Car Key Duplication in Upper Providence, Delaware County, PA

One car key on your ring and another kept at home give you two ways to use your car.

If you have only one working key in Upper Providence, we duplicate it to give you a spare. Copying a working key means you have an original to use for the copy. If that last key is lost or fails, there may be no usable key left to copy.

Some cars use a plain metal key, while others need a key with a chip programmed to the vehicle. Without that programming, the metal copy may fit but will not start the engine. We make the appropriate copy for your car in Upper Providence, including programming when needed. If your original has remote buttons, you may have a choice between a copy with those controls and one without them. A key without buttons may still start the car, but you would need to use it at the door rather than unlock the car remotely.

We inspect your working key and identify what your vehicle needs from a duplicate.

A metal blade may be all that is needed for some cars, while others require a programmed chip to start. Some vehicles use a fob without a physical blade. Before starting the work, we explain which type fits your car and whether you have a choice between a spare with remote controls and one without them.

After you choose, we make the duplicate to match your vehicle. That may involve cutting, programming or both. Together, we check the copy in the door and ignition slot where the copy and car have the necessary physical parts. For a push button start, we check whether the car recognizes the copy and starts. If your choice includes remote controls, we try those functions with you as well. These checks let you see how the spare works while you still have the original available, so you know what to expect if it is lost.

Set the worn original aside in a safe place rather than relying on it for daily driving.

Keep the spare dry and away from excessive heat, and avoid a heavy ring that pulls on it in the ignition. If either one resists turning, do not force it. Pressure can bend the blade or make existing wear worse.

A copy that turns but does not start the car may not be recognized by the car's security system. If that happens, call us and describe what you see on the dashboard and whether the original still starts the engine. A remote button that stops responding could point to a weak battery, although replacing it will not fix a chip recognition problem. We can look at the symptoms and determine what needs further attention.