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Car Key Repair Oxford Fob Buttons Shells and Batteries
Buttons worn through, a cracked case held together with tape or a flip blade that will not stay open? Many faulty car keys can be repaired rather than replaced. Send a photo and we will tell you which yours is.
Get a key repair quote
Tell us what you need and we will call you straight back. Calling is quickest: 07520 644 595. Photos by WhatsApp: 07466 695655
Quoted from a photo
WhatsApp a picture of the key and the fault. We reply with an honest view.
Chip moved into the new case
Your original transponder goes into the new shell so the car still starts.
Worn buttons and switches
Rubber pads and tiny switches on the circuit board renewed where possible.
Honest repair or replace call
If a new key costs less than fixing the old one, we say so.
Car key repair in Oxford covers the faults that make a key unreliable without the car itself being wrong: worn buttons, cracked shells, snapped or loose blades, broken flip springs, flat batteries and remotes that only work a metre from the car. We repair keys at your car, 24 hours a day, and quote from a photo before you commit.
Repairs do not have a fixed listed price because the fault varies so much. If a repair is not worth it, a new spare starts from £90, as shown on our car key replacement hub.
Car key fault finder: what is wrong with your fob?
Start here. Find the line that matches what your key is doing.
| What you notice | Usual cause | Can it be repaired? |
|---|---|---|
| Have to press a button hard or several times | Worn rubber pad or a tired switch on the board | Usually, unless the board is damaged |
| Case split, buttons falling out | Cracked or worn shell | Yes, by moving the internals into a new shell |
| Flip blade will not spring out or lock | Broken spring or retaining pin | Often, depending on the key design |
| Blade snapped or bent | Wear, or the key was used as a lever | A new blade can be cut and fitted on many keys |
| Remote only works right next to the car | Weak battery, cracked solder or damaged aerial | Battery first, then board inspection |
| Nothing at all after getting wet | Corrosion on the board | Sometimes, if caught early |
| Car will not start after a new case was fitted | Transponder chip left in the old shell | Yes, by fitting the chip correctly |
If the buttons work and the key is in good shape but the car still ignores it, the problem is more likely coding than hardware. That is covered by our car key programming service.
Car key battery replacement: which cell and when
Most remote car keys run on a 3 volt lithium coin cell. The CR2032 is the most common, with CR2025, CR2016 and CR1620 also widely used, depending on the make and the size of the fob. The code is printed on the face of the old cell, so check that rather than guessing.
Signs the battery is going: range shrinks over a few weeks, the button needs pressing twice, or a keyless car shows a key battery warning on the dashboard. A fresh cell usually brings full range back straight away.
When a new battery is not the answer
If the cell is new and the remote is still dead, look inside. Green or white crust on the contacts, a battery clip that has bent away from the cell, or a loose component on the board all point to a repair. Some older keys, including certain BMW designs, recharge while driving and are not made to have the cell swapped, so ask us before opening one.
We are happy to fit a battery as part of a visit, and if that is all your key needs we will say so rather than sell you a repair.
Replacing a cracked key shell without losing the chip
A new case is the most common key repair we do. Shells wear at the hinge of flip keys and crack around the key ring loop, and once the case opens up the buttons and board start to suffer.
Match the shell
We match the shell to your key by button layout, blade profile and board shape. Cheap online cases often look right but do not hold the board firmly.
Transfer the board
The circuit board and battery are moved across, and buttons are tested before the case is closed.
Move the transponder
On many keys the immobiliser chip is a separate small capsule in the plastic, not on the board. It must go into the new shell or the car will not start.
Cut or fit the blade
Your old blade is transferred, or a new one is cut to match the original if it is worn or bent.
Done this way, nothing needs reprogramming, because the car still sees the same chip and the same remote.
Worn buttons, dead switches and water damage
Under each rubber button is a tiny switch soldered to the board. After years of pressing, the pad wears thin or the switch stops clicking reliably. Where the board is sound, the pad or switch can often be renewed.
Water damage is harder. A key that went through the washing machine sometimes recovers if the battery is taken out at once and the key is left to dry completely before the cell goes back in. If corrosion has already spread across the board, repair is rarely reliable and a new remote key from £120 is usually the better spend.
Board faults are also why a key may work close up but not across a car park. A cracked solder joint around the aerial can cut range dramatically, and that is often fixable when spotted early.
Is car key repair worth it, or is a new key cheaper?
Repair makes sense
The board works, the chip is intact and the fault is the case, a button pad, the flip mechanism or the battery. The car keeps the same key, so no coding is needed.
Usually the cheaper route.
Replace makes sense
The board is corroded or cracked, the chip is lost or damaged, or the key is already being held together with tape after earlier repairs. A fresh key also gives you a reliable spare.
Spare from £90, remote from £120.
We will not talk you into a repair that is likely to fail within months. If your only key is in poor shape, the most sensible answer may be to repair it and have a second one made at the same visit through our spare car key service.
Keyless and smart fob repairs
Proximity fobs are repairable in the same ways, with a couple of differences. They hold an emergency blade that can snap or go missing, and their batteries tend to drain faster because the fob is in constant contact with the car. Cases on some designs are glued rather than clipped, which limits what can be done without damaging them.
When a smart fob is beyond repair, a new one starts from £160. Our smart key replacement page explains how they are coded. For premium makes, see the BMW key and Mercedes key pages, where replacements start from £220.
Get your car key repair quoted from a photo
- Take a clear photo of both sides of the key, and one of the inside if the case is already open.
- Send it on WhatsApp to 07466 695655 with your registration and a line on what the key is doing.
- We reply with whether it looks repairable, what a new key would cost instead, and a fixed price before anything is done.
If the key has broken off in the ignition or door lock, do not keep trying to turn the remaining part. Our auto locksmith removes broken blades and repairs ignitions from £155 to £245 plus parts. Locked out because the remote has died? We open cars from £85 in the daytime, and our car lockout page covers what to do while you wait.
Car key repair and replacement prices
Repairs are quoted from a photo first; replacement prices are from our published list, including VAT.
| Service | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Button, shell or flip mechanism repair | Quoted from a photo | Original chip and board kept, so no coding |
| Battery fitting and contact clean | Quoted from a photo | Range and buttons tested |
| Broken blade replaced | Quoted from a photo | Cut to match your key |
| Mechanical key cutting (no chip) | £35 to £55 | Older keys without a transponder |
| Programming only | £55 to £95 | When the remote or chip has lost its pairing |
| Spare car key | From £90 | Copied from your working key |
| Remote or flip key | From £120 | When the old board is beyond repair |
| Keyless smart key | From £160 | New proximity fob |
| BMW Mercedes Audi and Lexus | From £220 | Exact price by model and year |
Prices include VAT and labour. Parts are listed separately. See the full Oxford locksmith price list.
