Plain-English problem guide
Lost car keys
Get your vehicle and ownership details ready, then compare a new key, programming, and wiping the lost keys.
What to do first
- See if you can safely get to a spare key
- Secure the car if the keys might have been stolen
- Have the registration and vehicle details to hand
Find a locksmith Avoid making it worse
- Posting your ownership documents anywhere public
- Booking before you know they cover your make and model
- Assuming the cheapest quote includes programming
How a locksmith might tackle it
- Reading the key code or decoding the lock
- Cutting a replacement key
- Programming the chip or remote
- Wiping the missing keys where the car allows it
What changes the cost
- The make and year of the car
- The type of key and security system
- Whether you have lost every key
- Where you are and the time of day
What to prepare
- Registration, and the VIN if you have it
- Photo ID and proof the car is yours
- Exactly where the car is
