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Car Key Replacement in Melbourne
At 24h Melbourne Locksmith, we can make car keys and remotes from scratch, on site by the roadside, for most makes and models of car. 99% of cars built after 1995 have an electronic immobiliser in them which requires a correctly programmed transponder key to start them. The transponder and immobiliser system are separate from your key and remote.
Cutting The Key
The basic procedure for making replacement keys for a car where all the originals have been lost all starts with the same steps.
- Open the locked vehicle using the most appropriate method. This is always done without causing any damage.
- Disassemble one or more of the locks. There may be the door, ignition, boot, petrol cap, glove box, spare wheel, roof racks, etc.
- 80% of the info needed to cut the correct key can be gained from the disassembled lock/s. Determine the configuration of the correct key. The remaining 20% is gleamed thru experience, hard work, & expensive computer software.
- Cut a test key on a low quality plain brass key blank only, using the most appropriate method and machine.
- Test the key in all the locks, and adjust and re-cut the key as many times as necessary to get it 100% perfect.
- Re-assemble the disassembled locks and parts and install back into the vehicle.
- Cut 2 new keys/blades to the correct, specifications determined by the previous 6 steps. These keys/blades are high-quality nickel-silver key blanks that will be the end product given to the client.
- Test those 2 keys/blades in all the locks mechanically. They should now mechanically function in the doors, ignition and any other locks in the car. It's worth noting at this point that if the key/blade is turned in the ignition, the car will not start. It still has no transponder.
- Insert the correct, un-programmed transponders into the keys! There are currently about 150 different types of transponder chips used by today's car makers, that then still have to be programmed into the car.
Those are the first basic steps to make replacement car keys when all have been lost. There are some exceptions to these basic steps with some cars being harder to generate keys for than others.
From here, the methods used to deliver the full product of a remote transponder key, diverge depending on the manufacturer and the key & transponder used.
Diagnostic Programming
Broadly speaking, Diagnostic Programming is the use of a specialist computer tool to connect to the car’s security system through the OBD port, which is usually hidden somewhere under the dash. There are many different Diagnostic Tools & procedures for many different cars and systems, and there is no single Diagnostic Tool that can program all keys & remotes to all cars. Once the appropriate Diagnostic Tool is connected, depending on the car, the Tool, and the type of system used, we have the ability to delete any lost keys & remotes, and program in new keys & remotes.
There is usually an additional digital security challenge like a system PIN code, or a timed security delay that has to be met before we can proceed with programming keys or remotes, and this varies for maker to maker, model to model, and even changes mid series in some cases. Sometimes we will require you to get this info from the Dealer, and it may require your ID.
Diagnostic Programming is the most straight forward type of Transponder programming and therefore the cheapest. Providing all the conditions have been met regarding the correct key, correct chip, correct remote, correct PIN code, correct Tool, full battery, alignment of the planets, correct star sign, angle of the sun relative to the horizon at midday in your latitude, then it is relatively easy to follow the onscreen prompts of the Diagnostic Tool to generate replacement keys to the car.
Not all cars can have keys Diagnostically programmed into them. Some cars require other methods of programming, such as EEPROM or Chicken Dance.
EEPROM Programming
EEPROM stands for Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, a type of computer chip used in a wide variety of modern electronics. More about the general use can be read here, but for the purpose of this discussion, it’s a method of correctly programming the car and/or the transponder chip so that the car will start when you turn the key.
EEPROM programing for a modern car first involves finding the car’s ECU, which could be in the instrument cluster, under the dash, or absolutely anywhere else depending on the make and model of the car. After locating the ECU, removing it can be easy or hard depending on where it is installed. With some models of car, a professional mechanic’s skills and a couple of hours of his labor are needed to remove the ECU. Once the ECU is out, it’s usually best to work on it in a static sterile environment, such as on an electronics bench under a big magnifying glass.
