2000 Nissan Frontier Key Replacement

The 2000–2001 Frontier uses the same key setup, so everything on this page applies to those years too. The full picture is on the Nissan Frontier key guide.

2000 Nissan Frontier: key facts

Key type: Mechanical (no chip)
Push-to-start: No
Transponder chip: None
Programming: NONE
All keys lost: We can originate new keys on site

Catalog transponder coverage for the Frontier begins with 2002, and these D22 trucks are listed with plain mechanical keys and no factory immobilizer — any key shop can cut one with no programming. Confirmed by key stamp per truck.

What kind of key does a 2000 Frontier use?

The 2000 Frontier is a D22-generation truck, and the catalog data we work from lists it with an all-metal mechanical key. There is no push-to-start and no remote-start fob tied to the key. Catalog transponder coverage for the Frontier begins with the 2002 model year, so this year sits before it.

In practical terms, that makes this one of the simpler key jobs we do. A key shop can cut a working key without a programming step, because the truck has no factory immobilizer to teach a new key to. The same key blade also works the door locks, so one cut covers both the doors and the ignition.

There is a flip side, and we would rather say it plainly. With no immobilizer, any metal copy that fits the ignition will start the truck. A spare is cheap insurance against a lockout, but it does nothing for theft protection. If that matters to you, talk to us about physical options rather than assuming a new key adds security.

Key type: mechanical, no chip listed in the catalog data
No push-to-start
A mechanical backup key is part of the setup, since the mechanical key is the key
Programming: none required for a standard cut key

Duplicate key or all keys lost: how each works on this truck

Copying is the straightforward route. You bring in a working key, we cut a new one from it and test it in the ignition and the door locks. On this truck the original key is the starting point, and that is the lighter-cost, usually more economical route compared with starting from nothing.

If every key is gone, it is still possible. The data for this year shows all-keys-lost work is doable. We make a key by working from the lock itself, which is more labor than a copy but does not involve any computer programming on this truck.

Call (213) 577-1366 and tell us the year, model and what you have in hand: one key, a worn key, or none.
We confirm the key from the stamp on it, or from the truck itself if you have no key.
We cut the key. With a copy, we cut from your original; with all keys lost, we work from the lock.
We test it in the ignition, the driver door, the passenger door and the bed or canopy lock if your truck has one, then hand it over.

Worn keys and sticky ignitions on high-mileage Frontiers

Most of the calls on these trucks are not about lost keys at all. They are about wear. The common problems listed for this year are worn ignition lock wafers on high-mileage trucks, where the key sticks or stops turning, and worn or bent key blades that no longer turn the locks.

These two problems feed each other. A tired key wears the wafers faster, and a rough ignition bends the key. If your key has gone soft at the edges or you have to jiggle it, do not simply copy it. A copy of a worn key carries the wear with it. We would rather cut fresh from the key code or from the lock, then check how the ignition itself is holding up.

If the ignition cylinder is the real culprit, we will tell you that before replacing keys that were never the problem.

Locked out or need a locksmith now?

We answer around the clock, every day of the year.

Call (213) 577-1366

What affects the price of a 2000 Frontier key?

We do not quote numbers on a web page, because the real answer depends on your situation. What moves the cost:

Whether you have a working key to copy or all keys are lost, since lost-key work takes more labor
Whether the ignition is worn enough that cutting a key alone will not solve the sticking
Whether the truck is at our Westwood storefront or we are driving a mobile van to you
Time of day, since we answer around the clock but night calls are not the same as a weekday visit
How many keys you want cut at once

What we have not verified, and how we handle it

Honesty matters here. The transponder data for this year is marked unverified: no chip family is confirmed, and the source is a catalog reference rather than a check on your actual truck. The note on file says these trucks are listed with plain mechanical keys, but also that it is confirmed by key stamp per truck.

So we confirm by VIN or in person before cutting anything. A swapped ignition or a later-built truck could differ from the catalog, and we would rather look at your key than guess. If your Frontier turns out to have anything other than a plain mechanical key, we will say so before any work starts.

Every job is handled by one company, from the first call to the finished key. We have been in business since 1987, with a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024 and mobile vans, and David oversees the work. There is no dispatch middleman between you and the person cutting your key. For anyone hiring a locksmith, California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, and you should ask to see it.

Frequently asked questions

Does a 2000 Nissan Frontier need key programming?

According to the data we have, no. The truck is listed with a plain mechanical key and no factory immobilizer, so a cut key is enough. We still confirm by key stamp or VIN, since the chip data for this year is marked unverified.

Can you make a key if I have lost all of them?

Yes. All-keys-lost work is possible on this truck. We make a key by working from the lock, which takes more time than copying, but no programming is involved.

Will a copied key keep my truck secure?

Not particularly. Without a factory immobilizer, any plain metal key that fits the ignition will start the truck. A copy is useful for convenience and as a spare, but it does not add theft protection.

My key sticks or will not turn in the ignition. Is the key bad?

It could be the key, the ignition, or both. Worn lock wafers on high-mileage Frontiers are a known issue. We check both before deciding whether a new key alone will fix it.

Do you come to me or do I bring the truck in?

Either. We have a storefront in Westwood at 10740 Wilshire Blvd and mobile vans that serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Is the dealer the only option for this truck?

No. For this setup, data shows no dealer-only step. A locksmith can cut the key without programming equipment.

How do I get started?

Call (213) 577-1366, answered 24 hours a day. You can also use the contact page, or browse other Nissan Frontier key pages and Nissan key services for other years and models.

We cover all these cities

Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.

Last updated 2026-10-11.