Lost All Your Car Keys? What Happens Next | Birmingham Auto
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Price agreed first
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Quick answer
All keys gone? Here's the full picture: what to do in the first hour, what the locksmith actually does, what it costs, and the traps to avoid. No dealer visit needed for most cars. Call 07425 435697 now — open 24/7.
The first hour
Coat pockets, bags, the last place you were. One thorough check — not six panicked ones.
Get a crime reference number. Then secure the car (see below).
Have the make, model and year ready. You'll get an exact price and a realistic arrival time.
Photo ID plus the V5C logbook. With no key, the checks are thorough — that's for your protection.
- Check the obvious places once, properly.Coat pockets, bags, the last place you were. One thorough check — not six panicked ones.
- If they were stolen, call the police.Get a crime reference number. Then secure the car (see below).
- Call a locksmith, not a tow truck.Have the make, model and year ready. You'll get an exact price and a realistic arrival time.
- Gather your ID and paperwork.Photo ID plus the V5C logbook. With no key, the checks are thorough — that's for your protection.
What the locksmith does (the full job)
This is called "all keys lost" in the trade. With nothing to copy from, we work from your car's own security data:
All of it at the car, in one visit. The car never needs to move.
- Read the immobiliser data from the car.
- Generate a new key matched to that data.
- Cut the blade to fit your locks.
- Program the chip or fob so the car recognises it.
- Test everything — locks, ignition or start button, boot, remote functions.
What it costs — and why
All-keys-lost is the most involved key job, and it's priced that way. The car's make, year and key type set the figure — you'll get the exact number on the phone. Two things worth knowing:
- It's still usually cheaper than the dealer route (key + programming + tow + days of waiting).
- Get a spare cut at the same visit. It's a fraction of the all-keys-lost price, and it means you never go through this again.
Traps to avoid
- The £29 advert. A tiny call-out fee that balloons on arrival. A real quote is the full job, agreed before travel.
- Ordering a cheap blank online first. Some won't program to your car. Call us before you buy, not after.
- Anyone who skips the ID check. Creating a key from scratch without verifying ownership is a red flag the size of a house.
- "We need to take the car away." No — a mobile auto locksmith does this where the car sits. If someone says it needs to go to a workshop, get a second opinion.
If the keys were stolen
Mention it when you call. We'll wipe the stolen key from the car's memory during programming, so it can never start your car again. Keep the crime reference number for your insurer.
Related services
- Emergency Car Lockout
- Lost Car Key Replacement
- All Keys Lost
- Broken Key Extraction
- Spare Car Key
Related questions
What actually happens during an all-keys-lost job?
We come to your car, extract the key data from the locks or the OBD port, cut a new blade, program it to the immobiliser, erase the lost keys, and test everything. One visit, at the roadside, anywhere in Birmingham.
Do I need any codes or cards from the dealer?
No — a code card helps but isn't required. We generate everything from the car's own data. All we need is the car, your photo ID and proof of ownership.
What if my car is too new for you to do it?
A small number of the very newest models have manufacturer-locked security that needs dealer-level access. Give us the make, model and year on 07425 435697 and we'll tell you straight before anyone travels.
Need a locksmith, not just a guide?
Call 07425 435697 — open 24/7 across Birmingham. Tell us the make and model and we'll give you an honest price before we set off.
Open 24/7 — nights, weekends and bank holidays included.