What does it mean when you have lost all your car keys?
Losing your only key is a different problem from losing a spare. When there is no working key left, there is nothing to copy. A hardware-store duplicate is off the table, and a simple cut of the metal blade usually will not start a modern car anyway. What you need is a new key made from scratch, matched to your specific vehicle, and in most cases introduced to the car's computer so the engine will actually run.
That is what lost car key replacement means in practice. We work out which key your vehicle uses, cut it by code or by other means, and program it so the car accepts it. You do not need the original key in your hand for any of this. People are often surprised by that, because they assume a car without a key is a car headed for a tow truck and a dealership. Many times it is not.
This page is about the all-keys-lost situation specifically. If you still have one working key and just want another, that is a lighter job, and our key duplication page covers it. If your key is in the car and the doors are locked, that is a lockout, not a replacement, and it is usually quicker and simpler to deal with.
How do we make a replacement car key without the original?
Every car is a little different, so we do not promise a single fixed routine. The general order of work is the same, though, and knowing it helps you feel in control of a stressful moment. Here is how a typical call goes.
- You call (213) 577-1366. A person answers at any hour, any day. We ask for the make, model and year of the car, where it is parked, and whether any key at all is still in your possession.
- We ask for the VIN, which is visible through the windshield on the driver side dash and printed on your registration and insurance card. The VIN lets us confirm what your car actually uses rather than guessing from the model name.
- We tell you plainly whether we can do your vehicle in the field, whether it may need more than a mobile visit, or whether it is one of the uncommon cases that only a dealer can handle.
- A technician drives a mobile van to the car. Before any work starts, we check that you are the owner or have the owner's authorization.
- We create the key. Depending on the vehicle, that means cutting a blade, preparing a key or fob, or both.
- We program the new key to the car so the immobilizer accepts it, then test it. We check that it opens the doors, turns the ignition or starts the car, and that any remote functions respond.
- If you want a spare, this is the best moment to make one while the technician is already there and the car is already set up for programming.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What do we need from you to make a key?
A key is the one thing that proves you own a car, so it makes sense that a locksmith should ask for proof before making a new one. We do this for every customer. It protects you and it protects whoever the car really belongs to. Please do not take it personally.
- Photo ID that matches the name on the vehicle's paperwork.
- Proof of ownership, usually the registration or title. A current insurance card with the VIN can help support it.
- The VIN, so we can identify the exact key and system your car uses.
- The car itself, present and accessible. Key making and programming happen at the vehicle, so we cannot do this for a car that is somewhere else.
- If the car belongs to a company or a landlord, a note or call from the person who has authority over it.
What affects the cost of lost car key replacement?
We will not quote a number on a web page, because it would be a guess dressed up as a fact. Cost in an all-keys-lost job depends on a handful of real things, and once we know them we can tell you what to expect before anyone starts work.
The biggest factor is the type of key your vehicle uses. A basic cut key is a lighter-cost job than a transponder key, a transponder key is usually lighter than a smart key or push-button fob, and some systems are more involved than others. The year, make and model decide which of those your car has.
The second factor is how the car's system accepts a new key. Some vehicles are straightforward to program from scratch. Others require more steps, more equipment, or access to manufacturer information that we confirm from the VIN. More work on the technician's side means more cost on yours.
Other things that move the price:
- Whether you want one key or a spare as well. Making two together is usually more economical than coming back later for a second.
- Where the car is and when you call. A late-night mobile visit to a foothill street involves different logistics than a daytime job near our storefront.
- Whether the key blade must be cut by code or the ignition or lock has to be dealt with separately. If the ignition is worn or damaged, that is a repair issue on top of the key, and our ignition repair service covers it.
- Whether the car needs to be moved or towed before key work is possible, which depends on the circumstances.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Can a locksmith do every car, or does it have to be the dealer?
Honestly, no locksmith can do every car, and we will not pretend otherwise. For most everyday vehicles, an automotive locksmith can make a key from scratch at the curb and save you a tow and a wait. For a small group of vehicles, the manufacturer controls the key process tightly and the dealer is the only route. We do not keep a list in our heads that we recite from memory. We confirm by VIN, and sometimes in person, before we tell you what is possible.
If your car falls into the dealer-only group, we will tell you that on the phone instead of sending a van and a bill for nothing. You can then decide whether to arrange a tow to the dealer. We would rather lose the job and keep your trust.
There is a middle ground too. Sometimes the key can be made by us, but the process is longer or more involved than usual. When that is the case, you will hear it before we start.
Whatever your car turns out to need, the programming side is covered in more detail on our transponder key programming page, and if your car uses a remote or push-button fob, see key fob replacement.
Lost all your car keys in Glendora? Where this happens and what we do about it
Glendora is spread out. The Village and the area around it sit at one end, the foothills run up at the north, and the Route 66 (Alosta Avenue) corridor and South Glendora carry the everyday traffic. A lost key can turn up as a problem anywhere in that range, and the right plan depends on where your car is parked. We serve both Glendora ZIP codes, 91740 and 91741, from our Westwood storefront and mobile vans, about 37 miles away.
One local scenario we are set up for is car key replacement at the Glendora A Line park-and-ride. A parked car at a station is a car you are not standing next to all day, and if the keys are gone when you come back, you are stuck. Because our work is done at the vehicle, the van comes to the lot, and we make the key right there. Bring your ID and registration, or have them ready on your phone, and if you do not know the VIN, the plate on the dash is the first place to look.
