Key Question

Losing a car key, especially if it is a smart key, is fraught not only with long forced downtime vehicle, but also at considerable expense. However, it is not at all necessary to contact an official dealer with its insane prices for the service and months of waiting. Specialized car services can come to the rescue.

The reason for this note was a real incident with the car of one of my friends. He simply lost the last key from an elderly Toyota Camry- the first one sowed even earlier. The friend’s sadness took on quite definite financial and time contours after a call to one of the brand’s dealership centers. There, having checked the car by VIN, they asked for 20,000 rubles to restore the lost key, warning that the duplicate would be ready in one and a half to two months. The car owner was not satisfied with any of the details of this picture, and therefore the search for alternatives began. It turned out that the city operates sufficient quantity specialized services that help car owners in similar situations. However, even here the total cost of restoring what was lost will not please you.

The calculation was as follows: towing to a car service center - 2,500 rubles, opening a car - from 2,000 rubles, turning off the alarm - from 1,000 rubles, dismantling/installing the ignition switch with making a duplicate key - about 5,000 rubles. And this does not include the cost of the key blank itself. In total - more than 10,000 rubles. Paying even such a sum for memory loss seemed somehow unaffordable - and the search for options continued. As a result, an even more budget-friendly solution was found - with a specialist visiting the parking lot closed car. The main thing here is to indicate at the ordering stage the make, model and year of manufacture of the vehicle (and if in the car’s biography there have already been cases of key replacement, door locks or ignition switch - notify servicemen about this in advance).

The on-site service costs about 6,000 rubles. Moreover, at the request of the client, the master (one would like to call him a security guard) can not only make new keys, but also completely reprogram the car’s immobilizer. The continuing decline in the price of the issue as one dives into the topic has already caused a certain excitement among the confused car owner: to what level can it be brought down in principle? To this end, he began to rummage through layers of folk wisdom on specialized Internet forums of car owners of his brand.

Among other ideas gleaned from the World Wide Web, there was a completely idiotic one: try to use a key from another car of a similar model to open the ill-fated Camry. In the neighboring microdistrict, as it turned out, there lived another, no less happy owner of exactly the same “old woman”, who agreed to provide the key to her for conducting a daring experiment. As a result, it turned out that the key to one car not only perfectly opens the doors of another, but also successfully starts its engine! As a result, restoring lost keys cost only 800 rubles per pair. However, now the forgetful friend is overwhelmed by obsessive doubts about the safety of his car, which he usually parks in the courtyard of his home high-rise building.

No one is immune from annoying misunderstandings - even the most careful and organized person can lose their car keys. Therefore, the question is: “what to do in such a situation?” - will always be relevant.

The most unnerving thing in such situations is that it is impossible to know for sure whether the keys were lost or deliberately stolen. If we take into account the “bad habit” of attaching an alarm key fob and/or keys to a common bunch... In general, we can give reinsurance, but reliable advice - if the search “hot on the heels” did not yield anything, then you need to assume that the keys are abducted.

If there is a second set of keys left

First of all (not forgetting to submit an ad in the style of “on such and such a date a bunch of keys were lost in the area of ​​supermarket N”), you need to re-register the remaining key fob in the alarm memory. During this operation, the memory will be pre-cleared, that is, it will stop responding to commands from the lost one. Of course, this will not make it much more difficult for a potential thief to gain access to the cabin, but someone who accidentally finds the keys will lose the ability to find the car by sound: well, it’s difficult to predict what might come to the mind of an unknown person who has full access to the car.

For at least several days, it makes sense to be careful about where you park, especially at night - choose a lighted place under surveillance cameras or a paid parking lot.

On cars where there is a standard immobilizer, and the chip is mounted in the head of the key and is removed from it, when installing autostart, it is usually removed from the spare key. In fact, in our time this can already be considered a gross mistake - long ago developed and keyless crawlers immobilizer, and alarm systems that support simulation standard key without external crawler. But in order to retain the ability to use the car, you will have to tinker with finding where exactly the crawler unit is hidden in the car - and if the alarm was installed by a professional, then you will have to search for a long time.

Cars with a key card usually have a mechanism for emergency door opening when the battery is dead. For example, with Renault you can remove a mechanical key from the key card, which is inserted into an inconspicuous cylinder on the driver's door. Therefore, when buying a car with an already installed auto start, you need to make sure that the emergency key from the card installed in the immobilizer bypass is removed, giving it for installation yourself - remove it yourself and keep it at home. Otherwise, if the second key card is lost, the task of opening the car will become much more difficult - not all electromechanical locks Such machines can be opened using the classic method with a ruler or hook.

