Chevrolet Impala key replacement in Los Angeles

Chevrolet Impala keys by year

Which key does your Chevrolet Impala use?

The Impala nameplate covers a long stretch, and the keys changed completely along the way. Our verified data splits the 2000 to 2020 cars into three generations, and each one asks for something different when a key is lost, broken or worn out. Before anyone cuts or programs anything, the first job is working out which of the three you are driving.

The year-by-year table on this page lists the key type, chip family and programming method for each model year. This text explains what those entries mean in practice. Where the table shows a year as conflicting, that is a real overlap between two different cars, and we settle it by checking the VIN rather than guessing from the model year.

If you are not sure which era your car belongs to, call (213) 577-1366 and we will sort it out from the VIN. Our broader brand guide is on the Chevrolet key replacement page, and every make we cover is listed on the car keys hub.

• 2000-2005 (Gen 8, W-body): Passlock, with no chip in the key.
• 2006-2013 (Gen 9, W-body): ID46 (Hitag2) circle-plus transponder key with a separate remote fob.
• 2014-2020 (Gen 10, Epsilon II): 46E (Hitag2 Extended) flip key on base trims, proximity fob with push-button start on upper trims.

What does a 2000 to 2005 Impala need?

These cars use Passlock. The security sensor lives in the ignition lock cylinder, not in the key, so there is no chip to program. A correctly cut key starts the car. That makes this the simplest era for key work: if the blade is cut right and the cylinder is healthy, the engine runs.

The catch is that Passlock problems get mistaken for key problems all the time. When the security light stays on and the engine starts and then dies, even with a perfectly good key, the usual culprit is a failed Passlock sensor in the ignition lock cylinder. A new key will not fix that. Replacing the cylinder or the body control module also calls for a timed relearn, run in three cycles, before the car accepts the new parts. We would rather tell you that up front than cut a key that changes nothing.

High-mileage cars in this group also wear out the wafers inside the ignition cylinder. The symptom is a key that sticks or will not turn. Sometimes a fresh, accurately cut key solves it, and sometimes the cylinder itself is the real problem. We check which one you have before recommending anything.

What does a 2006 to 2013 Impala need?

In 2006 the Impala gets a transponder. The key is the PK3+ circle-plus design carrying an ID46 (Hitag2) chip, and the remote buttons sit on a separate fob rather than in the key head. The key doubles as the mechanical backup, so the blade still works the locks even if the electronics fail.

The most common complaint from this era is the hardware-store copy. A blade cut without a transponder will open the doors and may turn in the ignition, but it will not start the engine, because the car never hears the chip it is listening for. If a copy turns but the car stays dead, that is almost always why.

Programming for these years goes through the OBD port. GM also has an onboard relearn that covers all-keys-lost on most PK3+ vehicles without special tooling, but it is a long, timed procedure. Programming with a professional tool through the OBD port is faster, and that is the route we prefer. The data lists no dealer-only step and no special registry access requirement for any year in this group.

What does a 2014 to 2020 Impala need?

The tenth generation moved to the Epsilon II platform and a new key. Base trims use a 46E (Hitag2 Extended) flip key, where the blade folds into a remote head. Upper trims use a proximity fob from the HYQ4EA family with push-button start. U.S. sales ended after 2020, so these are the newest Impalas anyone will be asking about.

Be careful with the table here. Its push-to-start column reflects the base setup, so if your car is an upper trim with a button instead of a keyway, tell us when you call. We confirm the exact fob and programming path by VIN and in person rather than assuming from the model year.

The 2014 to 2016 years carry a second wrinkle. Two different cars coexisted: the retail tenth-generation Impala, and the old-body fleet-only Impala Limited, which kept the ID46 PK3+ key from the previous generation. That is why those three years show as conflicting. The VIN tells us which car we are dealing with, and we check it before ordering or cutting anything. For 2017 through 2020, the data is verified.

Duplicate key or all keys lost: how it differs by era

For 2000 to 2005 cars, no original key is needed to make a new one, and a lost-all-keys situation is possible to solve. Because there is no chip, the work is cutting a key to fit the locks and confirming the ignition cylinder behaves.

