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Lost All Your Car Keys? We Make One at the Car

Lost every key? We cut a new one from your VIN and program it at the car for $60 over the spare-key price, with no tow and no dealer appointment.

A lost-key call is the job a dealership is worst at. The car has to be towed there, the key has to be ordered, and the bill stacks a part, programming labor and the tow into a number that often passes $500.

We do the same work in the parking lot where the car sits. The key code comes from the VIN, the blade is cut on the van, and the immobilizer is programmed with the same procedure the dealer uses. Most lost-key visits are done 30 to 45 minutes after we arrive.

The price is the spare-key price for your car plus $60, which pays for pulling the key code by VIN and programming the car from blank, and it includes the drive anywhere in San Diego County. Check the pricing page for your key type, or read on for how the visit goes.

Programming happens through the port under your dash.

Lost car keys prices

Every lost car keys price below includes the drive to you anywhere in the county. The dealer column is what a San Diego dealership typically charges for the same job.

Prices as of 2026-09-30. Your exact price is confirmed on the phone before we drive.
Key or jobTypical dealerValue Car KeysYou keep
Transponder chip key, all keys lostMost 1998 to 2015 cars with a plain metal key and a chip in the head. $230 to $380 plus a $125 to $200 tow $185 to $259 $45 to $121
Laser-cut key, all keys lostThick blade with a groove milled along its center. Found on many Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Ford models from the mid-2000s on, among others. $270 to $450 plus a tow $205 to $309 $65 to $141
Remote head key, all keys lostButtons on the key itself. The immobilizer and the remote are both programmed. $300 to $450 plus a tow $225 to $319 $75 to $131
Smart key, all keys lostPush-to-start fob. Some cars need a security wait or an online step that adds time, not money. $400 to $750 plus a tow $289 to $459 $111 to $291
European key, all keys lostVolkswagen, Audi, BMW and older Mercedes. Confirmed by VIN on the phone before we drive. $380 to $900 plus a tow $269 to $509 $111 to $391

How the visit goes

  1. Call or text with the year, make, model and where the car is

    We check the key type against the VIN, give you one price with the drive inside, and an honest arrival window, usually 45 to 90 minutes.

  2. Have proof of ownership ready

    Registration or title plus an ID with the same name. A dealer asks for the same thing. If the car is in someone else's name, mention it when you call.

  3. We cut and program at the car

    The key code comes from the VIN, the blade is cut on the van, then the immobilizer is programmed and the remote paired. Thirty to 45 minutes on most cars.

  4. We erase the lost key and you test everything

    The old key is deleted from the car so it cannot start the engine if it turns up. You start the car, lock and unlock it, and pay by card or cash.

What the dealer route actually costs

A dealership needs the car in the bay to program a key, so a lost-key job starts with a tow at $125 to $200. The key is a parts-counter line at $230 to $750 depending on the type, and programming is billed as labor on top, typically $100 to $180. If the fob is not in stock, add one to three days.

Our number is one line. A Toyota Camry smart key with all keys lost starts at $309 at your car. The same key at a San Diego Toyota dealer is roughly $500 plus the tow plus the wait.

Which cars take longer, and which ones we confirm first

Most Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru and Mazda keys program in one sitting. Many Toyota and Lexus smart keys have a security wait of roughly 16 minutes built into the car, which adds time but nothing to the price. Certain Volkswagen and Audi keys need an online step that adds time.

Two cases we confirm by VIN before anyone drives: 2014 and newer Mercedes keys can only be issued by the dealer, and some 2019 and newer BMW models are the same. We will tell you that on the phone in one minute so you skip a wasted trip.

Why we erase the old key

A lost key is still a working key until the car forgets it. Part of every lost-key job is deleting the missing key from the immobilizer, so that if it turns up in a parking lot or a stranger's pocket it cannot start the car. That step is part of the job, at no charge.

Known problems by make

When the fault is a known one on a particular make, the page for it has the years, the fix and both prices.

Subaru all keys lost

When every key to a Subaru is lost, dealer quotes posted on Reddit run from over $1,000 to over $3,000, some to replace the module or send the...

Toyota and Lexus all keys lost

Losing every key to a push-button Toyota or Lexus means wiping and rebuilding the car's key memory.

Car key problems by make, and what each dash message means

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to replace a lost car key with no spare?

The spare-key price for your car plus $60. That works out to $185 to $259 for a chip key, $225 to $319 for a remote head key and $289 to $459 for a smart key, with the drive included anywhere in San Diego County. A dealer charges $230 to $750 for the key, plus programming labor, plus a tow to get the car there.

Do I need to tow my car to get a key made?

No. Programming has to happen at the car, which is exactly why we come to it. The van carries the key stock, the cutter and the programming tool. The only reason a dealer needs a tow is that their tools do not leave the building.

What do you need from me to make a key for a car with no keys?

Proof that the car is yours: the registration or title and an ID with a matching name. If the registered owner is someone else, say so on the call and we will tell you what to bring before we drive. We also need the VIN, which is on the dash at the base of the windshield and on the registration.

How long does a lost-key job take?

Thirty to 45 minutes after we arrive on most cars. Cutting by code takes a few minutes, programming the immobilizer takes ten to twenty, and pairing the remote a few more. Toyota and Lexus often build a security wait of roughly 16 minutes into smart key programming, which we sit through.

Can you make a key if the car has been sitting for years or the battery is dead?

Yes, but the car needs power to program. We carry a jump pack and connect it before we start, at no extra charge. If the battery is completely gone, a new one from an auto parts store is the better fix than repeated jump starts, and we can wait while you pick one up.

Will the old key still work after you make the new one?

Not to start the car, and that is on purpose. We erase the lost key from the immobilizer as part of the job, at no charge, so a found key cannot start the engine. If you later find it and want it back in the car, we can re-add it for the fob-programming price of $79 to $119.

Prices by make

The makes that call about lost car keys most often. Each make page lists its key types by model year.

Toyota keys

from $129 at your car
Keep up to $251 vs the dealer

Honda keys

from $139 at your car
Keep up to $241 vs the dealer

Ford keys

from $129 at your car
Keep up to $211 vs the dealer

Chevrolet keys

from $125 at your car
Keep up to $211 vs the dealer

Nissan keys

from $135 at your car
Keep up to $271 vs the dealer

Hyundai keys

from $129 at your car
Keep up to $231 vs the dealer

Every make we cover

Guides

Get the dealer's key without the dealer's bill

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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