Why knowing your key type helps
When you call about a car key, one of the first questions is what kind of key you have. Many owners do not know, and that is perfectly normal. Yet the answer shapes everything that follows: what is involved, what tools are needed and what information to gather. A few moments of looking at your key can make the call much smoother.
There are three broad families worth knowing. The plain blade is a metal key, sometimes with a chip inside the head. The remote head key joins the blade and the remote buttons in one piece. The smart key, also called a proximity key or key fob, lets you unlock and start the car without taking it out of a pocket. If you are standing in a parking lot with a dead battery and a stuck car, the key type may be the thing you wish you had known. Take a photo of your key, front and back, and keep it with your registration photo. That image answers half the questions a provider will ask.
This page keeps to general key technology. It does not claim that any particular make or model uses a particular key, because that varies by vehicle and year. When you call, have the make, model, year and VIN ready so the right questions can be asked about your specific car. Remember that you do not need technical vocabulary. Describing what you see and what the car does is enough. Say whether there are buttons, whether there is a blade, and whether you push a button or turn a key.
The plain blade
A plain blade key looks like the keys most people grew up with: a metal shaft with cuts, and a head that is either bare metal or covered in plastic. Some of these have no electronics at all. They simply turn the ignition and the door locks. These were common on older vehicles and still appear on some work vehicles and basic models. Plain blades are also found on many secondary items, such as a glovebox or a trunk lock. A separate small key for those is common on older vehicles, and it can be copied separately from the main key.
Be careful, though. A key that looks plain may still hold a transponder chip in its plastic head. The shape tells you little. A key with a thick plastic head may be chipped even though it has no buttons. If the car will not start with a key that turns the ignition, that is a clue that a chip is involved. Wear is another factor. A plain blade that has been copied many times, or used for years on the same ring, may be worn so much that it sticks or fails to turn. Copying from a worn key can pass the wear on to the copy.
If your blade has no chip, copying it is relatively simple. If it has a chip, the copy needs to be cut and the chip paired with the car. The page on transponder key basics explains how that pairing works and why it matters.
Tell the dispatcher the Orlando area, what happened and what you are standing in front of, whether a door, a vehicle or a gate.
CallThe remote head key
A remote head key combines a metal blade with a plastic head that holds the remote buttons and usually a transponder chip. You use the blade in the door and ignition, and the buttons lock, unlock and sometimes open the trunk. It is a three in one tool: mechanical key, remote and immobilizer chip. Many owners treat these keys roughly, and it shows in cracked cases and peeling button pads. A cracked case can sometimes be swapped into a new shell while keeping the electronics, depending on the design, but the repair must be done carefully.
Because the blade and the electronics are fused, a damaged head can disable all three functions. If the plastic splits, or the buttons wear through, the remote and sometimes the chip may stop working. Many owners keep using the blade for the door while the car refuses to start, which points to the chip. If the remote buttons fail while the car still starts, the chip is working and the remote section alone may need attention. If the car will not start while the buttons work, the reverse may be true. Telling the provider exactly which part fails helps them plan.
Replacement involves cutting the blade and pairing both the remote and the chip with the vehicle. The two pairings can be separate steps. See car key programming and fobs for the service, and how vehicle key fobs work for background.
The smart key
A smart key is usually a fob that you can carry in a pocket or bag. When it is near the car, the doors can be unlocked with a touch of the handle, and the engine starts with a push of a button while the fob is inside. You never have to insert the fob anywhere. Because the car senses the fob, a smart key can also be left behind by accident. The car may warn you with a sound, but you should not rely on it. Get into the habit of checking pockets and bags before you step away from the vehicle.
Many smart keys hide an emergency blade inside the fob. Slide a catch, pull out a thin metal key and you can open a door if the battery in the fob is dead. The ignition still needs the fob to be detected, and most cars have a spot where you hold a weak fob to start the engine.
Smart keys are the most involved to replace. The car must learn the new fob, and the equipment used must support the specific vehicle. The guide to push button start key questions looks at the common worries that come up. Some owners are concerned about the radio signal being copied by thieves. That worry is real in some places, and a signal blocking pouch is a common response. It is a personal choice, and your car maker's guidance may add more detail.
Telling them apart at a glance
Here is a simple way to sort your key. Look for a metal blade fixed in place. If it is there and the head has no buttons, you probably have a plain blade, possibly with a chip. If it is there and the head has buttons, you probably have a remote head key. If the fob has buttons and no fixed blade, or only a small blade that slides out, you probably have a smart key. If you remain unsure, hold the key next to a photo of keys online or ask the provider to guess from your description. Do not worry about being wrong. A short call sorts it out.
Also check whether you ever put the key into the ignition. If you do, you have a key that turns a cylinder, which suggests a plain blade or remote head key. If you push a button to start the car, you have a smart key system, though a few vehicles combine both.
The next list may help you sort your own key in a minute or two.
- A fixed blade with a bare plastic head suggests a plain or chipped blade.
- A fixed blade with lock and unlock buttons suggests a remote head key.
- A fob with a hidden slide out blade suggests a smart key.
- A push button start on the dashboard suggests a smart key system.
- A card shaped key suggests a key card system on some vehicles.
What happens when each one is lost
If you lose a plain blade without a chip, a new one can be cut from a code or from the lock itself, which is relatively direct. If it has a chip, the new key must also be paired, which adds a step. In both cases ownership is checked first. For any key, the first step is to confirm that you really are lost and not simply misplaced. Check coat pockets, bags, the car seats and the places you were last. Many lost keys turn up within an hour of calm searching.
