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Car key replacement and key fob programming in Toronto
Car key replacement in Toronto covers three different jobs that people tend to describe with the same words: cutting a spare from an existing key, replacing a key when every copy is lost, and programming a remote fob. They cost different amounts because they take different equipment.
Tell us the make, model, and year, and whether you still have a working key. Those four facts decide the part, the equipment, and the price, and we can give you a figure on the call once we have them.
If this is happening right now
Car key gone
Find the make, model, and year of the car, and check whether you have a spare at home. All three change what we bring out to you.
Lost car key with no spare
With a working key in hand, a replacement is copied and programmed alongside it. That is the cheaper of the two jobs by a clear margin.
With no key at all, the key code has to be originated for the vehicle and the immobiliser reprogrammed from scratch. That is more work, more equipment, and more time. It is also why the single most useful thing you can do is have a spare cut before you need one.
On some vehicles, programming a key after all keys are lost deliberately erases every previously programmed key as a security measure. If yours is one of them, we will say so before starting, because any spare that turns up later will no longer work.
Transponder key programming
A transponder key has a chip in the plastic head that the car has to recognise before it will start. Cutting the blade alone gets you a key that opens the door and turns the ignition without starting the engine, which is a common and expensive surprise from a hardware store copy.
The chip has to be programmed to the specific vehicle. That is done at the car, and it is why this is a locksmith job rather than a key cutting job.
Key fob replacement and proximity keys
A remote fob is programmed to the vehicle in the same way. Adding a new fob normally leaves your existing ones working, with the all-keys-lost exception above.
A proximity key, the kind you never take out of your pocket, is a different part again, and it is worth being precise on the phone about which of the four you have: a plain blade, a blade with a plastic chipped head, a flip key, or a proximity fob.
What it costs
The honest answer is that it depends on the vehicle more than on anything else, because the part and the programming equipment are vehicle specific. Two cars of the same age in the same driveway can differ substantially.
{{TBD: starting prices for spare key cutting, transponder programming, and all-keys-lost}}. Until those are supplied, call with the make, model, and year and you will get a figure on the phone before anyone is dispatched.
Car key replacement across the GTA
This is one of the jobs we are called for most in these cities. Each page covers the doors and the property stock you actually find there.
- Car key replacement in Toronto
- Car key replacement in Scarborough
- Car key replacement in Vaughan
- Car key replacement in Markham
All ten cities we cover or call (289) 460-1916 to check your address.
Request a call back
For anything that is not urgent, leave your details and we will call you. For anything that is, the phone is faster.
Toronto Prime Locksmith
287 Bridgeland Ave Ste B, North York, ON M6A 1Z4, Canada
Open 24 hours, 7 days, including holidays
What happens next. Your details go to the shop and somebody calls you back on the number you give us, {{TBD: how quickly someone calls back}}. Nothing is booked and nothing is charged until you have spoken to a person and agreed a figure.
If you are locked out right now, do not wait for a call back. Ring (289) 460-1916 and we will start straight away.
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Car key replacement: common questions
I have lost my only key. Is that different from getting a spare cut?
Yes, and it costs more. With a spare in hand the new key is copied and programmed alongside it. With no key at all, the code has to be originated for the vehicle and the immobiliser reprogrammed, which is more work and more equipment. Always mention on the call whether a spare exists.
What do you need to know about my car?
The make, the model, and the year, and whether the key is a plain blade, a blade with a plastic head containing a chip, a flip key, or a proximity fob you never take out of your pocket. Those four things decide the equipment, the part, and the price.
Will a replacement fob work with my existing keys?
Normally yes. Programming a new fob usually adds it to the vehicle rather than replacing what is already there. On some vehicles, programming a key after all keys are lost deliberately erases the old ones as a security measure, and we will tell you if yours is one of them.
Something not covered here? Call (289) 460-1916 and ask. We would rather answer it on the phone than have you guess.