Losing the last key to a car feels like a disaster and usually is not one. Here is the honest sequence, including the part most people get wrong.
First, slow down for sixty seconds
- Check the obvious pockets, then the boot lock and the door pockets.
- Call the last place you were. Keys hand themselves in more often than you would think.
- If there is a spare at home, getting it is almost always cheaper than making a new one — even by taxi.
If none of that lands, you are in all keys lost, which is a specific job with a specific price.
What all-keys-lost actually involves
Three steps. The key code is read from the vehicle. A blank is cut to match. The new key is programmed to the immobiliser so the engine will actually start.
That third step is the one people forget. A cut key with no programming will turn the lock and do nothing else. It is also why a hardware-store copy is not an option on any modern vehicle.
Dealer versus mobile locksmith
The dealer route usually means towing the car in, because you have no key to drive it. Between the tow, the key and the labour it commonly runs higher and takes days, since keys are often ordered in.
A mobile locksmith comes to the car. Same job, no tow, usually same day. The car key replacement page covers what we carry.
What to have ready when you call
- Year, make and model
- Whether it is push-to-start or a turn key
- Whether you have any working key at all
- Where the car is, and whether it is somewhere we can work safely
- Photo ID and proof the car is yours
That last one is not optional. Anyone willing to make you a key without it would make one for somebody else standing next to your car.
The lesson everyone learns late
The cheapest key you will ever buy is the second one, cut while the first still works. Once the last key is gone the job changes from duplication to origination and the price changes with it. If you are reading this after solving the problem, get the spare now.
Where to go next
Need a locksmith in St. Louis? Call (314) 916-6766. Open daily 5:30am–11:30pm. Price agreed on site before any work starts.
Common questions
Can a locksmith make a key with no original?
Yes. All-keys-lost is routine – the code is read from the vehicle, a blank is cut and the key is programmed on site.
Do I need to tow the car to a dealer?
Usually not. A mobile locksmith works at the vehicle, which is the main reason this route is cheaper and faster.
Will my old lost key still work if someone finds it?
It can, unless it is deleted. On most vehicles old keys can be removed from the immobiliser’s list, which is worth doing when a key is lost rather than broken.
How long does it take?
Longer than a spare, because the key is originated rather than copied. We give you a realistic figure on site.