What to Know Before Replacing a Lost or Broken Car Key
If you lose your car keys, search the places you have been, report a suspected theft to the police, and then call an auto locksmith who can cut and programme a new key at your car. A locksmith can make a new car key without the original key, pair the new transponder chip with the immobiliser, and remove the lost key from the car memory in the same visit.
Locked Out Auto Locksmith replaces lost and broken car keys across Wigan and the North West, with all keys lost replacement starting from £135 and a spare key starting from £80, and no VAT added to any job. This guide covers the first steps, the details a locksmith needs, the key type, the cost, the time and the insurance, so the replacement goes right the first time.
What Should You Do First After Losing Car Keys?
The first thing to do after losing car keys is a short, ordered search, because lost keys are most often found in the last few places they were used. Work through these five steps in order.
- Retrace your last journey and check coat pockets, bags, the car interior and the ground where you parked.
- Call the shops, gyms or venues you visited and ask whether a set of car keys has been handed in.
- Check for a spare key at home or with a family member before you book a replacement.
- Report the keys to the police and your insurer if you think they were stolen, especially when the keys were kept with your house keys.
- Phone an auto locksmith with the make, model, year and registration of the car ready.
If a spare key turns up, a copy cut from that working key starts from £80, while replacing every lost key starts from £135, so one more search before booking is worth the time.
What Details Does a Locksmith Need for a Replacement?
A locksmith needs five details to replace a lost car key, and having them ready shortens both the phone call and the job.
- Make, model and year of the car, which decide the key type and the programming method.
- Registration number, which confirms the exact model and engine.
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), printed on the V5C logbook and visible at the base of the windscreen.
- Location of the car, so the locksmith comes to the car and no recovery truck is needed.
- Proof of ownership, which depends on where the car is parked.
What Proof of Ownership Is Needed?
No further proof of ownership is needed when the car is parked at the home address of the owner. When the car is anywhere else, such as a car park, a workplace or the roadside, Locked Out asks to see a driving licence or the V5C logbook before a new key is made.
Which Type of Car Key Has Been Lost?
The type of car key that was lost decides the price, the time and the tools for the replacement, and almost every car sold in the UK since October 1998 has an immobiliser that reads a chip in the key before the engine starts.
There are five common car key types. Transponder keys and remote keys cover most cars on the road, flip keys and smart keys are common on newer cars, and a plain metal key is now found only on older vehicles. A transponder key carries a passive chip with no battery, so a new key has to be programmed to the car as well as cut. A smart key, also called a keyless or proximity key, stays in a pocket or bag and is programmed to the car through the diagnostic port. The guide to the types of car keys shows how to tell each one apart.
Can a Key Be Made Without the Original?
Yes, an auto locksmith can make a new car key without the original key. The locksmith decodes the door lock to find the cut of the blade, cuts a new blade to match, and then programmes the new transponder chip or remote to the immobiliser through the diagnostic port.
On some cars the immobiliser data has to be read on the bench from the control unit before a key can be added. Bench programming takes longer than programming through the port, and Locked Out carries the bench equipment in the van, so the work still happens where the car is parked.
Should the Lost Key Be Removed From the Car?
Yes, a lost key should be removed from the car memory, because a lost transponder or smart key will still start the engine for anyone who finds it until it is deleted. When an auto locksmith programmes new keys after all keys are lost, the old keys are usually erased in the same step, so only the keys in your hand will start the car.
The metal blade of a lost key can still open the doors and turn the ignition barrel on many cars, even after the chip is erased. When the keys were stolen together with something that shows where the car is kept, changing the door locks and the ignition barrel closes that gap as well.
How Much Does Replacing a Lost Car Key Cost?
Replacing a lost car key with Locked Out Auto Locksmith starts from £135 when every key is lost, and a spare key cut from a working key starts from £80, with no VAT added to either price.
The final price depends on the make and model, the key type, whether any working key is left, and where the car is parked. Main dealer prices for a replacement key commonly run from about £250 to more than £400, and a dealer usually needs the car at the dealership, which adds a recovery cost when no key is left.
How Long Does a Replacement Car Key Take?
A mobile auto locksmith usually replaces a lost car key in one visit at the car, while a main dealer can take from a few days to a few weeks, because the dealer orders the key from the manufacturer before it is programmed.
The length of the visit depends on the key type and on whether the right key blank is already in the van. A key that has to be ordered in adds time, and the locksmith will say so on the phone before the visit is booked.
Does Car Insurance Cover Lost Car Keys?
Car insurance covers lost car keys only when the policy includes key cover, which many insurers sell as an add on or include with higher levels of cover.
Check the policy wording for the limit, the excess and whether a claim affects the no claims discount. A claim for a key that costs from £135 may cost more over the following years than paying the locksmith directly.
Other Questions Before You Replace a Car Key
What If the Car Key Is Broken, Not Lost?
A broken car key is replaced rather than repaired. Any piece of the blade left in the door lock or the ignition is extracted first, and a new key is then cut and programmed, as described on the page about broken key extraction.
How Is All Keys Lost Different From a Spare Key?
All keys lost means no working key is left, so the locksmith has to decode the lock and programme a key without a copy to work from, which is why lost car key replacement starts from £135. A spare is copied from a working key, so spare car keys start from £80.
Why Has the Car Key Stopped Working?
A key that is still in your hand but no longer opens or starts the car usually has a flat fob battery, a worn blade or a transponder chip that the car no longer reads. The guide to a car key not working lists each cause with its fix.
Where Can a Replacement Car Key Be Made?
A replacement car key can be made wherever the car is parked, because the cutting machine and the key programmers travel in the van. Car key replacement is carried out at homes, workplaces and car parks across the areas we cover, between 6:00 AM and 8:30 PM.
Which Car Makes Can Be Replaced?
Locked Out replaces keys for all car makes, from everyday models to premium brands, and the page of car keys by make lists the makes with their own key systems. The replacement car key cost guide sets out the price by key type and make.
How Can You Avoid Losing Car Keys Again?
The surest way to avoid another all keys lost job is to keep one spare key in a fixed place away from the main set, such as with a family member. Use one hook or tray for the keys at home, attach a key ring that is easy to spot, and keep a keyless key in a signal blocking pouch to reduce the risk of relay theft.
Lost Car Key FAQs
Is Losing Car Keys a Serious Problem?
Losing car keys is a serious problem when no spare key is left or when the keys may have been stolen, because the car cannot be driven and a lost key can still start it. When a spare exists and the keys were simply misplaced, a copy from the spare solves the problem.
What Happens If You Lose Every Car Key?
When every car key is lost, an auto locksmith opens the car without damage, decodes the lock, cuts a new key and programmes it to the immobiliser, and the lost keys are erased in the same step.
Can a Found Key Be Used Again?
Yes, a lost key that turns up after it was erased can usually be programmed back to the car by the same locksmith, so it becomes a working spare again.
Is an Auto Locksmith Cheaper Than a Dealer?
Yes, an auto locksmith is cheaper than a main dealer for most cars. Locked Out replaces every lost key from £135 with no VAT, while dealer prices commonly start around £250 and often need the car at the dealership.
Before you ring a dealer, ring me first. I come out to the car between 6 AM and 8:30 PM, and I carry the kit to cut and programme the key on the spot.
If the car is sat at your house, I do not need any paperwork from you. Anywhere else, have your driving licence or the V5C handy and we can crack on.