What do you do when your key fob is lost, dead or broken?
A key fob rarely fails at a convenient moment. It shows up as a car that will not unlock, a start button that does nothing, or a dashboard message saying no key was detected, usually when you are already running late. In El Segundo that can happen in a lot near Plaza El Segundo and The Point, on a side street off Main Street, or in the driveway of a bungalow on the westside grid. The first job is working out which problem you actually have, because each one is fixed differently.
In practice there are four situations. The fob battery is simply weak. The fob is damaged, with a cracked case, water exposure or worn buttons. You have lost one fob but still own another. Or you have lost every fob you had. The first is a cheap fix you can often do yourself. The other three need a replacement fob, and the last one is the most involved. We ask a few plain questions on the phone before sending anyone, so you do not end up paying for a new fob when a fresh battery would have done the job.
- Weak battery: the car responds only when the fob is held right against the start button or door handle, or range has slowly shrunk.
- Damaged fob: the case is cracked, the buttons are worn through, or it went through a wash or a pocket full of water.
- One fob lost, one still working: the simplest and usually most economical replacement situation.
- All fobs lost: still solvable on most vehicles, but it takes more work, and we confirm by VIN what your car allows.
Which kind of key fob or smart key do you have?
People use the word fob for several different things, and the type matters because it decides what has to be programmed and how. Knowing which one you have also makes a phone quote far more useful. If you are not sure, tell us the make, model and year and describe how you start the car. That is usually enough to narrow it down.
- Remote plus separate key: a small remote for lock, unlock and trunk, and a regular-looking metal key for the ignition.
- Remote head key or flip key: the blade and the remote are combined in one piece.
- Proximity key (smart car key): stays in your pocket or bag, and the car senses it when you touch the door or press the button.
- Push to start or push button start key: the same smart-key idea, usually with a hidden emergency blade inside the fob.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Can every key fob be replaced by a locksmith?
No, and anyone who tells you otherwise without checking your car is guessing. Many vehicles can be handled in the field with the right equipment. Others need information or tools that only the dealer can access. Some models and years fall in between, and the information available on them is conflicting or incomplete.
So our rule is simple. We confirm by VIN and, where needed, in person at the vehicle before we commit to a job. If your car is a dealer-only case, we will say so plainly rather than take your call and then send you away. If we are not sure, we say that too. You will not be told yes just to get a van in your driveway.
Replacement fobs also come in different grades, such as original-equipment and aftermarket versions. Which one makes sense depends on the vehicle, how long you plan to keep it, and what the car will accept. We explain the tradeoff on the call so the choice is yours.
How does key fob programming work, step by step?
Programming means teaching the car to recognize a new fob, and in many cases teaching it to stop recognizing a lost one. Cutting a blade is only the small part. Here is how a typical job runs with us.
- Call (213) 577-1366 and tell us the make, model and year, whether you have any working key or fob, and where the car is parked.
- We confirm the vehicle by VIN and ask for ID and proof of ownership, such as the registration. That protects you as well as us, because it keeps a stranger from getting a key to your car.
- We tell you whether your vehicle can be done by a mobile van, needs to come to our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd, or is a dealer-only case.
- We cut the emergency blade if the fob has one, then pair the new fob to the vehicle with the programming equipment it requires.
- Where the vehicle supports it, we remove a lost fob from the car's memory so it can no longer start or unlock your car.
- We test every function: lock, unlock, trunk or hatch, remote features, and starting the engine. Then we show you how to change the battery so the next failure is a two-minute fix at home.
What affects the cost of key fob replacement in El Segundo?
Fob pricing varies more widely than most people expect, and we would rather explain why than hand you a vague range. You will get a quote on the phone before any work starts, and these are the factors behind it.
- The type of fob: a basic remote costs less to source than a proximity key with a built-in blade and encrypted electronics.
- The vehicle: make, model and year decide what hardware the car accepts and how much programming work is involved.
- Whether you still have a working key: adding a spare while you have one in hand is usually the more economical route compared with an all-keys-lost situation.
- Original-equipment or aftermarket fob: both exist for many vehicles, and they differ in cost and in what features carry over.
- Blade cutting: smart fobs with an emergency blade may need it cut, and some blades need more precise cutting than others.
- Mobile or storefront: a van visit includes travel to you, while bringing the car to our Westwood location can sometimes lighten the cost. Your car's drivability also matters here.
- Time of day: we answer 24 hours a day, and a late-night call involves different logistics than a daytime appointment.
- Dealer-only vehicles: if the job cannot be done outside the dealer, we will tell you instead of quoting a job we cannot finish.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Should you get a spare key fob before you lose the last one?
Yes, and it is one of the few car-related chores where doing it early saves real trouble. A spare key fob made while you still have a working one is generally simpler. The car can often be programmed with less effort, and nobody is stranded while it happens. Waiting until you lose the last fob turns a short visit into a recovery job.
If you are already in the all-keys-lost situation, read our page on lost car key replacement for how that process works. If what you need is a plain new or additional key for your vehicle, our car key replacement page covers the broader picture, including keys that are not fobs.
A practical tip for any household with a shared car: keep the spare somewhere you can reach without the car. Do not leave it in the glovebox, or in a bag that stays in the vehicle. A spare locked inside the car it belongs to helps nobody.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for a key fob?