Video: What happens if you lose your car keys.

The next step for a car with an immobilizer is a visit to an authorized dealer. There are two things to do here:

1. First, order a new key.
2. Secondly, ask for a second training of the immobilizer using the saved key, if this car(and this is almost all models) a diagnostic scanner is required for this.

The essence here is the same as when re-registering a key fob - the code of the lost chip will be erased from the immobilizer memory, and the missing set of keys will become practically useless.

Of course, there is a cheaper way - now many companies offer a key cloning service, grinding out a copy of the standard one from a blank and installing a copy of the remaining chip into it. But you need to remember that a lost key will retain full functionality, and saving money can result in subsequent searches for the car.

On machines that have a key card instead of a key, the algorithm of actions will be absolutely the same.

Video: What will (do) happen if you lose all your car keys.

If the car does not have an immobilizer, it is enough to simply make a copy of the remaining key from a blank. Of course, there is still a small risk that the master will make a copy for himself in reserve, but do not forget that for a thief not a single standard lock in a car is a problem, and a car that does not have additional anti-theft means is in constant danger. risk zone.

If there is no second key

In this case, there are few options - few people will dare to open their own car and turn off the ignition switch. Opening the doors may only be necessary if the entire key was hidden in the car during installation (the chip cannot be removed from the key head). Here you can try to open the doors yourself or use the services of autopsy experts, but in any case you need to keep the documents with you: if you open them yourself, you can arouse the expected interest of the police, but the expert will immediately demand to show them so as not to become an accomplice in the crime.

The principle of opening the door is obvious: it is necessary to push the rod of the internal locking button so as to switch it to the “open” state. Depending on the kinematics of the lock, it will need to be either pushed down, or pulled up (on machines with a vertical button), or pushed sideways (on machines where the locking key is built into the internal handle). The classic tool for this is a metal ruler, but it is difficult to give more precise recommendations in the scope of our article: it is better to clarify the features of a particular model on the Internet, a sad experience of opening own car guaranteed to be found on the relevant forum.

An extreme case is pressing the door: using the flexibility of the metal, you can pull it towards you so that you can get to the unlock button in the cabin. But you need to take into account the serious risk of damage to the body metal. This section also includes access through the trunk on hatchbacks and station wagons - if there are no other options, and the car has the ability to open the trunk from the passenger compartment, you can roll up the trunk cylinder, subsequently replacing it with a plug. A suitable tool is a durable bayonet-type screwdriver (with a metal shaft running the entire length, and not just embedded in the plastic handle).

If the key was the last one, there are two options. Comparatively new car, and even more so, if it has an immobilizer, you will have to contact the officials to request it from the factory new chip key or a chip card, and then register them again (alas, you will have to deliver the car to the technical center by tow truck at your own expense; Road Assistance programs rarely provide for such cases). It’s better, of course, not to save money and order two keys already in order to insure yourself against repeating such an experience. If there is no immobilizer, and the car is old, then the cheapest way would be to order a new set of locks at any auto parts store or even at a dismantling shop - when the ordered one arrives, you will have to open one of the doors, and then replace all the locks one by one.

On a number of cars, it is possible to take an impression of the standard cylinder head. Having somehow opened your car, you can look for an offer of such a service in the city and ask the specialists if they can make a cast for this model. This option will save a lot of time, since you won’t have to order new cylinders and install them, and it can also be cheaper in terms of money (especially if you change the cylinders at a car service center).

If you have only one car key left, we strongly recommend that you urgently contact our company to make a spare car key and remove it from the car’s memory lost key. Erasing a key from the car's memory will prevent you from starting the car with a lost key. If you don’t have a single key left, then don’t worry too much. Our company will be happy to help you. And most importantly, the cost of making a new key in our workshop is several times less than official dealer.

Italian machines

Lost all your keys? Recovery

Different ways to make a lost key.

The first method is the most expensive for you, but does not require your personal intervention in the process. You must have with you the documents for the car, and the car itself.

Clients often ask us if it is possible to make keys with only documents for the car. If the car is in another city. Our answer is always the same. This is technically impossible, without a car or an immobilizer unit.