The EEPROM chip is located somewhere on the main circuit board, and depending on the board, system & chip, it might have to be de-soldered from the board to be read, or may be able to be read in circuit with specialized electronic equipment and teeny tiny little clamps. The info on the EEPROM chip is either modified to suit the new keys/transponders or the data from that EEPROM chip is copied into the new keys / transponders. If necessary the EEPROM chip is then re-soldered back onto the ECU, the ECU is installed back into the car, and the rest of the car is re-assembled.
Remote Programming
In some cars, the remotes for the central locking or alarm system are programmed during the Diagnostic or EEPROM process. For those cars that do not use these processes to program the remotes, they usually have the remote programmed by “chicken dance”. Each make, model and year has its own proprietary chicken dance, and you have to perform all the correct steps in the correct order to successfully program the remote.
An example of a chicken dance might be:
- Put the key in & out of the ignition 3 times quickly.
- Open and shut the driver's door 4 times quickly.
- Scratch your left eyebrow with your right hand.
- Flick the rear demister 5 times.
- Turn the ignition to Accessories.
- Whisper the sacred text to Odin.
- Press and hold the button on the new remote.
There are many many different types of car remote, with them differing in size, shape, color, number of buttons, frequency transmitted, etc. A great number of cars now have Remote Flip Keys, with all the components mounted into a single handy unit housing the key, remote, & transponder all in one trendy cover that flips out the key when pushed. These flip keys started in the early 2000 European cars, but now can be found across all manufacturers. Some cars require an OEM (Factory Original) Remote to be used, so the client cannot have any choice in the colors, shapes or style, and has to use what the manufacturer dictates. Other cars can use aftermarket alternatives with a wide variety of choice in configurations, styles, and colors.
Some cars require an OEM (Factory Original) Remote to be used, so the client cannot have any choice in the colors, shapes or style, and has to use what the manufacturer dictates. Other cars can use aftermarket alternatives with a wide variety of choice in configurations, styles, and colors.
Proximity & Smart Keys
An ever-growing proportion of cars on the road today have Proximity or Smart Keys and the feature of push button start. This is where the car has sensors that detect the correct key when it’s close by and allows entry & starting of the car. You don’t even have to take the key out of your pocket.
It’s important to note that even though they may be hidden, ALL of these cars have mechanical key locks in the door and usually also under the push button start. This is for mechanical override in the event of a fault in the car or a flat battery in either the car or the key. To make car keys for a car with a proximity key system, the basic steps are still the same to make the mechanical keys. Transponders and remotes are usually programmed via the Diagnostic method of car key replacement in Melbourne, but not always.
Most Proximity & Smart Keys have to use OEM equipment, although there are a number of new aftermarket options available this year.
- What Information We Need
Every make and model is different, with different blades, remotes and transponders across models and years. For this reason, we need the full details of the car in order to accurately quote you. We can get the full info of the car through a number of ways. The easiest way is to give us the License Plate number if the car is registered with Vic Roads. From this link, we can get the VIN, which we can use to identify the make, model, year and month of the individual car. Simply call us with the License Plate or VIN for a fast accurate quote.
Modern Car Keys and Components
Since the early 90s, most vehicles come with quite sophisticated security features, incorporating electronic immobilizers, high security locks, and central locking systems. Modern car keys have also become very sophisticated to match. As well as the traditional key blade that varies widely in type and security level, the modern car key can also have a remote control for the central locking, a transponder chip, and possibly even a touch screen!
We shall examine in detail the 3 main components that make up a modern car key. Only if you have an all metal key, with no plastic at all on it: AND it actually starts the car, only then can you be assured that you don’t have a car with an immobilizer that requires a transponder within your key. Continue reading for more information about each of the 3 main modern car key characteristics.
Blade
Transponder
Remote
Your car key may not have all 3 of these components, but if you own a vehicle that was built after 1995, then you can almost guarantee that the vehicle has an electronic immobiliser and the key is a transponder key. There are a few exceptions (some trucks and industrial vehicles), but they are very rare. Even if your key has no visible electronics, but has a plastic head, chances are that is has a chip hidden within the plastic head.
Learn More About:
Mechanical Key Blade
On cars made after 2010, car keys with blades are often only used as a backup in the event of power failure and are hidden inside the remote key, either by a button which flips them out, or a small catch that releases them.
