Car Key Replacement in West Hollywood, CA

What does car key replacement actually involve?

Car key replacement covers a few jobs that often get lumped together. A spare car key is a new key made while you still have a working one. A duplicate car key is a copy of an existing key, and depending on the vehicle it may only need cutting, or it may need programming as well. A replacement is what you need when the original is gone, broken, or no longer starts the car. Ignition key replacement is the case where the key or the ignition it fits has worn enough that the two no longer work together.

Many modern keys are two things in one: a metal blade cut to fit the mechanical locks, and electronics that tell the car the key belongs to it. Car key cutting handles the blade. Programming handles the electronics. Which of those your key needs depends on the make, model and year, and we confirm that by VIN or in person with the vehicle rather than guessing from a general rule.

Most of this work happens at the curb. Our vans carry the cutting and programming equipment, so in many cases the key is made where your car is parked. A few vehicles and key types are dealer-only, meaning the manufacturer restricts that key to its own network. If yours is one of them, we tell you plainly before we start, not after.

When does a West Hollywood driver need a new or spare key?

People call us for car keys in a handful of situations. Knowing which one you are in helps us tell you what to expect, and it affects how the job is done.

• You lost your only key. With no working key to copy, the car has to be told to accept a brand-new one. That is its own process, covered in more detail on our lost car key replacement page.
• You have one key and want a spare before it disappears. This is the easier and usually more economical route, because a working key is available to start from.
• The key is worn, bent or cracked, and it sticks or only works sometimes. Replacing it now is better than waiting for it to snap.
• The key broke off in a door or ignition. The broken piece has to come out first; see broken key extraction.
• The key turns stiffly, or the ignition feels loose or gritty. Sometimes the key is the problem and sometimes the ignition is, and we check which before cutting anything. If the ignition is the cause, that falls under ignition repair.
• The remote buttons stopped working but the key still turns. That is usually a key fob replacement question.
• You bought a used car that came with one key, or none.

How do we replace a car key, step by step?

The process changes a little by vehicle, but it follows the same order every time. We would rather explain each step than have you wonder what is happening in your driver's seat.

1. You call (213) 577-1366 and tell us the make, model, year, where the car is, and what keys you still have, if any.
2. We go over what we know about that vehicle and what kind of key it likely takes. Where the information is unclear or conflicting, we say so and confirm it by VIN or at the car.
3. A technician drives a mobile van to your location. David oversees the work, and the company's storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd backs up the vans.
4. We confirm you are the owner or authorized user. Expect to be asked for ID and something that connects you to the vehicle.
5. We identify the key type, then cut the blade to the lock, from an existing key where there is one, or from the vehicle's information where there is not.
6. We program the key to the car where the vehicle requires it. This step is covered further on transponder key programming.
7. We test the key in the door, the ignition and any remote functions before we call the job done, and we show you each function working.

Can you get a same day car key replacement?

Often, yes. Because our work is mobile and our phone is answered around the clock, every day of the year, same day car key replacement is a normal request for us, and many jobs finish at your car on the day you call. We do not promise a specific arrival time, because distance, traffic and what else is on the schedule change it, and a number we cannot stand behind would not help you. What we can do is give you an honest picture when you call.

What decides whether a key can be made the same day is mostly the vehicle, not the clock. Some keys can be cut and programmed entirely on site. Others depend on information we have to confirm first, or on parts that need to be sourced. And a small number of vehicles are dealer-only for certain key types, in which case the dealer is the route and we will tell you that rather than waste your time. Our mobile locksmith service is built for exactly this kind of curbside work.

What affects the cost of car key replacement?

We do not quote prices on a web page, because the honest answer depends on your car and your situation. These are the factors that move the cost, so a quote from any locksmith makes sense to you:

• Whether you have a working key. Making a spare from a working key is usually the more economical route. When all keys are lost, there is more to do.
• The type of key. A plain cut metal key, a transponder key, a remote-head key and a smart or push-button key are different products with different costs.
• Make, model and year. Some manufacturers make programming straightforward, and others make it involved.
• Whether the job is cutting, programming or both. A key that only needs cutting costs less than one that needs both.
• Whether the vehicle is dealer-only for that key type. In those cases the dealer route may be the only one, and we will say so.
• Where and when you need us. A mobile call to your car is different from bringing the car or key to our storefront, and a late-night call is different from a daytime one.
• Whether the ignition or a lock also needs work. If the ignition is damaged, replacing keys alone will not fix the problem.

Car key replacement around West Hollywood: what it looks like here

West Hollywood is a dense, mostly renter-occupied city, and that shapes the calls we expect. Many people live in courtyard apartments and condominium buildings with controlled-access entries and intercom systems. If your car key is lost, the key to your building and the key to your car are two separate problems, and we can sort out the car side while you deal with the building. If you are locked out of the car with the key visible inside, that is a car lockout rather than key replacement.

We serve all three of the city's ZIP codes: 90069, 90046 and 90048. In the 90069 area that includes the Sunset Strip, a lost key after an evening out is a different problem from a worn key on a weekday morning, and we handle both from the van. In the Melrose Avenue corridor and the Design District, people who work in boutiques and studios often need a spare so a second set is not stuck at home. In the renter-heavy Eastside, a new move-in often comes with a car that has only one key, and having a spare made now beats paying for an emergency later. Single-family streets in West Hollywood West and the Norma Triangle are a smaller part of the city, but those drivers call us for the same jobs.

Our storefront in Westwood is about seven miles from West Hollywood, and the vans come to you wherever the car is parked. The local climate is mild, so weather is not a major factor in key wear here. Daily use usually is.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for your car keys?

We have been in business since 1987, and car keys have been part of that work for a long time. A few things are worth knowing before you choose a locksmith:

• We are one company. When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us, not a call center that sells your job to whoever is closest.
• We have a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024, plus mobile service vans. If you would rather bring a key in than have us come out, that is an option.
• David is the owner and lead technician, and he oversees the work.
• We say what we know and what we do not. If a key needs to be confirmed by VIN, or the dealer is the only route, you will hear it from us first.
• We answer around the clock, every day of the year, which matters when the key problem happens at night.

How should you prepare before you call?

A little information saves time. It also helps us give you a straight answer about what your key needs and whether we can make it on site. If you are not sure about any of it, call anyway and we will help you work it out.

• The make, model and year of the vehicle, and the VIN if you can read it from the dashboard or the door jamb.
• How many keys you still have, and whether any of them work, even sometimes.
• Your exact location, including a cross street or building, so the van can find you.
• Your ID and something that shows the car is yours, such as the registration or insurance card.
• Anything you noticed before the problem: a sticking ignition, a fob that worked only some of the time, or a key that had started to wear.
• Whether the car currently starts, since that tells us whether the ignition or the key is the more likely issue.

What should you ask any locksmith before they start?

California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, known as a BSIS LCO license. Ask any locksmith you are considering for it, and for their company name, before work begins. The same goes for the total cost, including anything that could change it. A reputable company will answer these questions without hesitation.

If you would like to talk it through before you decide, you can reach us on the contact page or by phone at (213) 577-1366, any hour of any day.

More locksmith help in West Hollywood

• Automotive Locksmith in West Hollywood
• Ignition Repair in West Hollywood
• Key Fob Replacement in West Hollywood
• Lost Car Key Replacement in West Hollywood
• Transponder Key Programming in West Hollywood
• 24 Hour Locksmith in West Hollywood
• All services in West Hollywood

Car Key Replacement near West Hollywood

• Beverly Hills
• Los Angeles
• Culver City
• Santa Monica
• Burbank
• Glendale