“Oh, no! I lost my key fob! What should I do?” Does this sound familiar to you? If you have found yourself saying this at some point, we are here to tell you that replacing a key fob remote is not as big of a deal as you might think.
While losing your key fob can definitely be frustrating, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. It can be a bit expensive in some cases, but if the price is a concern, there is a do-it-yourself method that most people can handle—with a little guidance and effort.
How Do I Replace My Car Key Fob?
Here are the best options available and a good idea of what they will cost you.
Visit Your Car Dealership
Are you searching for “key fob replacement near me?” The absolute easiest way to handle car key fob replacement is by returning to the same car dealership where you purchased your car.
It might surprise you that this isn’t always an expensive option. While some dealerships do charge as much as $750 for a replacement key fob, this is a rare and extreme few. Moreover, it is likely to be as little as half of that because many dealerships value customer loyalty and give a deep discount on this type of service to retain your business.
The nice thing about getting a replacement key fob from the dealership is that you don’t have to worry about programming the key. Instead, you can simply take your key and use it.
How to Get a Replacement Car Key Without The Original
If you do not have any type of key to your car and there is no emergency key in the manual or at an assigned location, returning to the dealership where you purchased your vehicle may be your only option.
Visit an Auto Repair Shop
Most auto body shops will be able to help you with a replacement key fob for your car. Generally, you can expect an auto body shop to charge you between $90 and $200 for this service, depending on where you live and the shop that you choose.
Auto Locksmith
Auto locksmiths are the professional technicians that you can call to come to you and create a new key fob that will work on your car. You will need to call to schedule an appointment or pay for an emergency auto locksmith if you need someone right away.
Auto locksmiths usually charge between $50 and $200 for key fob replacement service. If it is an emergency, you will have to pay more. You may also have to pay for mileage for the locksmith to visit you.
Do-It-Yourself Car Key Fob Replacement
This actually is not as hard as it might sound! All you have to do is go and buy the blank replacement key that matches your car online or from a local store. Then you can either program the key using the universal key fob programming method or pay a professional to do it for you.
How Much Does It Cost to Have a Key Fob Programmed?
Key fob programming isn’t that expensive, and buying the blank and paying to have it programmed can be a good option. This is especially true if you have a friend who is good with these things. They will likely do it for just a few dollars.
Key Fob Battery Replacement
Key fob battery replacement costs less than ten dollars in most cases. It can be done as easily as snapping the remote apart, replacing the battery with a new one, and snapping the battery back together again.
This is a much preferable fix than replacing the key fob or trying to repair it or having it repaired. Make sure you check that the biggest problem isn’t the battery if you think that your key fob is broken.
How Do I Get Rid of Old Key Fobs?
The best thing to do with old and junk key fobs is to get some money out of them. Why have them sitting around when you can sell them to a company that buys key fobs. One of the best companies for this is We Buy Key Fobs, because they make the process quick and easy.
Why Sell Old Key Fobs?
If you are a business that deals with cars, like a used car dealership or an auto body shop, or you have a huge family with everyone driving, you might be sitting on a pretty nice amount of extra money.
For a business, this can give you an extra sum to offset other costs. For example, you could use the money for extra advertising or offer incentives. You could even have a used key drive and donate the money to charity.
Recycling keys in this way helps the industry as a whole overall, too. Recycling keys help keep the cost of replacement keys lower because manufacturers can always reuse the same precious metal.
Speaking of recycling, everyone is going greener these days, and you should be too. It is good for both the environment and the reputation of your business. Recycling unused car key fobs can be part of your company's contribution to the going greener movement.
How Do I Sell My Old Key Fobs?
The easiest way to sell your old key fobs is to go online and visit We Buy Key Fobs. They are a great company that will walk you through the whole process step by step.
The first thing you will need is a clear picture of all of your key fobs. Group them together so that all the smart keys are separate from the flip keys and so on. Next, take a picture of each group of keys. You can use your phone to take the picture as long as it comes out clear.
You can then upload the pictures, and the professionals at We Buy Key Fobs will give you a quote so you know how much you can expect to get for your keys. Finally, they will send you a shipping label that you can print and use when sending your keys in. That is all you have to do to sell your old key fobs today!
