Replacing keys are expensive

I made the stupid mistake ($300+) of placing my keys on the roof of my wife's Dodge Journey while I put my kids in the car, I then got into the vehicle completely forgetting them on the roof. When my wife was turning onto the highway she heard light metal on metal sliding sound and I said it was probably something in the back shifting around. Little did I know it was my keys. She has one of those smart keys that you don't need to touch to start the car (except remote start), unlock or lock. So I bought a a flip style key for the Tundra ($40) and another smart key for hers ($30) The Toyota dealership here in killeen, TX wants $120 to reprogram the remote, and $140 for the dodge key, plus 15 for a replacement house key, I had bought the AJT design key FOB case a couple months ago. Been driving for over a decade and never lost any keys until this past Friday, won't happen again

 

I had a similar thing happen to me 3 years ago. Convinced the wife to come with me to Lake Lewisville (1.5 hour drive, north side of DFW) to a stand up jetski group ride - on a Sunday. We get ther and everything is going smoothly. At one point I come to shore and grab the keys from her to get my sunglasses out of the truck. I assume I tucked they keys into my waistband for the walk back. I go out, ride more and have a blast. At about 4:30 we're both ready to go and we start loading up... then we can't find the keys. I furiously scour the entire park and beach to no avail, wasting a good 45 minutes in the process. Our dry clothes and my wife's purse are in the truck, locked up.... Everybody at the ride is going the opposite direction of us. One of the guys agrees to take my skis back to his house for safe keeping for the night. Luckily I had my phone and it wasn't locked in the truck.

Step 1: Call locksmith. He takes a good hour to show up and I have to walk about a mile to meet him, outside the park. The front entrance to the park was closed due to recent flooding and the secondary entrance was slightly difficult to find. The locksmith doesn't want to listen to me and drives around a barrier. About 5 minutes after this we come to a low crossing that looks to have a good foot of mud across it. I tell the guy to turn around, he doesn't listen and proceeds to drive towards the mud in his 2wd Ram. Obviously he has no idea what he's doing and SLOWS DOWN before he gets to the mud and enters. Boom. Stuck. Add to that we're in a fairly empty part of the park, which is closing soon and it's getting dark. We're also a good 2 miles away from the my wife and truck. By chance we're able to flag somebody down to pull us out. Long story short we get pulled out and make it back to my truck. He whips out an air bladder and has my door unlocked in about 30 seconds. $200 instantly charged.

Step 2: Get back home. We finally put on dry clothes and thankfully my wife had the apartment key in her purse. We download the Uber app for the first time and manage to get one to accept (it's an hour and a half drive!). We walk a mile to meet up with the driver, hop in and head home. An hour and a half later we get dropped off. Uber ride was only $75!!!

Step 3: Go get the truck. At this point it's like 9:30 PM and we silently drive back to Lewisville. Wife drops me off at the park entrance. I walk a mile in the pitch black darkness back to my truck. We meet up, then drive another hour and a half home. We arrive home at like 12:45 and pass out. I need to add, my second remote had died and didn't work, even with a new battery. The only key I have is the grey valet key, which luckily works to unlock and start the truck. No idea what ever happened to my other spare black key.

Step 4: Get the jet skis back. I work about 45 minutes away from home in the opposite direction of DFW. After work a few days later I drive the 2.5 hours to pick up my skis, then 2 hours back. Get home that day around 9PM.

Step 5: Get new keys for the truck. The local dealership quotes me like $90 for two new keys and $120 for a remote, plus another $50 or so for reprogramming. Should be done in 30 minutes. The service writer finds me after I've been waiting for an hour and tells me that they can't program keys off of the valet key. They have to re-flash the computer for a new set of keys and it's going to take 4 hours. Also, the bill is now $800.

Conclusion: In twenty years of driving I've NEVER lost a set of keys until that day. I suspect I never will again. Luckily my wife was a good sport about the whole thing. About a year later we move and as we're unpacking I find my extra black key. Moral of the story, losing your keys is REALLY expensive in both money AND time. 0/10, would not recommend.

 

Mine fell or of my pocket one time and right into the toilet as it was flushing....




BYE BYE KEYS! It cost me extra because it was a Sunday and considered an emergency

 

THIS. The month after I got my '98 Passat I was visiting a buddy at the high school where he had just become Principal. It must have been a week day, out of term because I don't recall other people there.

