Locked Out or Lost Your Only Car Key in the Tri-Cities? Here's What Happens Next

Losing the only key to your car tends to happen at the worst possible place: a grocery store lot, a trailhead, the back corner of a job site. The car is right there and you can't do anything with it. Here's what actually happens once you call a locksmith, so the phone call isn't a blind one.

Start by sorting out which problem you have

There are really two situations. In the first, you're locked out but a key still exists somewhere, maybe at home or with a family member. In the second, the key is gone for good, and the car may or may not be locked. The fixes are different, and so is the amount of work involved.

If a spare is sitting in a kitchen drawer, the simplest answer might be getting someone to bring it to you. If there's no spare anywhere, you need a new key made from nothing. Before you call, check pockets, bags, the ground around the car and the last place you remember using the key. A key that slipped into a coat lining has ended a lot of emergencies.

Copying a key versus originating one

Copying means there's an existing key to work from. The locksmith cuts a new blade to match it and, on most modern cars, pairs the electronics. Originating means there is no key at all. The locksmith builds a new one from information about the car itself, typically the vehicle identification number, then cuts a blade by code and programs it.

Originating takes more steps than copying, which is why it helps to say up front that you've lost every key you had. All Points Locksmith lists originating and programming keys and fobs among its services, and says it can unlock and make keys for about 95% of the cars on the road. Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota and VW are all on its list. The exact process still varies by make and model year, so expect the locksmith to ask what you drive before promising anything.

You'll also be asked to prove the car is yours. A careful locksmith wants to see ID that matches the registration or title before making a key. That isn't red tape for its own sake. It's the same check that keeps a stranger from walking off with someone else's truck.

Why a cut key alone won't start the car

Most cars built in the last couple of decades have a transponder chip inside the plastic head of the key. When you turn the key or press the start button, the car sends a low-power signal and the chip answers with a code. If the code matches, the engine is allowed to run. If it doesn't, the engine may crank and then shut off, or not crank at all.

That's why a blade cut at a hardware store can open the door and still not start the car. The chip has to be programmed so the car's computer recognizes it. Programming is done with diagnostic equipment connected to the car, and on many vehicles the process adds the new key to the car's memory.

One more thing is worth asking about. If your lost key is still out there somewhere, ask the locksmith whether the car can be told to ignore it. When that's possible, whoever finds the old key can't use it to start your vehicle.

What to have ready when you call

• The make, model and year of the car, and its color if you're standing next to it
• Exactly where it's parked, with a cross street or a business name
• Your ID, plus something that shows ownership such as the registration or title
• Whether any working key exists, even one that only opens the door
• A phone number that will work while you wait

With that information a locksmith can usually tell you whether the job can be done where the car sits and what equipment it needs. Ask for the price before any work starts, and ask what it covers. For example, find out whether programming and a second key are part of the quote or billed separately.

Mobile service or the shop

If the car still runs and you have a way to get there, it can go to the shop. If it's stuck in a parking lot with no working key, the locksmith comes to you. All Points Locksmith runs Emergency Mobile Service from 7am to 10pm, Monday through Saturday, covering Kennewick, Pasco and Richland. The shop at 3902 W Clearwater Ave, Suite 101 in Kennewick is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday from 9am to 3pm. It's closed on Sunday.

If you're stranded outside those windows, you may have to wait until they open. It's better to know that ahead of time than to find out while you're standing in a cold parking lot. During mobile hours you can reach them at (509) 585-2407.

Once you have a working key again, get a spare made while the locksmith is already there. Making a copy from a working key is generally simpler than originating one from nothing, and a spare kept at home means this situation doesn't have to repeat itself.