We answer at 3am
Open 24 hours, seven days a week, public holidays included
We come to you
The van carries the workshop, so nothing gets towed anywhere
4.9 Star Reviews
Verified Google reviews from around PE
You hear the price first
We quote before we drive out, and that number does not change
Remote Vehicle Key Replacement
Start with the cheap possibilities
Before anyone sells you a new remote, three simple things are worth ruling out.
The battery is the first. Remote batteries last around two to three years, and the range drops off before the remote dies completely. If you have to stand right next to the car for it to respond, that is usually the battery talking.
The buttons are the second. The rubber contacts inside wear flat after thousands of presses, which is why the lock button often fails while the boot button still works.
The coding is the third. A remote sometimes falls out of step with the car after a flat battery or a disconnected battery on the vehicle itself. Recoding it takes minutes and costs far less than a new fob.
We check all three before recommending a replacement, because a lot of dead remotes are not dead.
When a new remote makes sense
The fob got wet, crushed or run over
The circuit board inside has cracked
The remote is lost and the car needs a fresh one coded
You want a second remote so both drivers carry one
You bought a used car with one remote and no history
Coding is what makes it yours
A remote out of the box does nothing. Your car has to learn the code the remote sends before it will respond. We code the fob to your vehicle on the spot, and we can clear old remotes out of the car's memory at the same time so a lost one stops working.
Flip keys, remote head keys and separate fobs
Some cars use a remote built into the same body as the key, either as a flip key that folds out or a fixed head key. Others keep the remote as a separate fob on the ring. We supply and code all of these. If you like, we can move you from a loose fob and a bare key onto one tidy flip key that does both, which many people prefer.
When the case is the only problem
Remote housings crack at the seam, the keyring loop breaks, and the buttons wear through. If the board inside is fine, we move it into a new casing and your coding stays exactly as it is. That is usually the cheapest fix, and it is covered under key casing replacement.
If the remote and the start are both playing up
A fob that locks the doors but leaves the engine dead is two separate systems, and the starting side sits with the chip. We handle that under transponder key programming, and we can sort both in one visit.
How remote vehicle key replacement works
Tell us the make, model and year and what the remote does now.
We check the battery, the buttons and the coding before selling you anything.
If you need a new remote, we bring one that matches your vehicle.
We code it to your car and pair the buttons.
We cut the blade if the remote holds one.
We test lock, unlock, boot and alarm with you standing there.
We delete lost remotes from the car when you want that done.
We're out this way most weeks — so you'll find us near:
What affects the price of remote vehicle key replacement?
Remote work runs from a small job to a full replacement:
A battery or a button repair compared with a complete new remote
Whether the remote is a separate fob, a flip key or a remote head key
The make and year of the car, since fob types differ
Whether the blade also needs cutting
Whether the remote can simply be recoded instead of replaced
Where you are and what time we come out
Tell us what happens when you press the buttons and we will tell you what it is likely to need.
GetKeys Auto Locksmith
51 Seaview Rd, Farms Port Elizabeth,
Gqeberha, 6390
084 513 4914
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
FAQS
My remote stopped working. Is it always the battery?
Often it is, especially when the range dropped off first. Worn button contacts and lost coding cause it too, so we check all three before suggesting a new remote.
Can you code a remote to my car?
Yes. A new remote does nothing until your car learns the code it sends, and we do that at your vehicle in a few minutes for most makes.
Can you stop a lost remote from opening my car?
Yes. We clear it out of the car's memory so it stops working, which is worth doing whenever a remote goes missing rather than simply being mislaid at home.
Can I get the key and the remote on one unit?
Yes. A flip key or a remote head key puts the blade and the buttons in one body, which most people find easier than carrying a separate fob.
My fob is cracked but still works. What now?
We move the electronics into a fresh casing and your coding stays as it is. That is normally cheaper and quicker than a new remote.
The remote locks the doors but the car will not start. Why?
The buttons and the starting system are separate. Locking works off the remote while starting depends on the chip, so the chip side needs attention.