Losing one smart key is a hassle. Finding out you have lost all smart keys to a push-to-start car is a bigger problem: the car will not start, it may not unlock, and you cannot drive it to a shop. The good news is that for many supported vehicles, a new smart key can still be programmed without the original. This guide explains what happens next, what to have ready, and when to call a locksmith in Austin.
What Happens When You Lose All Your Smart Keys
A smart key (also called a proximity key or push-to-start fob) talks to the car by radio. The car only starts when it detects a key it has been programmed to accept. When every key is gone, there is nothing left for the car to recognize, so a new key has to be programmed directly to the car’s security system.
That is different from copying a key. With a working key, adding a spare is usually simpler. When all keys are lost, the job is called an “all keys lost” situation, and it often takes more steps. If you are not sure what kind of key you had, read smart key vs key fob.
Steps to Take When You Have Lost All Smart Keys
1. Search the Likely Places Once More
Check jacket pockets, bags, the gym, your workplace and the last store you visited. Ask anyone who drove the car recently. A few minutes here can save the cost of new keys.
2. Secure the Car
If the car is unlocked and you cannot lock it, remove valuables. If you think the keys were stolen with something that shows your address, take that into account when you decide how quickly to act.
3. Find Your VIN and Ownership Documents
The VIN is on the dashboard at the bottom of the windshield, on the driver door frame, and on your registration and insurance card. Any reputable locksmith or dealer will ask for ID and proof of ownership before making a key.
4. Decide Between a Dealer and a Locksmith
A dealer usually needs the car at the service department, which means a tow if no key is left. A mobile automotive locksmith may be able to come to the car. Our guide to dealer vs locksmith for car keys compares both options.
5. Order More Than One Key
Once you are back to one key, you are one loss away from the same problem. Many owners ask for two keys during the same visit.
How a Locksmith Replaces Lost Smart Keys
Every vehicle is a little different, but most all-keys-lost smart key jobs follow the same pattern:
- Vehicle details: year, make, model, trim and VIN, so the right key can be sourced.
- Ownership check: ID with registration or title before any work starts.
- Getting in: if the car is locked, it is opened without damage first.
- Emergency blade: most smart keys hide a small metal blade for the door, which is cut to match the car.
- Programming: the new smart key is programmed to the car with diagnostic equipment.
- Testing: push-button start, locks, trunk and remote buttons are checked.
On many vehicles, programming after all keys are lost also removes the missing keys from the car’s memory, so a lost key cannot be used to start it. Ask to confirm this for your vehicle. You can learn more on our smart key and push-to-start page and our car key programming page.
Lost All Smart Keys vs a Smart Key That Stopped Working
Sometimes the key is not lost at all. If you still have a key but the car says “key not detected,” the cause may be a weak battery, a damaged fob or interference. Try the steps in push-to-start key not detected fixes before you assume the key needs replacing.
What Affects the Cost and Time
There is no single price for replacing lost smart keys. The main factors are:
- The make, model and year, and how the car’s security system works
- Whether any working key is left (all keys lost usually takes longer)
- The type of smart key and the number of keys you want
- Where the car is parked and whether it is locked
For a closer look at pricing factors, read key fob replacement cost in Austin. For the full service, see lost car keys in Austin.
How to Avoid Losing All Your Smart Keys Again
- Keep a second key at home, not on the same ring as the first.
- Replace a key battery when the car warns you it is low.
- Get a spare made as soon as you are down to one key. See key duplication.
Lost All Smart Keys FAQs
Can a locksmith make a smart key if I lost all of them?
For many supported vehicles, yes. An automotive locksmith can program a new smart key to the car even when no working key is left. You will need proof of ownership, and you should call to confirm your year and model.
Do I have to tow my car to the dealer if I lost all my smart keys?
Not always. A push-to-start car with no key cannot be driven, but a mobile locksmith may be able to program a new smart key where the car is parked, which can save a tow. Ask about your location when you call.
Will my lost smart keys still work after a new one is programmed?
On many vehicles, programming new keys after an all-keys-lost situation erases the old keys from the car, so a lost key cannot start it. Ask your locksmith to confirm this for your vehicle.
Why does all keys lost take longer than making a spare?
With a working key, the car can often add a new key quickly. With no key, the car’s security system has to be accessed in a different way, the emergency blade may need to be cut from the vehicle information, and some cars need extra steps.
How much does it cost to replace all lost smart keys?
It depends on the make, model and year, the type of smart key, how many keys you want and where the car is parked. Call Austin Snap Keys at (512) 897-2872 with your vehicle details for a quote.
Should I get two smart keys made at once?
Many owners do. Having a second key made during the same visit means one lost key later does not put you back in an all-keys-lost situation.
Lost All Your Smart Keys in Austin?
Austin Snap Keys helps drivers in Austin, TX with smart key replacement and programming for supported vehicles, including when every key is lost. Call (512) 897-2872 with your year, make and model, and tell us where the car is parked. Please call to confirm your year and model before we schedule the work.