We have been in business since 1987, and we serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, El Segundo among them. We run a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood plus mobile service vans, so you can come to us or have us come to you. When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us directly at any hour, any day of the year. We do not pass you through a dispatch middleman who sells your job to whoever picks it up.
David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. That matters on fobs, where the difference between a job done properly and a half-finished one is often invisible until the car refuses to start a week later.
One more honest point. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, which is issued by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. Ask any locksmith for that license number before they touch your car, including us. A company that dodges the question has given you the answer you need.
Key fob replacement around El Segundo: Main Street, Smoky Hollow and the westside grid
El Segundo, ZIP code 90245, is a small city where daily life and cars are closely tied together. The west side is a compact residential grid of 1920s to 1950s bungalows, Spanish-style homes and low-rise apartments. Many people there park on the street or in a driveway, and a dead fob can leave you stuck at your own front door. If you live in an apartment in the westside residential grid and your push-to-start key has gone quiet, we can usually come to the building so you do not have to find a ride to a shop.
Downtown El Segundo along Main Street, and Smoky Hollow with its converted creative offices, are places where people park for a few hours and then discover the fob has stopped working. The same goes for shoppers at Plaza El Segundo and The Point. In those cases a mobile visit makes sense because the car stays where it is. Tell us the cross street or lot when you call so the van knows where to go.
The east side of the city is almost entirely aerospace, media and office campuses, including the Continental Park office district and Campus El Segundo, with little housing. People who commute there and park in a company lot for a full day often only notice a failing fob when the shift ends. A damaged or lost fob in a work parking lot is a daytime problem for some and a late-night one for others, which is why the phone is answered around the clock.
The beachfront sits directly west of the neighborhood grid, and the marine layer and salt air are hard on exterior metal hardware such as locks, hinges and gate fittings. We would not blame salt air for every dead fob, since weak batteries and plain wear are more common causes. Still, a fob that spends time damp in a beach bag or near the water is more likely to need attention, so keep it dry when you can.
Our Westwood storefront is about 14 miles from El Segundo, and our vans cover the city. If you would rather bring the fob or car to us, that is an option too. Tell us when you call which you prefer, and we will say honestly which makes more sense for your vehicle.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366When the problem is not the fob
Sometimes the fob is fine and something else is wrong. If you have the fob in your hand and the car still will not start, the ignition or the car's security system may be at fault, which is a different repair. See our page on ignition repair for that. If the keys are locked inside the car, you need a car lockout visit first, and we can often do the fob work in the same trip.
Older vehicles that use a chipped metal key rather than a remote fob fall under transponder key programming. For the full picture of what we do on vehicles, including keys, locks and ignitions, see our automotive locksmith page. If you need a van at an odd hour, our 24-hour locksmith page explains how after-hours calls work, and our mobile locksmith page covers what happens when we come to you.
If you are still unsure which problem you have, call (213) 577-1366 and describe what the car is doing. Plenty of calls end with us telling the caller it is a battery, and that is a fine outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Can you replace a key fob if I have lost every key?
In many cases yes, but it depends on the vehicle. An all-keys-lost job takes more work than adding a spare, and a few vehicles are dealer-only. We confirm by VIN and tell you plainly which category your car is in before any work begins.
Do you come to me in El Segundo, or do I have to bring the car?
Our mobile vans come to you, whether that is a driveway on the westside grid, a lot near The Point, or an office campus. You can also bring the car to our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood. We will tell you which makes more sense for your vehicle.
What is the difference between a remote key and a proximity key?
A remote key has buttons you press to lock and unlock the car, and usually a blade or separate key for the ignition. A proximity key, also called a smart key, can stay in your pocket while the car detects it, and you start the engine with a button. They are programmed differently, so tell us which one you have.
Is it more economical to make a spare fob before I lose the last one?
Usually, yes. Adding a spare while you still have a working key is typically the more economical route compared with an all-keys-lost job, and it saves you the stress of being stranded. We give you a quote on the phone before starting.
Will my old lost fob still work after you program a new one?
Where the vehicle supports it, we can remove a lost fob from the car's memory so it can no longer be used on your vehicle. Not every car allows this, and we will tell you what yours does when we confirm the vehicle.
Do you need proof that the car is mine?
Yes. We ask for ID and proof of ownership, such as a registration, before making a key for a vehicle. That protects you from anyone who might want a key to your car. If you have trouble producing documents, call us and we will explain what we can accept.
Is a dead fob battery the same as needing a new fob?
No. A weak battery is the most common cause when a fob works only at very close range or only some of the time, and replacing it can fix the problem. If a fresh battery does not help, or the case is cracked or water-damaged, then replacement and programming is the next step.
Can you program a fob I bought online?
Sometimes, depending on the vehicle and whether the fob is the right type and frequency for your car. Call before you buy if you can, so we can tell you what your car will accept. Fobs from unknown sources can turn out to be incompatible or unusable, and we will be straightforward if that is the case.
What should I check before I call about my key fob?
Have your car's make, model and year ready, and know whether you have any working key or fob at all. Also know where the car is parked and whether it is drivable. Our line, (213) 577-1366, is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
More locksmith help in El Segundo
Key Fob Replacement near El Segundo
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.