Car Key Duplication in Upper Dublin, PA

A spare car key gives you another way to use your car if the one you carry is lost or stops working.

Copying a working key is different from replacing one when you have no original to work from. We provide car key duplication in Upper Dublin, making a second key from the one you use now. The copy needs to match more than the shape of the original if your car relies on an electronic chip.

Some cars use a plain metal blade with no electronics. Others need a chip that the car recognizes, so cutting the metal alone will not make the copy start the engine. We make the physical copy and program it when the vehicle requires it. For drivers in Upper Dublin, a copy may also be available with or without remote buttons. Buttons can provide remote locking and unlocking, while a copy without them relies on the car's other ways of locking and unlocking.

We look at your working key and your car, paying attention to wear that could affect a copy.

A worn key may still work even though its edges no longer show the original shape clearly. Before starting, we explain what we find and whether your car needs a plain metal blade or a chip that must be programmed to start it. If wear makes a reliable copy uncertain, we explain the limitation and what other options may be available.

A plain metal copy may operate a compatible door lock, but it will not start a car that requires a chip. Remote buttons are a separate feature, and we explain whether a copy with or without them is available for your car. After making the copy and completing any required programming, we check its functions with you. If your car has an accessible mechanical door lock and the copy is made to fit it, we try it there. We also test it in the ignition if there is a key slot, or check that it starts a push button car. Any remote functions on the copy are tested, too.

Keep your spare in a separate, dry place where you can find it, rather than carrying both copies on the same ring.

That leaves you another way into the car if one is lost. Treat the worn original gently, even if it still works, and avoid using it to pry things open. Moisture and hard impacts can also affect the electronics in a key with a chip or remote buttons.

Check that the copy turns smoothly in the door and ignition and that the engine starts. If it has remote controls, check those as well. A copy that sticks, needs force to turn, or fails to start the car needs another look. A fresh battery may be worth trying if the remote stops responding. Call us if the problem remains, or if the key resists turning, since forcing it could cause it to break.