All keys lost, BMW 3 Series
A new key cut and programmed with no working key left, then the lost key deleted from the vehicle.
Wigan and 25 miles around it
Lost Car Key Replacement in Wigan, Including All Keys Lost
Locked Out replaces a lost car key at the vehicle, starting from £135 with no VAT added, whether one key of a pair has gone missing or every key is lost.
The new key is cut and programmed where the vehicle is parked, and the lost key is deleted from the vehicle memory so it no longer starts the engine.
- SERMI approved for newer vehicles
- All keys lost covered
- No recovery truck needed
- No VAT added to any job
SERMI approved auto locksmith4.9 from 101+ Google reviews
What a Lost Car Key Costs in Wigan
A lost key job starts from £135 with no VAT. The figure moves with the key the vehicle uses and with how much of the work has to be done from nothing.
| Situation | Locked Out | What the job involves |
|---|---|---|
| Every key lost, no spare | From £135 | The vehicle is opened, a key is cut, the key is programmed and the lost key is deleted |
| One key left, want a replacement | From £80 | A key is copied from the working key and programmed, which is a spare key job |
| Key lost while away from home | From £135 | Proof of ownership is checked, then the same work is carried out where the vehicle sits |
| Keyless or smart key lost | Quoted on the make | Smart keys cost more to supply, and some makes need the module read on the bench |
| Van or fleet key lost | From £135 | The same work, priced on the key the vehicle uses rather than the size of the vehicle |
A main dealer quote for the same replacement key commonly runs from about £250 to more than £400 with VAT included, and the vehicle usually has to reach the dealership, which means a recovery truck when no key is left.
How a Lost Car Key Is Replaced
The job runs in three stages once Paul is at the vehicle, and all three happen on the same visit.
The vehicle is opened
Entry is made with opening tools rather than force, so the door, the lock and the glass are left as they were. On a vehicle where the key is already inside, this is the whole of the entry work.
A new key is cut
The blade is cut from the key code held against the vehicle, or by decoding the door lock when no code is available. That is why a key can be made with nothing to copy from.
The key is programmed
The key is written to the immobiliser through the diagnostic socket, or read on the bench where the make demands it, then tested on the doors, the boot and the ignition.
All Keys Lost, What Changes
All keys lost means there is nothing to copy and nothing to start the vehicle with, so the job starts with the vehicle locked and ends with a key that works. That is the difference between a lost key job and a spare key job, and it is where the price difference sits.
Two things take the extra time. The vehicle has to be opened before anything else can happen, and the key has to be created from the vehicle itself rather than from an existing key. On some makes the immobiliser module is read on the bench, which means removing it, reading it and refitting it.
Locked Out is a SERMI approved auto locksmith, which matters on newer vehicles, because the security data needed to add a key sits behind a manufacturer gateway. Without that approval a locksmith is limited to older vehicles and to what can be worked around.
What Proof of Ownership Is Needed
A replacement key is only made for the person entitled to the vehicle, and the check depends on where the vehicle is parked.
- At the home address of the owner, the address is the check and no paperwork is needed.
- Anywhere else, a driving licence or the V5C logbook is checked before any key is cut.
- The name on the document has to match the keeper of the vehicle.
- A key is never made for a vehicle that cannot be shown to be yours.
Having the V5C to hand saves time on a job away from home, and a photograph of it on a phone is enough to get started.
What Changes the Price of a Replacement Key
Five things move the figure between the starting price and the final price, and all five are settled on the phone before the visit.
The key type
Biggest factor
A basic transponder key costs less to supply than a remote flip key, and a keyless smart key costs the most of the three.
The make and model
Large factor
Premium German makes and some newer models need more work and dearer key blanks than a mainstream hatchback of the same age.
Whether a key is left
Large factor
A working key turns the job into a spare key job starting from £80, because nothing has to be opened or created from nothing.
The programming route
Medium factor
Most vehicles are coded through the diagnostic socket. Where the module has to come out and be read on the bench, the job takes longer.
Where the vehicle is
Small factor
A vehicle on a drive, in a car park or at the roadside is all the same work, but a vehicle beyond 25 miles of Wigan falls outside the area covered.
