Automotive
Need a spare car key? We cut and program the copy
We cut a copy of your working car key and, when the key carries a chip, program the copy to the car.
Where
South-eastern Pennsylvania
What we cover
Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Lancaster County and Philadelphia
How we work
We are a mobile locksmith. We come to you.
What this covers
Car key duplication is for the driver who still has a working key and wants a second one before the first goes missing. We make the new key from the one you have, and when the original carries a chip, the copy is set up so the car recognizes it too. A spare kept at home turns a lost key into an inconvenience instead of a bigger job, which is why this is worth doing while a working key is still in your hand.
How we approach it
We start with the key you have: a plain metal key, a key with a chip in the head, or a key with remote buttons. That decides what the copy needs. The blade is cut to match and tried in the door and the ignition. If the key has a chip, the copy is programmed to the car and checked by starting the engine, not just by turning the lock. The work is done where the car is parked.
Where it stops
A copy can only be as good as the key it is made from. If your only key is badly worn, bent or cracked, we will say so and talk about making a fresh key instead of copying the damage. Duplication also stays with the key itself. Faults in the car's wiring or its security electronics belong with a mechanic or a dealer.
What car key duplication covers
Cut a copy of a working car key, program the copy when the key carries a chip.
Worth knowing
The best time to get a spare is before you need one. With a working key in hand, the job is a copy. With no key left at all, the car needs a new key made from its own information, which takes more work and more paperwork. That difference is the whole argument for a spare, and it is why a driver down to one key should think about a copy now.
A key can look plain and still carry a chip in its head. A copy cut at a hardware counter may open the doors and still leave the car unable to start, because the car does not recognize the new chip. When we duplicate a chipped key, the copy is programmed to the car, and we check it by starting the engine before the job is finished.
Keep the spare somewhere you will remember, and not inside the car. A spare left in the glove box helps whoever gets into the car, and it does nothing for you when the keys are locked inside. A drawer you always use at home, or a person you trust nearby, is the right place for it.
Car Key Duplication: questions before you call
What should I tell you if my car key starts the engine but the buttons stopped working?
Tell us that the key starts the car but the buttons do not respond. That points to two separate parts of the job: the metal key itself and the remote buttons. A plain copy can be different from a copy that also needs button functions set up. One useful detail is whether the key has lock and panic buttons on the same piece.
Do I need to have every key for my car with me if I want one extra copy?
Having every working key there helps because we can compare what each one does before we make another. Bring any key that starts the car, even if one has no buttons or one is worn smooth. A concrete detail to tell us is whether one key starts the engine and another only opens the ignition slot partway.
How is copying my only working car key different from making one after I lost all of them?
Copying one working key is a different job from starting with no working key at all. If you still have a key that starts the engine, tell us that first, because duplication stays within that setup. If every key is gone, say that clearly on the phone. One concrete detail is whether the missing key was the only one that would start the car.
What changes if my car uses a push-button start fob instead of a metal key?
The hardware changes the job because a push-button start fob is not handled the same way as a plain key blade. Tell us whether you insert a key into an ignition slot or you press a start button with the fob in the car. One concrete detail is whether there is a small backup key hidden inside the fob.
My only key is bent and sticky in the ignition, so should I wait to copy it?
Do not wait if the key is already bent or dragging, because that condition matters when we plan the duplicate. Tell us exactly what it does now, such as needing a wiggle before the dash lights come on. Also say if the head of the key is cracked where it meets the metal, because that changes how we handle the key during the work.
