It’s been a bad couple of weeks here. Anything that could be broken, forgotten, or just plain f’ed up by me has been.
Now my spare 2014 Mazda3 keyless entry transponder has gone walkabout. We were leaving for a weekend trip and I thought I’d give my husband the spare so we’d both have one. Nope - I looked in the drawer where it normally resides and it is gone. Vanished. I have no idea where it is - and I cannot remember the last time I used it for anything so I can’t even begin to think of where to look for it. The house was given a thorough cleaning before we left and I didn’t come upon it then either.
I know if I go to the dealership to fix this particular fuckup it’s going to cost some major coin. I also see, though, that you can buy a fob online, and I also see there are automotive locksmiths in the area who claim to be able to cut and program the things. Is this an acceptable, less expensive alternative route to go? Or am I stuck paying the dealership several hundred dollars?
From the picture, it looks like you have a real key & a transponder.
The big orange hardware chain has transponder blanks for $70. Granted, you can’t use it to remote un/lock the doors but you can drive with it. As a backup, with a $310 savings do you really care?
Short answer - yes, shop around.
For answers to questions about a specific model car, I always find the most complete answers to be found on forums that cater to that particular car/brand.
It sounds like in order to have any hope of avoiding the dealer, you have to have two key fobs. Somehow having two allows you to program a third, or something like that.
I just paid $380 total for a Mercedes remote key and programming. :dubious:
You already mentioned that your ignition doesn’t take a key. I’m not sure how a locksmith can help you. I don’t see how a blank transponder key could work because there’s no mechanical key switch for the ignition.
I have a 2015 Mazda3 and the manual says that in the event of a dead fob, you can use the mechanical key to gain entry but you have to press the start button with the fob end that the mechanical key points towards (away from the key ring side) to start the vehicle. I’m guessing that there’s a passive RFID chip in there that can be activated by an RFID reader in the ignition at contact range (powered by the vehicle) but that’s just a guess.
I think you’re going to to be out four hundred bucks for a replacement but if you find a workaround, let us know. Good luck.
For fun and science, I pulled the battery from my fob for about an hour (to let a hypothetical capacitor discharge) and started my car. The fob unquestionably had no reserve power, supporting my passive RFID theory.
However, I understand your locksmith comment after searching online. You can get the fob with blank key for $80 or less and the commercial sites say it will require a Mazda dealer or “automotive locksmith” to activate. Maybe call these guys to see if they can refer you to a locksmith in your area. I wasn’t aware of this specialty before, but I guess it makes sense. Again, best of luck and please report back.
Wow, now I’m just making a fool out of myself, but I just re-read your OP. (More correctly, actually read it for the first time.) Sorry for the patronizing “advice” in my previous posts. I’m just going to go away now, but still looking forward to your follow-up.
Home depot or a general locksmith is not going to be able to help you. All modern fobs contain chips that are programed to your specific car. Sammy at True Value isn’t going to be able to do that. You will need to go to the dealer at some point to get them to program your new fob.
Just my 2¢: I just had key made for my Toyota, and it was $140. If I had not had a spare, then that would have been topped with a towing fee and a replacement immoblizer module. In any case, best of luck.
The best price I got is from a mobile locksmith who can do this for $235.
My type of key is called a proximity key. Basically what getting a new key made involves is deleting the current programming from the existing key, and (re)programming it and the new key, which takes about 45 minutes to an hour. This process is good from a security/antitheft standpoint, but it also means if the AWOL key is found, it isn’t going to work any more.
I didn’t ask the locksmiths to price out the key and the programming service separately, but the dealership would charge $160 for just the key, with the balance being programming (I also found a different dealership that will do the programming for $120, which brings the price down a lot). Keys like mine can be purchased online for about $70, so that gives you an idea of markup on them.
The mobile locksmith will get my business since not only is he cheapest, but he’ll come to me, thus saving a lot of drive time.
So that’s how much stupid tax I will get to pay … this time.