After filling out the application, our specialists will be dispatched to your address. An approximate sequence of our actions.

• The first stage is document verification.
• Opening the car (If it is locked).
• Cutting a key into the inside of a lock. (We don’t change locks, we select a key based on your old lock. It’s cheaper than replacing all the locks with new ones)
• After manufacturing the mechanical part of the key, the master begins manufacturing the transponder (chip) of the key. Most cars are equipped standard immobilizer(alarm).

Making a key for a lock

Lost key programming

A standard alarm system is an alarm system (immobilizer) installed at the manufacturer's factory.

There are car configurations that do not have such an option as an “immobilizer”. In this case, it is enough to make a key for the lock, and the car will start.

Most often, if you have lost all your car keys, we will first of all offer you the cheapest key option. This is the production of a key with a chip without buttons. This key will start the car, but the doors will have to be opened only mechanically by turning the key in the door lock.

Making a key with a chip

Restore key with alarm

Want to save money if you completely lose your keys?

There is an option in which you dismantle the immobilizer block and the driver's door lock, and bring the block and lock to our workshop. Unfortunately, this option is not always possible; please check by phone about your car model.

How to remove the immobilizer unit and lock yourself? And what exactly to shoot?

All cars have immobilizer units that look different. Dismantling process door lock also different for each car. You can find out which block to remove and where it is located by calling. It’s better to immediately write to us in one of the messengers; in 99% of cases we exchange photos with clients about the location of the block. It is also important to understand exactly that you have removed exactly the block that is needed. To eliminate unnecessary travel to the car.

Making a key for a door lock

Immobilizer block, lock, key, chip

Do not try to remove the ignition switch yourself!!!

Often clients want to remove the ignition switch and bring it to us. In almost all cars, to dismantle the ignition switch you need to first turn the key, and only then will it be possible to dismantle the cylinder. But since your keys are lost, this will be extremely difficult to do. To make a key for the ignition switch, a door lock will be enough for us.

How much do your services cost?

The service of restoring a lost ignition key, so to speak “WITHOUT WORRY”, in Moscow and the nearest Moscow region costs approximately from 8,000 to 10,000 rubles. As a rule, this is a key with a chip, but without buttons.

The “I’ll bring an immobilizer and lock” service, depending on the brand, the price ranges from 6,000 thousand to 7,000. We cannot say exactly the cost of our services within the framework of this article, only because the number of car models in the world has exceeded 1,500. There are nuances in each model. We have a Key Catalog section, where you can select a car and get acquainted with the prices in more detail.

The average car owner has several items that, if lost, cause great stress. Few people experienced pleasant sensations when they did not find it in their pocket or on their car. A little less, but still a nuisance - (CASCO or OSAGO). But according to statistics, drivers lose their car keys the most. And it’s good if this embarrassment occurred close to home - then there is a chance to use the second key, which, as a rule, comes with the purchase of a car. But if the car keys disappeared from the car owner’s pocket away from home, then it’s more complicated. And yet the way out of this unpleasant situation There is.

Losing your car keys is not a pleasant situation.

As soon as you discover that the car key is missing, immediately contact your family and friends and find out if it is at home. If the search for home ones is not successful, it is necessary, as mentioned above, to ask them to bring you a second set of keys, which are handed over by the car dealer upon completion of the car purchase/sale transaction. If you purchased the car second-hand and you do not have a duplicate key, or it was also lost, you will have to use outside help.

Let's say your car is new. Then you can call the dealer from whom you purchased the car and ask them to pick up a duplicate key for you. To do this, you will have to provide the dealership representative with information about the car (license number, model, year of purchase), including its VIN code. It’s good if you have this information at hand, but if the VIN code is indicated on a plate located in engine compartment or at the front door opening, the situation becomes more complicated. In this case, you will have to call a tow truck, which will deliver the car to the salon, where its employees will open the doors with a duplicate key and hand it to you. Naturally, the car owner will have to pay for all these operations out of his own pocket (although for those drivers whose car is still under warranty and is covered by free assistance services, they can call a tow truck and open the doors for free). This method is suitable for those whose car was purchased from an official dealer. If " iron Horse» purchased at secondary market, there is no duplicate set of keys, then you will have to act differently.

