Push to start key replacement, done beside the car
We handle push to start key replacement for button-start cars: a spare while you still have one smart key, a new push button start key fob when the only one is gone, and a replacement for one that is cracked or has quit. Whether the car is parked in Caldwell, Boise or a lot in between, the programming equipment comes to it.
A smart key is not the same as the remotes on our key fob programming page. An ordinary remote only works the locks; a smart key is the key itself, so programming one is closer to making a new key than to adding a remote.
How a smart key talks to the car
A smart key is also called a proximity key fob, because the car looks for it whenever it is close instead of waiting for you to turn something. Antennas in the doors and cabin send out a weak signal, the fob replies with a coded answer, and only a fob the car has stored may unlock the doors or start the engine. So it is much more than a keyless entry remote, though it has buttons too.
Makers give it their own names. Ford calls it Intelligent Access, and Nissan calls it the Intelligent Key. Many newer Chevrolet, GMC, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Kia models use the same idea, as do many newer Subaru Outback, Forester, Crosstrek and Ascent models.
On a smart key the three parts of a key change shape. The radio signal takes over the blade's job of letting you in, the chip still answers the immobilizer (the car's anti-theft system), and the buttons are the remote. The blade has not vanished, though: most smart keys hide a small mechanical one inside.
Dash says the key is missing? Try these first
A 'key not detected' message on the dash usually means the car cannot hear the fob. Before calling, work through this list:
- Swap the fob battery. A weak coin cell is a common cause, and the warning often appears before the fob stops altogether.
- Hold the fob against the start button and press it with the fob. Many cars can read a fob with a dead battery from that close.
- Use the hidden blade. A small latch frees the metal insert tucked inside the fob. It turns the driver's door lock with no battery at all; on some cars the keyhole hides under a small cap on the handle.
- Try the spare. If the other fob starts the car, the first fob is the problem.
If a new battery and the spare both fail and a security light flashes, read why a flashing security light stops the engine.
What to have ready
- The car's model and year, and the trim level if you know it
- Every smart key you still have, so each can be checked during the visit
- Whether any fob still starts the engine
- Photo ID, and paperwork showing the car is in your name (registration or title)
With those at hand, call (208) 480-6980 or book online, and say where the car is.
Where smart keys get complicated
A few late-model vehicles accept a new smart key only through the maker's own security system; when yours is one of them, you hear it during the call, before a trip.
On some newer Toyota models, making a smart key when every key is lost takes extra steps. Many Dodge, Ram and Jeep models from 2018 onward carry a security gateway that adds a step before keys can be programmed. In both cases we explain what your car needs on the phone.
A smart key bought online is worth a call before the visit: many never pair with the car, so it gets checked for compatibility before anything is promised. And if the only smart key is gone, the job is handled like replacing lost car keys.
What happens at your car
Call with the model and year
Plus where the car is, and whether any smart key still starts it.
Price and any limits
We explain the cost, and any dealer-only step for your model, before the trip.
Fob added to the car
After the ID check, the new smart key and the fobs you kept are programmed to the car.
Start, lock, unlock
Each fob opens the doors, starts the engine and works its buttons before we leave.