Although your car may appear to have no physical locks, all cars are fitted with mechanical locks in the event of battery failure. Look closely under the covers of your door handles, or at the top of your remote key. More than likely you’ll find one.
Most car keys designed before the year 2000 are of the “saw tooth” type. These keys vary in profile and size, have cuts at different depths on both sides of the blade, and are usually symmetrical. The majority of car locks designed for these keys are double sided, inline wafer locks, with x amount of locking wafers on one side and y amount of locking wafers on the other. A functioning key needs only be cut with x cuts on one side and y cuts on the other, and then inserted in the correct orientation.
However, a correct “saw tooth” key, with both x and y cuts on both sides, can be inserted either way and still function perfectly. This is an oft overlooked important feature of modern car keys that helps to minimise the number of times a key is inserted and removed, which comes with obvious benefits, including a reduction in client frustration.
The correct technical term for this type of lock is a double-sided wafer lock, and with the key cut symmetrically on both sides, it can be inserted in either orientation, so the key can be correctly termed a double sided, convenience, wafer lock key. But all that sounds like we’re lock nerds, so we just call it an old car key and ask what model you have.
After 2000, most physical bladed Car Keys are of the “Laser Cut” or “Sidewinder” type. The term “Laser” is used because some of the early machines used to cut these keys incorporated a laser reader for accuracy. They are not called laser cut because a Light Amplified Stimulated Emission of Radiation was fired at it like something out of Star Wars. No, but some people think it sounds cool. The term “Sidewinder” is more commonly used because the cuts on the key resemble the curve of the snake more than they look like they have teeth.
The locks that these keys operate are no different in principle to the locks previously mentioned. There are only minor differences, the main one being that the bellies of the wafers within the lock are no longer on the bottom of them, but are now set on the side of the wafers so they run along the inside track of the key. This is technical jargon for the discerning engineers among you, and not needed for our discussion. We need only discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this system. The primary advantage of this configuration is that the keys don’t have any sharp edges on them, and as such, they don’t tear holes in customer’s pockets. A secondary advantage is that the wear and tear on these locks is very much reduced, and therefore they last longer − a lot longer.
A tertiary advantage is that the keys have a larger cross section of metal in their composition, and as such, they’re much more difficult to break than the old style, although some people are stronger and more persuasive than others. The primary disadvantage of these locks and keys is that they cannot be cut or duplicated on traditional key cutting machines. Specialised, usually computerised, equipment is needed to make car keys, driving up the overall cost for the consumer.
2 Track Sidewinder Keys
These Sidewinder keys needed to fit these types of locks vary not only in size and shape, but also in the amount and orientation of the cuts or “tracks” that are milled into them. The earliest examples of these keys have symmetrical tracks of cuts milled into one edge of both sides. These are correctly termed 2 Track Sidewinder keys.
This Holden VN Commodore key is a good example of a 2 Track Sidewinder Key:
4 Track Sidewinder Keys
The next version of these keys has 2 different tracks of cuts milled into both edges of both sides. These are called 4 Track Sidewinder Keys. This Honda is a 4 Track Sidewinder Key. It has been cut once on each edge on this side of the key and it’s the same on the other side.
There now also 4 Track Internal Sidewinder Keys, where the 2 tracks of the cuts are milled into the centre of the key, such as this Toyota/Lexus Key:
Ford Tibbie Key
This is a Ford Tibbie Key:
Instead of wafers that move up and down to block rotation of the lock cylinder, the Tibbie Lock has rotating discs:
Each disc needs to turn the correct amount in order for the locking sidebar to stop obstructing the rotation of the cylinder.
Transponders
A transponder is a piece of electronic hardware that can receive and respond to coded signals via radio waves. The term is a combination of the words transmitter and responder.
