Chevrolet Equinox Key Replacement in San Diego

A push-start Equinox fob is $229 at your car, and a flip key for a 2010 to 2017 Equinox costs $165. Chevrolet dealers usually quote about $440 and $300 for the same keys.

The Equinox has had three styles of key from its 2005 launch, and the breaks are clean: a chip key through 2009, a fold-out flip key from 2010 to 2017, and push-button start from the 2018 redesign on.

From 2010 to 2017 the key is built on GM's HU100 blade, a side-milled profile with a groove down each flat face instead of notches on the edge, so a hardware store duplicator has nothing to grip. Each part is OEM or OEM-grade, gets programmed on the spot and is warrantied for a year, with our drive to you included in the price. The smart key page covers how the push-start fobs pair.

Chevrolet Equinox keys by model year

Find your year, and the row shows the key it takes, what the dealer charges and what we charge at the car.

Prices as of 2026-09-30. Every price includes the drive to you anywhere in San Diego County. There is no trip fee and no after-hours rate inside our open hours. All keys lost adds $60.
Model years	Typical dealer	Value Car Keys	You keep
2005 to 2009: Transponder chip keyOn most cars, a metal key whose head holds a transponder, plus a remote on the ring for the locks. The transponder needs pairing to the car's immobilizer, so a copy cut from the blade alone only works the doors.	~~$230~~	$125	$105
2010 to 2017: Remote head keyThe HU100 flip key, its remote built into the head, with remote start on many cars. For a $145 spare that runs the engine and unlocks the door, the same blade and chip come without buttons.	~~$300~~	$165	$135
2018 to 2024: Smart key for push-to-start (Push-button start arrived with the 2018 redesign on most cars; some lower-trim cars shipped with a flip-out-blade fob that still programs as a push-start key)Before buying a fob online, check its FCC ID against the one on your original. GM push-start and turn-key fobs can share a shell and will not swap.	~~$440~~	$229	$211
2025 to 2026: Smart key for push-to-start (Push-button start expected on the redesigned Equinox; the VIN confirms yours)The fourth-generation car keeps a pocket fob with a hidden emergency blade. The electric Equinox EV is a separate car with its own key, so mention which one sits in your driveway.	~~$440~~	$229	$211

The new key next to the original.

Lost every Equinox key?

With no Equinox key left, the blade is milled from the VIN-matched key code, then the chip, remote or fob is programmed over the OBD port beside the car. On many of these years GM's security timer holds the tool for around ten minutes before it will add a key, so the visit runs longer than a spare-key call.

Expect the key price plus $60, so a 2014 flip key comes to $165 plus $60 and a 2019 fob to $229 plus $60. Keep the title or current registration nearby with a license whose name agrees. After the Equinox runs on the new key, the lost one is deleted from its memory and becomes useless to a finder.

Chevrolet Equinox key questions

What key does a 2012 Equinox use?

A flip key on GM's HU100 blade, the style the Equinox used from 2010 through 2017. It is $165 with the remote buttons, cut from the key code and programmed beside the car. A button-less version is $145 if you just need the engine to start and the driver's door to open.

Why won't the hardware store copy my Equinox flip key?

Because the HU100 blade is milled along its flat faces rather than notched on the edge, and most counter duplicators only cut edge keys. A correct copy would still need its chip taught to the Equinox before the engine runs. We handle blade and chip together during one stop, $145 for the plain key or $165 for the flip key.

Can a 2018 or newer Equinox fob bought online be programmed?

Sometimes. The fob must be unused or never paired, with the same FCC ID and part number as your original, because GM built more than one fob for these years. If it matches, pairing runs $79 to $119. If not, reading us the numbers first saves you the programming fee. Our own fob is $229 with programming.

Why did my Equinox remote start quit while the key still runs the engine?

Most likely the flip key's battery is weak. The transponder needs no battery to start the engine, but the buttons do, so a fading cell kills the remote first. Swap the coin cell and try again. If the buttons stay silent, the remote side can be re-paired, $79 to $119. A cracked or worn-out flip key is replaced for $165.

Why does the dealer quote so much more for an Equinox fob?

The dealer number is the fob plus programming labor that typically runs $100 to $180, which puts it near $440 before tax. Ordering the fob can stretch things by one to three days. If no key works at all, the car also rides in on a tow, $125 to $200. We bring the fob, program it at the car and fold the drive into $229, as the why we cost less page explains.

Other Chevrolet models

Text us your Chevrolet Equinox year and trim

Call or text (619) 340-1518 with the car's year, make and model. If a dealer already quoted you, send that quote over for our answer on the same key.

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