Now in Russia there are many companies that provide services for making duplicate car keys based on the lock cylinder. Since the key for all cars is suitable for both opening the doors and the ignition switch, this restoration method is quite simple and, compared to restoration through an official dealer, inexpensive. However, there are also unpleasant exceptions this method. The fact is that many Japanese cars The design of the door lock cylinder is such that it will not be possible to make a duplicate key using the first method. There is still a way out: this is a purchase at any disassembly of the kit - an ignition lock, a door lock cylinder and two keys. Having purchased such a kit for your car (when purchasing, you need to check whether these parts will fit your car), you can call a specialist who will replace the ignition switch and door lock cylinder (if the key opens the passenger door and trunk).

All the recommendations described above apply to keys that are not equipped with a microchip associated with the immobilizer installed in the car. Today, almost all car models are equipped with factory immobilizers. In this case, making a duplicate key without a chip that unlocks the immobilizer is pointless - you may still be able to open the car door, but not start the engine. In this case, there is only one way out: contact an official dealer for help. By calling dealership and having reported a problem, you need to be prepared for the fact that the car will have to be transported by tow truck to the car dealership - usually such a home-visit service is not provided. You will make things much easier if you find the card that dealers give to the buyer after purchasing the car. It contains a radio code and an immobilizer code. If you haven’t found such a card, you’ll have to put up with the expenses that will be spent on restoring data about the immobilizer code. The timing here is also different: there have been cases when the dealer received the code and made a duplicate within several weeks, or even a whole month. When the key with the immobilizer chip is in your hands, do not rush to use it: the auto center specialists will have to reset all the data on your car’s immobilizer and configure new parameters so that the key not only opens the doors, but can also start the engine. This, by the way, is a guarantee that the person who finds your key will not be able to open the car doors and start the engine.

Those who own a car purchased second-hand should not despair - their key with a chip can be restored without contacting official dealers of the brand. Today there are companies that have programs that can select codes for almost any immobilizer. They also produce chip keys, and this operation, as a rule, costs less and is carried out faster than from an official dealer. The only question is whether you will entrust such confidential information to such a company - after all, the production of chip keys from official representatives car brands more reliable.

What to do if lost the only key(both keys) to the car or the door slammed? Open the interior, call a burglar, or a tow truck? Or go home for a duplicate? Let's consider various options for solving the problem.

The first thing you need to do is calm down, or at least try to do so. Breathe deeply several times, control your breathing, make sure that your inhalation is deep, until your chest is fully opened. This simple measure will allow your thoughts to calm down and find a way out. Perhaps everything is not so bad, and the loss will soon be found. IN as a last resort– you can call a security guard, and then change the lock.

Search "hot on the heels"

It is necessary to calmly and carefully inspect your pockets and bags again. Perhaps you simply did not find the key in a traditional pocket. Or it has “failed” in the floor of the jacket (in this case, you should feel the jacket, sometimes through a small hole the key gets into the filing on the side or on the back). Try to replay in your head the events that occurred after the car was closed. What you did, where you went, who you talked to - perhaps this will give you an idea of ​​where the lost item might be. If you can’t remember, they begin searching in the surrounding area.

How and where to look?

If you were running somewhere or just moving quickly, the key could have been lost there. It might be worth going all the way to reverse direction, carefully examining the path. If it is a park area, the loss often remains in the same place where it was lost. If it is a public place, he may be out of the way, so the search area should be expanded. It is necessary to inspect the area next to the path within a radius of 2-3 m.

If possible, involve friends and acquaintances in the search. Of course, waiting for them to arrive from the other end of the city is not very effective. During this time, the key may disappear. But if one of them lives nearby, or can get to you within 5-10 minutes, be sure to call him. This will increase your chances of success.

Also if you are in a crowded public place Where you can place an audio ad (market, supermarket, beach), use this service. The text must indicate that you are willing to give a “reward” for the return. Even a small monetary thank you will allow you to get the key back instead of ordering a new one.

The amount of the fee should not exceed your cost of replacing or making a new copy. It is important to understand that when receiving a key from third parties, you risk the fact that it is possible that during half an hour of absence, a duplicate was made for it. However, if your key has a chip, this is quite unlikely.

Failed to find the key: next action plan

If the loss is not found, you have to turn to other methods - continue to search, bring a second key, make a duplicate, open the car (on your own or with the help of a professional locksmith). The choice of action is determined by the characteristics of the machine and your personal situation.

If you have a second key, it is better to have someone bring it to you - this way you can look after the car.