Transponders can be either passive or active. A transponder within the auto security domain usually has no battery and is not self-powered, but receives the necessary electricity to function via an induction loop around the ignition lock. This is usually, but not always, initiated when the correct mechanical key turns the ignition switch to ON. The transponder is powered by the induction loop and begins to either transmit its own signal or look for the transmitted signal from the car, or both,once the key is inserted & turned. Once communication between the transponder and the ECU of the car is established, the chip transmits the correct code via the reader ring by radio frequency. The ECU reads the code and verifies it’s correct before allowing the vehicle to start. This all happens in an instant, between the time the key is turned to ON and being turned to START.
That is a basic, simple explanation of transponder chips and keys within the domain of auto security. In reality, transponder chips are manufactured by many different companies, including Texas, Phillips and Megamos, and they can be “once only” programmable or “re-programmable”. Some early chips use fixed code challenge response systems and can be programmed using commercially available diagnostic equipment. The latest modern chips use “rolling-code” technology, which means that the code changes every time the key is used, negating the risk of “signal capture” devices, and requiring more advanced and expensive equipment to program them. And of course, each car manufacturer uses a different chip with a different frequency, and/or a different algorithm. It’s important to note that this transponder chip immobilizer system is entirely separate and independent of any remote central locking, door or ignition locks or alarm that the vehicle may have.
Remotes
Remote controls for modern cars come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes and configurations from different manufacturers. Remotes can operate alarms or central locking facilities, and sometimes rarely, older immobilizer systems.
Here are some stand-alone remote controls that are separate from their respective keys and transponders:
Here is a Toyota Remote Key. Notice that the remote is integrated within the head of the key.
This key also has a transponder inside, even though you can’t see it:
Original keys from the factory that come with the car tend to be of the “fully integrated design” that encloses the key, the remote and the transponder in the one compact handy package.
Here is an integrated flip key.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are no fixed rules as to the pricing of these keys, as every vehicle is different depending on the make, model and year, and the type of key & remote required. There are literally thousands of cars and keys out there, and some are harder to make keys for than others. Here are some examples of typical prices:
Open and make car keys for 1990 Toyota Hilux, 10 am Monday = $250
Open and make keys for 2004 Subaru Impreza, 10am Monday = $350 (non-remote)
Open and make key for VZ Holden Commodore, 10 am Monday = $350(with remote)
Open and make keys for 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer, 10 am Monday = $350 (non-remote)
Open and make keys for 2002 Toyota Camry, 10am Monday = $450 (with remote)
Open and make keys for 2012 Toyota LandCruiser, 10am Monday = $1495 (Proximity Smart Key)
We can save considerable time and money, as we can do the job at the roadside instead of you having to tow the car and wait days for the dealership. All our work comes with a 100% guarantee on parts and labour.
However many you like, however modern auto keys are not cheap and we can’t just “throw in an extra.” Some cars in fact require a minimum of 2 keys to be programmed at the same time, so sometimes economising by just getting one is not an option. Our locksmiths will be able to quote for and cut extra keys on site.
No. There is a significant risk that the parts purchased by you are incorrect or sub-standard. We will not risk wasting our time and having an unhappy customer by using faulty, wrong or sub-standard parts to make car keys. It’s a big bad digital world out there and those charlatans in China will tell you anything to sell you their cheap crap. We know and trust our suppliers and have never had an issue with them yet. We only work with keys that we supply.
Whenever you like. We have technicians available 24 hours per day. The cost depends on your location and the situation. We aim to respond to emergency situations within 30 minutes, and at the time of booking, you will be given an ETA of the locksmith’s arrival and their direct phone number confirmed by SMS. You’ll generally receive a 15 minute arrival window.
Yes. You can pay with Visa, AMEX or Mastercard.
No. All services must be paid for once they’re completed, unless arranged prior with the management. We accept Cash, or Visa/Mastercard.
Yes. We stand by the quality of our car key replacement in Melbourne 100% and provide a 1 year guarantee.
Get in Touch
Whether you’ve locked yourself out of your home, you’ve lost your car keys, or you simply want to rekey your locks for added security, there’s only one 24 hour locksmith in Melbourne you need to call – 24h Melbourne Locksmith. For an accurate quote and a prompt response from our 24 hour emergency locksmith in Melbourne, call us anytime on
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