Give the make, the model, the year and whether any key is left, and the starting price for that vehicle is confirmed on the call.
Lost Key Jobs Done Recently
All keys lost, Alfa Romeo
The door lock decoded to cut the blade, then the new key written to the immobiliser.
What to Do First When a Car Key Is Lost
Four steps are worth taking before anyone is called out, because two of them sometimes end the problem without a new key at all.
- Check the places a key hides, which are coat pockets, the footwell, the boot sill and the bag used that day.
- Check whether a spare exists at home, at work or with another driver of the vehicle, because a spare turns this into an £80 job.
- If the keys may have been stolen rather than lost, report it to the police and to the insurer, especially when house keys were on the same ring.
- Find the V5C logbook, because it is the document checked when the vehicle is away from the home address.
Once those four are done, call 07900 885231 with the make, the model, the year and where the vehicle is parked.
Related Car Key Services
These jobs sit either side of a lost key, and each has its own page.
- Spare car keys cut from a working key, which is the cheaper job to do before a key goes missing.
- Locked out of car when the keys are inside the vehicle rather than lost.
- Broken car key extraction when the key snapped rather than disappeared.
- Car key programming for a key that is present but no longer recognised.
- New ignition barrel when the key turns but the barrel is worn.
- Stolen car key replacement when the key was taken rather than mislaid, because the old key then has to be deleted.
- All auto locksmith services with the starting price of each one.
- Car keys by make, from Audi to Volvo.
Towns Covered for Lost Car Keys
A lost key is replaced anywhere inside 25 miles of Wigan, starting with the nine towns below.
- Wigan districtsAshton in Makerfield, Orrell, Billinge, Hindley and Standish
- St Helens
- Warrington
- Widnes
- Preston
- Leyland
- Skelmersdale
- Chorley
- Leigh
Every other town inside the radius is on the areas we cover page.
Guides on Losing and Replacing Car Keys
These pages go further into the questions that come up once a key is missing.
- Replacing a lost or broken car key, the details a locksmith needs and how the blade is worked out.
- Replacement car key cost by key type and by make.
- Types of car keys explained, from metal keys to smart keys.
Questions About Lost Car Key Replacement
How Much Is a Replacement Car Key When All Keys Are Lost?
A lost car key with Locked Out starts from £135 with no VAT, and the figure depends on the key type, the make, the model and the year. A main dealer quote for the same key commonly runs from about £250 to more than £400 with VAT included.
Can a Car Key Be Made With No Original to Copy?
Yes, a car key can be made with no original. The blade is cut from the key code held against the vehicle or by decoding the door lock, and the key is then programmed to the immobiliser.
Will the Lost Key Still Start My Car?
No, the lost key is deleted from the vehicle memory while the new key is programmed, so it no longer starts the engine even if somebody finds it.
Do I Need to Get the Car to a Garage?
No, the job is done where the vehicle is parked. The key cutting machine and the programmers travel in the van, which is why no recovery truck is needed.
How Long Does a Lost Key Job Take?
Most lost key jobs are finished in one visit. The time on site depends on the make and whether the immobiliser module has to be read on the bench.
What Do I Need to Show Before a Key Is Made?
At the home address of the owner nothing further is needed. Anywhere else, a driving licence or the V5C logbook is checked, and the name has to match the keeper of the vehicle.
Does Insurance Cover a Lost Car Key?
Only when the policy includes key cover, which many insurers sell as an add on. Check the limit and the excess against the price of the job, because a claim can affect a no claims discount.
Can You Replace a Keyless or Smart Key?
Yes, keyless and smart keys are replaced, and they are quoted on the make because the key itself costs more to supply and some makes need the module read on the bench.
Do You Cover Newer Vehicles With Manufacturer Security?
Yes, Locked Out is SERMI approved, which gives authorised access to the carmaker security data, so keys for newer vehicles are added through the manufacturer route.
Lost Your Only Car Key?
Call with the make, model and year, and the starting price is confirmed on the phone. Open 6:00 AM to 8:30 PM.