Losing a remote head key means a new blade, a new remote and a new chip pairing. If you still have a second key, the process is usually easier because the car can be programmed from an existing working key in many cases, though that varies by vehicle. If not, the situation is closer to what is described in what an all keys lost situation means.
Losing a smart key can be more involved still, and it also raises a safety point: a lost smart key may be used by someone near your car. Tell the person you call that the fob is lost and ask what can be done to remove it from the car's list. If you suspect theft rather than loss, consider telling local authorities and think about the consequences for your home keys if they were on the same ring. Rekeying your home may be wise in that case.
Costs of complexity, in plain terms
It is natural to ask which key is simplest to replace. No honest answer can name a number without the vehicle. In general, more electronics and more security mean more steps, and more steps mean more work. A plain blade without a chip tends to be the least involved, and a smart key tends to be the most.
What matters more than a general rule is a clear explanation for your car. A provider should be able to describe the key type, what is involved and the total before work begins. The article on how to tell a clear phone quote from a vague one lists what to listen for.
Ask whether anything about your situation would make the job simpler or harder, such as whether you still have a working key. That one fact changes a great deal. Ask too whether the work can be done where the car is. That is a practical question that depends on the vehicle and the equipment, and an honest provider will answer it plainly.
Care, batteries and everyday habits
All three key types benefit from simple care. Keep keys away from water and strong heat. Replace worn buttons and weak batteries before they fail. Do not attach a very heavy bunch of other keys to the ignition key, because the weight can wear the ignition cylinder over time.
Smart keys and remote head keys use small batteries, and a weak one makes the remote unreliable. Replace it at the first signs of weakness, such as a shorter range. Some batteries can be swapped at home, and others are sealed. Your manual or a locksmith can tell you which you have. Battery size and type are usually printed on the old battery, and a photo helps when you shop. Fit it the right way round and avoid touching the flat faces with bare fingers, since skin oils shorten battery life.
Keep one spare somewhere safe, apart from your main key. A spare in a drawer at home is far better than none, and it is easier to arrange while the original works. The reasoning appears in why a second car key matters before the first one is lost.
Lockouts and emergency blades
If your key is locked inside the car, the key type does not change much about what to do first. If a child or pet is inside, particularly in warm weather, call 911 at once. If it is a simple lockout, tell the locksmith the key type if you know it, and whether the car has push button start. Keep a calm head. Check that no door is unlocked, including the trunk and the rear doors, before assuming that the car is sealed.
With smart keys, there is a special risk. A fob left inside the car can sometimes prevent the doors from locking, or the car may beep to warn you. Do not assume the car will protect you from a lockout. Check you have the fob before closing the door.
The page on car lockout describes how the service works. The reader describes what is happening, ownership is checked, the work and price are explained first and the result is tested with the customer.
Choosing what to carry
Some owners keep a spare plain metal blade in a wallet. Whether that works depends on the car: a blade that opens the door but cannot start the engine is still handy for lockouts. Ask about the available options for your vehicle, rather than assuming.
Others worry about carrying a smart key in a pocket with a phone and cards. That is generally fine, but keep it away from sources of heat and moisture. A small pouch can protect it and keep it from bending. Do not put your whole life on one ring. A ring with house keys, car key, office keys and a mailbox key is a single point of failure, and losing it creates a major job. Separate the car key if you can.
Wherever you carry it, know where your spare is and who can reach it. A key that lives in a place nobody can find is no help at all. A short family note, kept private, can prevent a long evening.
Questions worth asking before any key work
Before you agree to any key job, ask what type of key your car uses and whether the work includes cutting, pairing and testing. Ask whether a working key is needed and whether anything about your situation could change the outcome. A clear provider answers all of this without fuss.
Ask also whether the new key will be tested with you at the end, including the door, the remote buttons and the engine start. A key that is not tested is a key that might fail on a hot afternoon in a parking lot. Test it, then test the spare as well.
Finally, keep a note of what was done: the date, the key type and who did the work. When you need another key, the note will save time. If you want to compare dealer and locksmith options first, dealer or locksmith for car keys sets them out side by side.
Questions people ask
How can I tell if my key has a chip?
A key with a thick plastic head often holds a chip, even with no buttons. A reliable sign is a key that turns the ignition but will not start the car, or a manual that mentions an immobilizer. A locksmith can confirm with the make, model, year and VIN.
Is a remote head key the same as a smart key?
No. A remote head key has a fixed blade that you use in the lock and ignition, plus buttons on the head. A smart key is a fob that the car detects nearby, usually with push button start and a hidden emergency blade.
Can I copy a smart key like a normal key?
Not in the usual way. The emergency blade can be cut, but the fob itself must be paired with the car using equipment that supports the vehicle. Availability depends on the exact make, model and year, so have the VIN ready when you call.
What if my smart key battery dies?
Many fobs have a hidden blade for the door and a spot where you hold the fob to start the car. Your owner's manual explains it for your vehicle. Replacing the battery soon afterward restores normal use.
Do all cars use one of these three key types?
Many do, but there are variations, such as key cards and phone based keys. The details depend on the vehicle. Describe what you see and what the car does, and a provider can narrow it down.
Which key type is easiest to replace?
Generally, a plain blade without a chip is the least involved and a smart key is the most. The real answer depends on your vehicle and whether you still have a working key, so ask for a clear explanation before work begins.