What Should I Do If I've Lost My Only Car Key?
Stop searching after a reasonable look, confirm the vehicle is secure, and gather the registration, make, model and year. On most vehicles an auto locksmith can cut and program a new key at the roadside without an original, and delete the missing key from the car's memory at the same time.
Before you call anyone
Check the obvious places once — coat pockets, the footwell, the boot and wherever you last used the car. If the key has genuinely gone, note where the vehicle is parked and whether it is locked.
- Registration number
- Make, model and rough year
- Whether any other key exists anywhere
- Whether the car is locked or open
- Where it is parked and whether it can be worked on safely
Why the old key should be deleted
If the key might be found by someone else, particularly if it was lost with documents showing the registration, having it removed from the vehicle's memory is worth doing while the new key is programmed. Once deleted, the missing key will no longer start the car.
Does insurance or a warranty change things?
Some policies include key cover and may ask for an invoice, so it is worth checking before arranging the work. That is between you and the insurer, but it rarely changes what has to happen at the vehicle.
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Lost your only key?
Mobile auto locksmith covering Fareham and the surrounding area.