Replacement Car Keys?

krinpit

It is very expensive to get a spare car key through an official car dealership (€120 for a Ford Fiesta).

Is there an alternative way to get this done?

Thanks

Seth Brundle

Not really.
The reason for this is the electronics inside the key and I don't think its generally financially viable for other companys to make them.

krinpit

OK, thanks - that answers my question

Seth Brundle

I didn't rule out the possibility of getting one though!
You might be able to get blank ones from ebay or somewhere.

maidhc

Depends on the car.

Ford ones are €25 for the non-remote spare.

krinpit

maidhc wrote:

Depends on the car.

Ford ones are €25 for the non-remote spare.

But as it's non-electronic, this wouldn't start the engine, right?

Anan1

krinpit wrote:

But as it's non-electronic, this wouldn't start the engine, right?

I think by non-remote he means that it won't have the buttons to open the car.

wingnut

You should try Ebay. Depending on the age you can programme them using a master key or two standard key. Some of the ebay sellers can cut it if you send them a good image of your existing key.

I remember getting one done a dealer. He just looked at the key, took down a number and cut it off that.

krinpit

Anan1 wrote:

I think by non-remote he means that it won't have the buttons to open the car.

I would have taken that to be the meaning too, but there's quite a difference between €120 (which I was quoted by an official Ford dealer) and €25

krinpit

wingnut wrote:

You should try Ebay. Depending on the age you can programme them using a master key or two standard key. Some of the ebay sellers can cut it if you send them a good image of your existing key.

I remember getting one done a dealer. He just looked at the key, took down a number and cut it off that.

Very interesting. I will check this out. If I go ahead with it, I'll report back here with the details

maidhc

krinpit wrote:

I would have taken that to be the meaning too, but there's quite a difference between €120 (which I was quoted by an official Ford dealer) and €25

The key has an immobiliser chip in it, but as the above posters said, does not have the buttons. I was quoted €80 for the one with the buttons which is about the same as what they are making on ebay when you factor in the cost of cutting. You can get a plain shaft with no immobiliser chip for €5.

BUT

Ford like to charge an hours labour to code the key. However if you have 2x spare keys already the key can be programmed by the car. The instructions are in the manual, and basicall you

1) Stick in key, start engine
2) Stick in second key, start engine
3) Stick in new unprogrammed key, start engine (and car will be programmed).

You can unprogramme a key if you lost it/gave it to an ex.

I dont think you actually need to start the engine, but a friend told me to do it, and it worked for me.

Also you MUST do the process VERY quickly (wiithin 10 seconds I think).

mapuche

Hi.
I've just been quoted EUR226 for a replacement remote key for my Ford Galaxy. Absolutely outrageous! The two car key thing sounds interesting. When I bought my car I was given two keys - one remote and one non-remote. I was also given what looks like a "plastic" copy/mould. The profile looks exactly like that on my keys. I'm wondering if this can be used as the second key in the above process.

Thanks in advance for any help with this.

EPM

krinpit wrote: »

It is very expensive to get a spare car key through an official car dealership (€120 for a Ford Fiesta).

Is there an alternative way to get this done?

Thanks

Some of the older Ford keys can be programmed and bought cheap enough. I was sent to a shoe repair place once that cut keys to have a new key cut and programmed for a Focus. Yer man couldn't do it as it was the later model but if it had been an earleir one there'd have been no problem

mapuche

maidhc wrote: »

The key has an immobiliser chip in it, but as the above posters said, does not have the buttons. I was quoted €80 for the one with the buttons which is about the same as what they are making on ebay when you factor in the cost of cutting. You can get a plain shaft with no immobiliser chip for €5.

BUT

Ford like to charge an hours labour to code the key. However if you have 2x spare keys already the key can be programmed by the car. The instructions are in the manual, and basicall you

1) Stick in key, start engine
2) Stick in second key, start engine
3) Stick in new unprogrammed key, start engine (and car will be programmed).

You can unprogramme a key if you lost it/gave it to an ex.

I dont think you actually need to start the engine, but a friend told me to do it, and it worked for me.

Also you MUST do the process VERY quickly (wiithin 10 seconds I think).

Hi . I was a given a plastic "emergency" key when I bought the car. It starts the engine and works fine. Can I use this key to reprogram my original key that doesn't work anymore. This original key is a remote key that was dropped and doesn't work anymore.

sbkenn

Generally, it is the computer that is programmed to recognise the transponder. That way, if you lose a key, you can have it's code removed from the list. Then the technician will have the computer read the replacement and add it's code to the list.
Again, generally, you can buy a transponder for under €5, and attach it to an ordinary key ... or buy a key blank and fit the transponder into it.

The expensive bit is the technician's time and callout, if required. Some will charge €250, IMO, simply because they can !

Sio i'Cork like

I don't have a spare key for my Mazda and I was quoted €80 to get the key, cut and programmed in Nutgrove Shopping Centre. At the time I thought it was a rip off but after some research it seems to be a bargain.

Plane Mad

Can I ask why u thought it was a rip of 80 euro for the car key

sliabh 1956

When I updated my car to a 2013 Ford Fiesta yesterday I noticed the keys were standard issue there is no remote locking facility on them can the standard key be modified or must I get new keys for the remote locking to work

bazz26

This thread is older than your Fiesta.

TheShow

sliabh 1956 wrote: »

When I updated my car to a 2013 Ford Fiesta yesterday I noticed the keys were standard issue there is no remote locking facility on them can the standard key be modified or must I get new keys for the remote locking to work

Does the car have remote locking feature would be my first though.
if its a basic model, it might not.

bazz26

Remote central locking was an optional extra on base model Fiestas. Only cost something like €70 but Ford being daft kept it on the options list.

sliabh 1956

It has remote locking but the key has no facility on it

bazz26

That's probably the way Ford designed them.