If you have to turn to professionals for help - security guards or tow trucks - make sure that the registration certificate for the car is at hand - no one will break into or tow the car without making sure that the order comes from its owner. The worst thing is if the documents are left inside closed car. Consider how you will prove ownership.

If it is necessary to open the car urgently (there are children or pets inside), regardless of whether the second key is lost, they resort to manual or professional hacking. They also resort to it if you cannot leave the car unattended (there are documents left in sight, a large amount of money, or there is a high risk of car theft).

A separate article has been written in detail on how to open a car yourself using improvised means (). Sometimes it is possible not only to open, but also

When the problem does not require an immediate solution, they leave the car, go for a second key, or order a duplicate using a chip card.

Note: if you lose your only key, you can try placing an advertisement in a newspaper, on a local forum, a group on social networks, or posting advertisements on poles. Don't forget about the reward. But such a solution to the issue takes a long time and has a dubious result, since even if the key is returned, it may turn out to be “compromised.”

Rational method: calling a specialist

In the case when you realized that you do not want to engage in amateur activities, your choice is to call a security guard.

It may be cheaper than buying and installing new glass, or straightening and painting the crumpled edge of the door.

The main advantage of calling a burglary specialist is the integrity of the car, the absence of damage, without the need for subsequent straightening or painting.

It usually takes time to call a specialist. For urgency, you usually have to pay extra. If the problem is resolved on the spot, you will not have to pay for tow truck services.

When you need to call a tow truck

Calling a tow truck is necessary when opening the salon does not solve the problem of moving the car. If you have a key with a chip, you will not be able to start the car. Or if the only key that could start the engine of your car is lost. In this case, it is necessary to change the ignition switch cylinder, and to do this, call a tow truck and deliver the car to a service station.

In this case, the issue of opening the interior will be secondary. It can be resolved at a service station. It is important to deliver the car to the place of upcoming repairs using a special tow truck.

How will the specialist solve the problem?

If your key with chip is lost

One of the latest innovations in the security system and car theft protection is a chip key. How does he work?

A special control system - an immobilizer - is installed on the car engine. It has a transmitting antenna and is connected to the ignition switch. Through the antenna, the system receives messages from the chip built into the key. If the message matches the one stored in its program, then the immobilizer allows the engine to start. If not, the launch does not occur.

Thus, the design of the chip and immobilizer increases the protection of the car against theft.
If you have a car with a chip, then if you lose the key, you will have to contact a company that produces automobile chips. All other measures will not help you. It may be possible to open the door, but it will be impossible to start the car and move on without the chip.

To order and manufacture a duplicate chip, you must provide vehicle documents and personal documents. You can also restore the key if there is no duplicate chip using a card that contains the access code to your car’s immobilizer.

Note: the immobilizer encoding signal can be read with special equipment from a distance of several meters. Thus, its operation can be disrupted by a special hacking device.

When should I order a duplicate key from the dealer?

As a rule, ordering a key and/or lock cylinders from a dealer is much more expensive and you will need to wait much longer (due to the fact that this issue will most likely be dealt with at the manufacturer and passed along the chain of dealers) than contacting a local specialized company .

Therefore, contact the dealer in the following cases:

1. Your car is still under warranty and you want to keep it.
2. You cannot find the lock cylinders/keys on local market and this is the only way out.
3. If you only need a duplicate and you still have the number on the card for the original key. In this case, the price/terms can be comparable to private traders.
4. The manufacturer provides the possibility of producing a key according to vin number cars. In this case, there is no need to remove and change the locks.

What should you do to ensure that losing your key causes as few problems as possible?

The following steps will make it easier to solve the problem if you lose your car keys. Unfortunately, they had to be done before the key was lost.

• When installing an alarm on your car, be sure to ask where your “service” button is. With its help, if necessary, you can remove the car from the alarm system in the absence of a key fob, if it is lost.
• Carefully read the instructions for your car. It may have a mechanism in case the key is lost. For example, there may be slots specifically designed for threading wire and emergency opening of the latch. And some cars have the function of opening doors without a key.
• If you bought a used car with one key, make sure to order a second one. Let it be a spare and stay at home. This will help you if suddenly the main key is lost.
• If you have a key with a chip, save the data from the card (plate) to the immobilizer on documents and on your phone. If the keys are lost or the door slams, the manufacturer will restore them to you based on the availability of codes and your documents.

Take care of your keys and your nerves!