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Mechanical, transponder, remote, laser-cut and proximity keys: how each works and what replacing one involves.
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The type of key your vehicle uses decides almost everything about replacing it: whether a copy can be cut on site, whether it needs programming, whether the work can be done at your location, and roughly what it costs. Two keys that look similar can be very different jobs, because the important part is often the electronics inside the head rather than the metal blade.
This guide describes the key types found on cars, SUVs, vans and light trucks on Ontario roads, how to tell which one you have, and what replacing each involves. For booking a replacement, see car key replacement.
A plain metal key with cuts along one or both edges, and nothing inside the head. These were standard until the late 1990s and still turn up on older vehicles, trailers and some work vehicles.
A mechanical key can be cut from the existing key, from the key code, or by decoding the door or ignition lock. Because nothing has to be programmed, it is the simplest key to replace. On a modern vehicle, a plain metal key is usually only the emergency blade hidden inside a fob.
A transponder key has a small chip in the plastic head. When the key is in the ignition, the vehicle reads the chip, and the immobilizer allows the engine to start only if it recognizes it. Canadian rules have required electronic immobilizers on most new passenger vehicles since 2007, and many vehicles had them earlier, so most keys now on the road contain a chip even if they have no buttons.
Replacing a transponder key involves two steps: cutting the blade and programming the chip to the vehicle. A key with the wrong chip, or one that has not been programmed, will open the doors but will not start the engine. Some chips can be cloned from an existing key; others have to be added to the vehicle's memory with a programming tool. See car key programming.
A remote head key combines the transponder and the lock and unlock buttons in one head. A flip key, sometimes called a switchblade key, is the same idea with a blade that folds into the fob.
These need three things done: the blade cut, the transponder programmed for starting, and the remote programmed for the buttons. On some vehicles the remote and the transponder are programmed separately, so a key can start the car while the buttons do nothing, or the reverse. Worn flip mechanisms and cracked shells can often be replaced without replacing the electronics.
Laser-cut keys, also called high-security, sidewinder or internal-cut keys, have a groove milled into the flat face of the blade instead of notches cut into the edge. They are thicker, harder to copy and fit locks with tighter tolerances. Many European and Japanese vehicles use them, and so do a growing number of others.
They need a key machine that can mill the pattern, and usually a transponder as well. A worn laser-cut key can sometimes be recut from the vehicle's key code rather than copied, which gives a cleaner key than duplicating the wear.
A proximity key stays in your pocket or bag. The vehicle detects it nearby, unlocks the door when you touch the handle, and lets you start the engine with a button. Inside most smart keys is a small mechanical blade for the door lock in case the battery dies.
Replacing a smart key means programming a new fob to the vehicle, which on many models requires security access through a diagnostic tool. Adding a spare while you still have one working key is usually simpler and less expensive than replacing the last key. When the fob battery is flat, most vehicles still start if you hold the fob against the start button or place it in a marked spot, which the owner's manual describes. Range and battery problems are explained on why your car key fob has poor range, and push-button vehicles on keys for push-to-start vehicles.
Some newer vehicles use a credit-card-sized key, or let a phone act as the key through the manufacturer's app. These are usually set up and managed through the dealer or the manufacturer's account rather than cut or programmed by a locksmith. If the vehicle also has a conventional fob, that fob can often be replaced in the usual way.
Some vehicles come with a valet key that starts the engine and opens the doors but not the trunk or glovebox. It is a full transponder key in every other respect, so if it is lost it should be treated like any other key.
A spare is worth having. When every key is lost, the vehicle often has to have its key memory reset or rebuilt, and on some models that takes longer or needs dealer involvement. Duplicating a working key costs less. See car key duplication.
Whatever the type, a replacement starts with the same information:
Keys bought online can sometimes be programmed, but many are the wrong frequency, have already been locked to another vehicle, or use a chip the vehicle will not accept. See can you program a car key or fob bought online. Very low-priced replacements carry their own risks, set out in this article on low-cost car key replacement.
If no working key is left, the job is still usually possible: the key is cut by code or by decoding a lock, and the vehicle's key memory is reprogrammed so the lost keys no longer start it. The practical steps are on lost car keys with no spare. For a key locked inside the vehicle rather than lost, see car lockout service.
Keep reading
If the vehicle is from the late 1990s or newer, it very likely does, even with no buttons. A key code, the owner's manual or a technician reading the key will confirm it.
If the vehicle is from the late 1990s or newer, it very likely does, even with no buttons. A key code, the owner's manual or a technician reading the key will confirm it.
The blade was cut, but the transponder chip was missing, wrong or not programmed. The immobilizer will not allow the engine to start until the chip is recognized.
A key with a groove milled into the flat face of the blade instead of notches on the edge. It needs a specific key machine to cut.
Often, yes. Many proximity keys can be programmed on site with the right tool. Some models or model years still require dealer involvement, which the VIN helps identify.
Use the blade hidden inside the fob to open the door. Most vehicles will still start if you hold the fob against the start button or in a marked spot described in the manual.
Usually. Adding a key while one still works is simpler than replacing the last key, which can require resetting the vehicle's key memory.
The make, model, year and VIN, plus registration or ownership documents and matching identification.
Sometimes. Many online keys use the wrong chip or frequency, or have already been locked to another vehicle, so check before buying.
GTA Lockman Mobile Locksmith Services is a mobile locksmith working on homes, businesses and vehicles across Toronto and the GTA, with more than 14 years in the trade. Every review is written by a customer on Google, where you can read them in full.
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