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What are the first steps to take when you lose your car key before it can be duplicated?
- How and where can I have my car key duplicated?
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Duplicate car keys: How high are the costs?
- Conclusion: copy car keys – costs, differences and functions
What are the first steps to take when you lose your car key before it can be duplicated?
If you have lost your car key or been the victim of a key theft, you must first take the following steps. Only when these are done can the car key be copied.
- Looking for a second key and the car first park safely, for example in a locked garage. This means that the car is initially inaccessible to other people if the car key should have gotten into the hands of thieves.
- If there is a suspicion that the key has been stolen, immediately Notify the police of the loss.
- Also the Notify the insurance company of the loss – regardless of whether the key has been misplaced or stolen. This ensures that the insurance protection remains in place.
How and where can I have my car key duplicated?
How and where you can have your car key copied depends on whether it is a mechanical key or one radio key acts. For owners of a mechanical key, the problem can be solved quickly and inexpensively. Replacing a radio key involves more effort.
Important when copying car keys: With both types of keys, the owner must be able to produce an original key. In this case it is the second key.
Replacement of a mechanical car key
Anyone who owns a classic car key without electronics has the least effort: a mechanical key can be obtained for a few euros by presenting the original key locksmith imitate Locksmiths who also copy car keys can often be found near larger supermarkets or in shopping malls.
If you cannot present a second key, you must contact your dealer or manufacturer. In this case it will be expensive as the whole lock may have to be replaced.
Replacement of a radio key
The majority of drivers today have a radio key that is equipped with modern technology. This allows the trolley to be opened and closed by remote control. In most cases, this also includes an electronic immobilizer and central locking. Some of the keys have additional high-tech functions – e.g. B. a data store of mileage and error codes. Basically, the more high-tech additional functions the key contains, the more expensive and complex it becomes to copy the car key.
Radio keys can only be at a specialist workshop, an authorized dealer or the manufacturer. Programming the key is very time-consuming and can take up to five working days. The owner must submit the following documents be able:
- Valid identity card or passport
- Registration certificate Part I / vehicle registration)
- Registration certificate part 2 (vehicle registration)
The specialist workshop, the authorized dealer or the manufacturer uses the chassis number to produce the new key (or both keys if the second key is also no longer available). The keys, like the car itself, are reprogrammed.
Duplicate car keys: How high are the costs?
The cost of duplicating a car key varies depending on the make, model, key type, location and provider.
If you want to have a radio key copied, you have to reckon with relatively high costs. Because the key always has to be reprogrammed. It is cheaper to have a mechanical car key copied. An overview:
- Mechanical key: around 10-20 euros
- Mechanical key with chip: around 40-50 euros
- Modern radio key: from around 100-300 euros
Since the replacement keys for radio keys also have to be recoded and reprogrammed, this costs around 40 euros per key.
Conclusion: copy car keys – costs, differences and functions
If you have a classic, mechanical key, you can have it copied by a locksmith for a few euros. Radio keys can only be duplicated at an authorized dealer, manufacturer or specialist workshop. Since they have to be reprogrammed, replacing them involves more effort and higher costs.