For 2006 and later, the data marks having an original key as the straightforward route to a duplicate, since the car can be programmed with a working key in hand. Losing every key is still solvable on every year in the table, but it is more involved: the key has to be cut without a pattern and the car has to be taught a new key from scratch.

In practical terms, a spare made while you still have a key in your pocket is the easier job. If you are down to one working key on a 2006 or newer Impala, that is the moment to add a second. All keys lost is manageable, but it is the harder way to learn the lesson.

• 2000-2005: original key not required; all keys lost is possible.
• 2006-2013: original key preferred for duplicates; all keys lost is possible.
• 2014-2020: original key preferred for duplicates; all keys lost is possible, with the exact setup confirmed by VIN.

Is Impala key programming dealer-only?

Not according to the data we work from. Every year in the table shows OBD as the programming method for transponder and flip-key cars, shows no programming at all for Passlock cars, and lists no special registry requirement for any year. In other words, nothing in this model's verified data sends you to the dealer for a key.

There are honest limits. For the conflicting 2014 to 2016 years we need the VIN to know which key family applies. For upper-trim proximity fobs, we confirm the programming path in person before promising anything. And if a VIN check ever turned up a case that really did require the dealer, we would tell you straight instead of taking your money and finding out later.

One more point on quality. Cloned or aftermarket chips are a documented source of intermittent failures on the flip-key cars, where the key works for a week and then does not. Programming is only as good as the hardware you start with, so we pay attention to what blank goes in.

How we handle an Impala key job, step by step

The process is the same whether we come to you in a mobile van or you stop by the storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood. What changes is how much work each era involves.

1. You call (213) 577-1366 and tell us the year, trim, how many working keys you have left, and whether the car has a keyway or a start button.
2. We identify the era, and for 2014 to 2016 cars we confirm the VIN to settle which of the two cars you have.
3. We confirm you own the vehicle before making a key.
4. We cut the blade to fit your locks. On Passlock cars that is nearly the whole job; on newer cars it is the first half.
5. For 2006 and later we program the key and remote through the OBD port, or confirm the proximity-fob path in person on upper trims.
6. We test the doors, the ignition and every remote button before you pay, so you leave with a key that does everything the old one did.

What affects the cost of an Impala key?

We do not quote numbers on a web page, because the honest answer depends on your car and your situation. Here is what moves the cost up or down, so you know what you are being asked to pay for.

• The era: a plain Passlock cut is a lighter job than a transponder key, and a flip key or proximity fob carries more hardware.
• Duplicate versus all keys lost: starting from a working key is usually the more economical route.
• Key only versus key plus remote: the 2006 to 2013 cars split the key and the fob, so you may be replacing one or both.
• Repair versus replace: a cracked shell or broken flip hinge can sometimes be fixed without a new chip.
• How many keys you want made in one visit.
• Whether the real fault is the ignition cylinder or the Passlock sensor rather than the key.
• Where the work happens, at the storefront or at your car with a van, and what hour you need us.
• The quality of the blank, since a low-quality clone that fails later costs more than a good one done once.

Common Impala key problems we see

The data points to a handful of issues that repeat by era, and they are worth knowing before you spend money on the wrong fix.

• 2000-2005: a failed Passlock sensor that leaves the security light on and the engine dying right after it starts, with a good key. Worn ignition wafers that make the key stick. Worn blades that no longer turn the locks.
• 2006-2013: worn ignition wafers on high-mileage cars. A worn blade that stops turning the lock even though the chip still works. Hardware-store copies that open the doors but will not start the engine.
• 2014-2020: cracked remote-head and flip-key shells, broken flip hinges and worn buttons. Remote battery failure, which is worth ruling out before anything else. Cloned or aftermarket chips that fail intermittently.

When to call us instead of the dealer

Wilshire Lock & Key has been in business since 1987. We are one company with a storefront in Westwood and mobile vans, so the person who answers the phone is not a dispatcher passing your job to a stranger. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and the phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.

For an Impala, calling us makes sense when you are stranded, when you lost your last key, or when you simply want a spare without arranging a tow. Because the data shows no dealer-only step for this model, the dealer is not required for the key itself.

Whoever you hire, ask for their license. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, and any legitimate shop will give you the number without fuss. When you are ready, reach us through the contact page or call (213) 577-1366, and you can find the rest of our services from the home page.

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