Vehicle · all keys lost
Lost every key? You still do not need a tow.
"All keys lost" is the expensive-sounding phrase. The dealer's answer is a flatbed and a wait. Ours is a van, the car's own key code, and an hour at the curb.
How a key gets made from nothing
There is no key to copy, so the key comes from the car. Two routes.
- From the code. Every car has a key code tied to its VIN. With proof the car is yours, that code is obtained and the key cut to it. The cleanest route.
- From the lock. Where no code is available, the door lock or ignition is read mechanically and the key cut to match.
Then the key is programmed to the immobilizer. At that point the car starts.
What it depends on
Edge-cut or laser-cut. Chip or no chip. A separate remote or an all-in-one proximity key.
A 2008 pickup and a 2022 SUV are not the same job and will not be the same price. Tell us make, model and year on the phone and you get a range before anyone drives out.
Proof, and why we are strict
There is no version of this job without it. Making a working key to a car on the street, for whoever says it is theirs, is how cars get stolen.
Registration locked inside? Say so on the phone. We can usually open the car first, check the documents, and then cut the key.
Opening a car and making a key to it are two different levels of commitment, and we treat them that way.
Words you will hear
Questions
Is the dealer cheaper?
Sometimes on the part. Rarely on the total.
The dealer's price usually excludes the tow, and includes the days the car sits there. Ask them for the all-in number including recovery, then compare.
How long does it take?
Most cars, under an hour on site once we arrive. Where the code has to come from the manufacturer it can be longer, and we tell you that on the call.
Can you do it in a parking lot or a garage?
Yes. The van is the workshop. In a private garage, management sometimes wants notice, so call them before we arrive.
Need someone now?
A person answers, at any hour, in English or Spanish. If it is not urgent, we will hold a day and a time for you instead.
Or leave your details and we will call you.