What I need before cutting or programming a key
Year, make, and model. That is the first filter. A 2012 Chevrolet, a 2018 Ford Escape, and a 2024 Hyundai do not use the same key, the same blank, or the same programming path.
Whether any working keys still exist. A duplicate from a working key is a different job than all keys lost.
Proof the vehicle is yours. For obvious reasons, we do not generate keys for a vehicle we cannot tie to the person standing there.
Where the vehicle is. On-site work needs the car, truck, or van in front of us — not a photo of a key ring from last year.
Metal keys, transponders, and fobs are not the same job
An older metal key can sometimes be cut from code or duplicated from a worn original. Plenty of daily drivers around Taylor still use that system.
A transponder key looks like a regular key with a plastic head. The chip has to be recognized by the vehicle or the engine will not stay running even if the blade is perfect.
A proximity fob or smart key is a different product again. The blade (if there is one), the electronics, and the programming all have to match the vehicle.
Laser-cut and high-security keys add another layer: the blank itself is specific, and a cheap hardware-store duplicate will not work even if it “looks close.”
Origination, duplication, and push-to-start
Duplication is making a spare from a working key. The blade is cut to match; if the vehicle uses a transponder or fob, that chip or remote still has to be programmed.
Origination is all keys lost: there is nothing left to copy. The key is generated for the vehicle, then programmed so the immobilizer will accept it — when that system is one we can complete in the field.
Push-to-start and proximity fobs are not a metal-key copy. The vehicle looks for a programmed fob in range. A proximity job is quoted from the year, make, and model, the same as any other key.
What replacement does not include
We do not carry every blank for every vehicle. We do not program every fob on the road. Some luxury brands, some very new immobilizer systems, and some dealer-only procedures are outside what a mobile locksmith should promise.
If a dealership is the honest answer, that is the answer. You should not wait for a truck just to hear a maybe.
Cost depends on the key, not a bait number
A simple metal duplicate and a programmed proximity fob are not in the same price range. Hardware, programming time, distance, and whether the vehicle is all-keys-lost all change the quote.
Call or text 313-888-3190 with the year, make, and model. That is the fastest way to get a real number.
Questions people actually ask
Can you replace a car key at my house in Taylor?
If the vehicle and key system are ones we can complete in the field, yes — the work is mobile. Have the year, make, and model ready when you call.
Do I need the VIN?
Sometimes. Code cutting and some programming paths use the VIN. If we need it, we will ask. You can usually find it on the dash VIN plate or the door sticker.
Can you copy a worn key?
A badly worn key can produce a bad duplicate. In some cases it is better to originate a new key from code than to copy a blade that is already thin.
Related work
Served from Taylor
Based in Taylor, City Locksmith Taylor provides mobile service throughout Downriver and nearby communities. Taylor neighborhoods we cover, then the rest of Downriver:
From the truck
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