Hillside streets in the North Glendora foothills, in Morgan Ranch, and around Big Dalton Canyon can be a different kind of problem. Cars are often parked in driveways behind perimeter gates, and gated communities such as Gordon Highlands and Silent Ranch Estates add another step before anyone can reach the vehicle. If your car is behind a gate, tell us when you call. Make sure we have the gate code or someone who can let the van in, and tell us if the car is in a garage that is itself locked. If it is a garage or side-gate lock giving you trouble, our gate lock repair page covers that separately.
Foothill heat matters a little, too. Glendora summers are hot and dry, and Santa Ana winds coming off the canyons bring dust. A key that has been cooked on a dashboard or lost in wind-blown dust in a canyon trailhead lot is not rare. If your key may have fallen out in a trail parking area, retracing your steps before you call is worth a few minutes, but if you have already looked and it is not there, call us rather than keep searching in the heat.
Students around Citrus College sometimes lose keys between classes, and a student's car may be the only way home. If you or your child is in that spot, the same steps apply. We need ID, proof the car belongs to the person asking, or authorization from the owner, such as a parent who is on the registration. If the keys are simply locked inside the car and not lost, see our car lockout page, because that is usually a faster fix than making a new key.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What should you do before we arrive?
A few small actions can make the visit go faster and keep you from paying for something you did not need. None of this is complicated.
- Look once more in the obvious places: jacket pockets, bags, the last place you parked, and anywhere your keys could have been dropped. A key that turns up saves you the whole job.
- Check whether anyone else has a spare, such as a spouse, a parent, a roommate, or a work colleague. A spare can be copied, which is a lighter job than making a key from scratch.
- Find your registration and ID, and locate the VIN on the dashboard or your insurance card.
- Move to a safe, comfortable spot if you are out in the heat. Glendora afternoons in summer are not the time to wait beside a car on asphalt.
- If the car is behind a gate or in a garage, arrange access for the technician.
- Do not try to force the ignition or door lock. Forcing it can damage the ignition, which turns a key problem into a repair problem.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for lost car keys?
We have been in business since 1987. That is a long time to have been cutting, programming, and fixing keys in Los Angeles County, and it means we have seen most of the ways a lost-key call can go wrong and what to do about each. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. He is the person who sets how we do things, and he does not leave it to a call center.
We are a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, with mobile service vans. When you call (213) 577-1366, you are calling one company. There is no dispatch middleman who takes your call and passes the job to whoever happens to be free. That matters when your car is stranded, because you are talking to people who actually do the work and can tell you honestly what your car needs. For the wider picture of what we do on vehicles, see our automotive locksmith page.
The phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. We do not promise a particular arrival time, because traffic, location and the job itself all vary. What we promise is a straight conversation about what is possible, what it depends on, and what you need to have ready.
How can you check that a locksmith is legitimate?
Car key work is a field with some bad actors, partly because people with a lost key are in a hurry and will say yes to almost anything. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, which is issued through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. You should ask any locksmith for that license number before the work starts, including us. A company that will not give it to you is a company to walk away from.
Beyond that, a few plain habits protect you. Ask who is actually coming to the car and whether they work for the company you called. Ask what the price depends on and get the full picture before work begins. Be wary of anyone who will not discuss your vehicle before arriving, and anyone who does not ask for proof of ownership, since a legitimate locksmith should want it.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make a car key if I have lost every key and have no spare?
Yes, in most cases. We make keys from scratch, so no original is needed. We identify the key your car uses from the VIN, cut or prepare it, and program it to the car. A small number of vehicles are dealer-only, and we tell you that on the phone if yours is one of them.
Do I have to tow my car to the dealership if I lose all my keys?
Not necessarily. For many vehicles, a mobile locksmith can make and program a key where the car is parked, which avoids a tow. Some vehicles are dealer-only, and we confirm by VIN or in person before you commit to anything. If your car is one of those, we say so honestly.
What do I need to show you to prove the car is mine?
Photo ID that matches the vehicle paperwork, plus the registration or title. The VIN, visible on the dash or on your insurance card, helps us identify the exact key. If the car belongs to someone else, such as a parent, employer or landlord, we need their authorization.
How much does lost car key replacement cost in Glendora?
It depends on the type of key your car uses, how its system accepts a new key, whether you want a spare, and where the car is and when you call. We do not post numbers because they would be guesses. Call (213) 577-1366 with the make, model, year and VIN, and we explain what applies.
Can you come to the Glendora A Line park-and-ride or another parking lot?
Yes. Our work happens at the vehicle, so the van can come to a station lot, a college lot, a driveway or a street. We need the car to be there, and you need ID and proof of ownership. If a gate or locked garage is involved, tell us when you call.
Is lost car key replacement the same as a car lockout?
No. A lockout means the key still exists, perhaps inside the car, and the door needs to be opened. Lost car key replacement means no working key exists, and a new one must be made. If you are unsure which applies, call us and we will sort it out. Our car lockout page covers the other situation.
Will my new key work the same as the original, with remote buttons?
It depends on the vehicle. Some cars use a simple key, some a transponder key, and some a remote or push-button fob. We confirm by VIN what your car uses and tell you which functions the new key will have before we begin. Fob details are on our key fob replacement page.
Should I get a spare made at the same time?
Usually yes. While the technician is already at your car and the system is set up for programming, adding a spare is generally more economical than another visit later. A spare also means that the next lost key is a copy job, not an all-keys-lost job.
Is it a good idea to keep searching for the key before calling?
A short, careful search is sensible, since a found key saves the whole job. Check pockets, bags and your last stops, and ask anyone who might hold a spare. If you have looked and it is not there, call (213) 577-1366 rather than keep searching, especially in summer heat.
More locksmith help in Glendora
Lost Car Key Replacement near Glendora
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.