponder chip that are all paired with your specific vehicle. This is a difficult procedure that requires specific tools and training. There are a variety of ways to save money on replacement car key s. Comparing the prices of keys and features will help you get an idea of much you will spend on new keys. One of the biggest factors that can influence the cost of the replacement car keys is the year and the make of the vehicle. Many newer cars have transponder chips that need to be connected by an auto locksmith or dealer. This is a time-consuming and expensive process. It's cheaper to replace older vehicles and keys that do not contain transponder chips. You can also save money by buying online or using a third-party service to replace keys to your car. Consider buying a portable GPS like Tile or AirTag to help you find your car keys in the event they are lost. These devices are attached to your keys and are easy to use via an app for smartphones. It's important to keep in mind that losing or misplacing your keys to your car could be costly, so it's best to have an extra set of keys in your vehicle at all times. If you don't own a spare key, check with your dealer to see whether they have a no-cost replacement program. It could be a part of the vehicle warranty or an additional roadside assistance feature. These programs provide up to $400 in cost of replacement keys for your car each year and are well worth it for the peace of mind they provide. Technology Type While remote fobs and car keys might appear to be simple pieces of metal, they're actually tiny electronic devices. They're more complicated than they appear. This means they're expensive to replace. The type of key that you own will also affect the cost of replacing it. Key fobs that are standard can be duplicated fairly cheaply, but are not as durable as newer models that come with an extra layer of security. They come with a specific key head with a small chip that communicates with the car's computer system to ensure the key is valid. A duplicate key won't function without the chip, even in the event that it has the same grooves and ridges as the original. Keys with chips are more expensive than the traditional ones because they require two steps in cutting with lasers and programming your key to your vehicle. In certain situations the locksmith might need to disassemble the transponder to programme it correctly. This is a risky job that should only be performed by a professional locksmith. The process could be extremely long and costly when they need to replace any other part such as the housing that houses the chip. You'll have to take your vehicle to a dealer to get a key programmed. You'll need to present proof of ownership such as your registration papers or title documents. You'll also have to wait for the dealer to order and pair a new key with your existing key. Genesky says he is able to complete key programming and cut keys for customers who have older European vehicles at his shop for between $200 and $250. Genesky is forced to turn away customers who own the latest models of cars as they don't have the costly equipment required to program their keys. This is the reason it's essential to find a local locksmith or dealer that provides an array of services that can be adapted to any type of vehicle. This will save you money on the long-term when it's time to replace or repair your keys to your car. Where You Live The location of your home can impact the price the locksmith or auto dealer charges to replace keys. The prices are higher in big cities than in smaller towns or rural areas. This is due to the fact that the service provider needs to travel farther to get to you, which results in higher prices. The timing and location of the loss can be a factor in the price. If you lose your keys on a holiday or at night, it will add to the overall price. You could also be charged for the inconvenience of waiting longer for a service technician to arrive. The type of key that you have could also affect the cost. Some cars have only basic mechanical keys or standard keys, while others have transponder chips, key fobs or smart keys. Those keys that are more technologically advanced will cost more to replace. Certain of these high-tech keys require to be programmed by an auto locksmith or dealership. This could take about an hour or more, and is one of the reasons why a high-tech lock will cost more than a basic one. Older cars that do not have transponder chips and standard keys will cost less to get an updated key. Standard key cutting typically only requires reading the cut marks on the ignition of the car or using the VIN number to identify the correct key for the car. Many of these keys require pairing with the computer of the vehicle to unlock the door and start the engine. If you lost your keys and aren't able to locate them, contact the dealership that you purchased your car from however that isn't always an option. You may be able make an insurance claim to replace a fob or key, based on your insurance policy. Roadside assistance companies like AAA might be able to assist you with this, although they will probably only offer a basic key, not the more sophisticated technology. Security Features It's an enormous inconvenience to lose your car keys and also give an individual the chance to rob your vehicle. While this is a risk that all drivers are exposed to it's important to understand the cost of replacing your car keys so that you can budget for it. The cost of replacement keys is affected by several factors. These include the year and model of your vehicle, how sophisticated the technology used to make keys is, and the security features in the keys. It is also important to think about whether you want to use an emergency roadside assistance service such as AAA which could add to the overall cost of replacing keys that have been lost. Traditional car keys made of metal that don't have a transponder chip in them are much less expensive to replace. They can be copied at a hardware store for less than $10. A newer smart key has to be programmed and linked to your vehicle by an auto locksmith. This can cost up to $200 or more. Many cars are now equipped with keys that use radio frequency identification to connect with your vehicle's computer. These keys are much harder to copy, and they are designed to guard against theft. The cost to replace keys of this kind could be as high as $500 or more. You could also decide to add a tracker to your keychain to help locate it should you lose it. These small devices can be purchased at many hardware stores and can be can be used with an app to track the lost keys. They can add to the cost of replacing electronic keys, however they are a cost-effective and effective option for most people. In the past when you lost your keys to your car was a major hassle and could have left you out of pocket for a short time. Today, we have more technology than in the past, and so losing your keys is a hassle. But it doesn't need to be costly to get back behind the wheel.