Anyway, I used a toilet in a staff bathroom, one of those several-cubicles type of set-ups. As I was about to flush, I saw my keys drop into the bowl. I recall an instantaneous thought about waiting to grab them after I'd flush-- you know, because then the water wouldn't have pee in it . Yep, flushed and WHOOOSHHH! Gone forever down the most impressive industrial plumbing system I've ever seen. Brand new key and fob, both 90's huge.

So. Then I had to get my buddy to drive me from the school, located just north of the border with Mexico, all the way up to Miramar for a chiropractic appointment I'd had set. Then home to La Mesa to get the extra set, then back down to the border to get my car. PITA. Then I bought him dinner of course.

He did it, but he still laughs at me. I mean, I saw them fall in,and still flushed the toilet.

 

Pavlov's dog!...ring bell is to salivate as poop is to flush!;-)>

B

p.s. When I bought my used tundra the dealership only had one key/fob set. Asked if they had the second one and of course not. not turned in by previous owner. It was the last day of the month so I told them what I would pay, OTD and what they had to fix (tailgate cover and second key/fob). They said they could get me a second key/fob to $200.00. I point blank asked them if it was worth losing a sale over $200.00. They went and discussed it and put the key/fob into the paperwork...;-)>

 

I ordered the Techstream software hopefully to save some money as I read you can use it to program the keys, my wife's keys im checking with an automotive locksmith to see if they can do it cheaper than the dealership.

My wife wasn't really bothered by me losing the keys, I don't think she really knows the cost. Definitely will not be doing it again.

 

I have a 2016 Crewmax that needed an extra key so went to a local dealer. The price of the key was something like $40 but to program it they said was $140. WTF!
I ordered a key on Amazon for cheap and have a friend who works in the business. I asked him about keys and He turned me on to a pro that apparently works for a regional company that has techs traveling all over the country in different regions to different dealers.

Guess what they do out of their little trucks... cut and program keys! For dealers...

so I made the call, met the guy, (in a dealer parking lot LOL on a specified date and time, and for $40 (and my key code number) cut my key and “programmed it in about 10 minutes or less.

I would ask around or anyone you might know in the business.
I will search records and see if I can find the name of this company and PM you. I don’t think many dealers have the equipment to do in-house key programming. This was a very big dealership. I think the key guys are like the scratch and dent fixers who travel around to dealerships on certain days and do a bunch of specialized work on site. My take on this is the dealer only handles the paperwork and mark up the price.

 

I will not buy a vehicle without 2 full sets. Bought the ex a Liberty once and sales guy said the previous owner was coming in any day with second set and the would mail to me. I said not good enough I want it on writing that you will provide second set and fob. They did. A week later I got second set in mail.

 

After this I'm getting a third set for a just in case scenario, like this one.

 

Locksmith shops can be negotiated with for this as well. It's a racket for sure. Valet hide-a key setup wouldn't hurt. Think that's going on my to do list.

 

I had a 2007 Mustang GT and had two keys. There is a way to program a third key as long as you have two keys and can do it yourself. Don't remember the step by step but you use one key in the ignition, then the second, then the one you want to program. $0....plus cost of the key with chip.

EDIT - steps (example for Ford)
Installation Instructions

1. Cycle your Stang from "off" to "on" eight times. ...
2. You will hear the doors lock and unlock to acknowledge the Stang is program mode.
3. Press any button on the first keyless entry remote.
4. Repeat on second and any other remote you want to program (up to a total of four)

 

I got my flip style key yesterday and had a locksmith cut it since the dealership wouldn't touch it because i didn't buy it from them. I think that is BS but its how they make there money. I did get my key codes for free, the manager told me they usually charge for them. I had a mobile locksmith come cut the key and he had me try to make sure it fit the door cylinder and the ignition cylinder, i also tried to start to make sure it made a smooth transition through each cycle. I tried to start it but it failed since the key had not yet been registered.

I took the newly cut key and loaded up my techstream software i got off Amazon. It all about 5 minutes to program the immobilizer (chip registration) and the Fob itself so i can lock/unlock the doors. The key works as it should, the doors lock/unlock, and my fortin evo alarm still works since it relies on the lock/unlock commands from the FOB.

Links for the key and software and cable bundle

G-Chip Flip Style Key - Ebay

DIAGKING Mini Vci J2534 TIS Techstream Diagnostic Cable for Toyota Firmware V1.4.1

Techstream bundle - Amazon