Every key is gone. There is nothing to copy, so the new key has to be originated — paired to the immobilizer from scratch through an encrypted programming session.
I handle all-keys-lost for push-to-start / proximity fobs on site: the immobilizer PIN is extracted and a new fob is programmed at the vehicle, and the lost fobs are cleared so they no longer start the car. For bladed keys (transponder, remote-head, sidewinder) where every key is gone, this is not currently offered — the dealer is the right path there, and you will be told that plainly rather than charged for a job that cannot be completed.
Why all-keys-lost costs more
Cloning a key is fast. Originating one is not. The fob has to be paired to the vehicle through an encrypted programming session, and on most vehicles a PIN has to be extracted from the immobilizer first.
That equipment and that time is what you are paying for. The range is wide because the work varies — a common push-to-start sedan is at the low end; an encrypted proximity system on a higher-trim vehicle is at the top.
What you need to have ready
Proof of ownership: the registration or title in your name, and a photo ID matching it. This is required before any key is programmed. It is the reason a key made through this business cannot be used to steal a car, and it is stated as a feature, not a hurdle.
The vehicle location. If the car is in a garage, a lot, or on the street, tell me where I can pull up next to it.
When a vehicle is dealer-only
All-keys-lost for bladed keys (transponder, remote-head, sidewinder) and basic metal keys is not currently offered, and a few proximity model years encrypt their programming so a new fob can only be added by the dealer. When that is the case you are told up front, before any work or charge, so you are not paying for a key that cannot be completed.
Send your VIN and I will tell you honestly whether I can do the job, or point you to the dealer.
Proof of ownership
Before any key is cut or programmed, the registration or title in your name and a matching photo ID are checked. This is the reason a key made through this business cannot be used to steal a car. It is stated as a feature rather than a hurdle — it keeps every vehicle safe, and it deters the kind of request that no honest locksmith should take.
Questions
- My car is locked. Can you get in first?
- A lockout is not currently offered as a service. If you are locked out, you will need the car opened first (a roadside service or the dealer) before an all-keys-lost key can be programmed. I am upfront about this rather than charging a call for a job I cannot complete.
- What if I do not have the title or registration?
- A key cannot be originated without proof of ownership. If the paperwork is at home, arrange to have it brought to the vehicle. This protects every owner of every car I touch.
- Can you do bladed keys (transponder / remote-head) when all keys are lost?
- Not currently. That work is dealer-only for now. Spares for those key types are offered on an order-ahead basis when a working key still exists.