A chip key programmed only after the vehicle is shown to be the caller's
Transponder work proves control of the vehicle, then cuts and programs a chip key. Start and locks are tested. Programming is quoted apart from the cut, because a blade that turns the cylinder is not a key the immobilizer will accept. A clone made without proof, the wrong chip, an immobilizer lockout, and an untested remote are the errors this sequence is built to prevent.
Call when you need a key the car will start with, not when a working key is merely locked in the cabin. That is a lockout. Bring ownership proof, the year, make, and model, and any working key if one still exists. A working key changes the programming path on many cars.
Immobilizers, remotes, and a cut that is not the same bill as programming
Proof, cut, program, and a start test are the job. Body work and airbag lights are not. The ownership check and the immobilizer procedure for that model are the method. We do not clone a chip because it is faster if you cannot show the vehicle is yours.
Curbside work is limited by the programmer and the car. Some models need a longer procedure than a parking lane allows. We say so before a half-programmed immobilizer becomes the problem. Remotes are tested for lock and unlock, not assumed good because the engine started.
Frequent questions
Why is programming priced separately from cutting?
The blade and the chip are different jobs. A cut key can open the door and still refuse to start the engine. The quote says which of the two you are buying.
What changes if I still have one working key?
Many immobilizers add a key more simply when a working key is present. If every key is lost, the procedure can be longer and may need a code. We ask before we promise the shorter path.
How do you test the remote?
Lock and unlock from the new fob, then start. A remote that only beeps in your hand is not tested. If the buttons are dead, that is said before we leave.
Will you program a key for a vehicle you cannot see documents for?
No. The ownership check matches a lockout. No documents, no chip key.