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Smart Key Replacement Oxford Proximity and Keyless Fobs
Proximity and keyless fobs for push button start cars of most makes, coded at your car with the emergency blade cut and any missing fob wiped from memory.
Price a smart key
Tell us what you need and we will call you straight back. Calling is quickest: 07520 644 595. Photos by WhatsApp: 07466 695655
Correct frequency and chip
Matched by registration so the fob talks to your car, not one like it.
Emergency blade cut
The hidden metal key inside the fob is cut to your driver's door lock.
Missing fobs deleted
A lost keyless fob is erased so it cannot open or start the car.
Relay theft advice
Practical ways to stop thieves using your fob's signal from indoors.
Smart key replacement in Oxford means a new proximity or keyless fob cut, coded and tested at your car, from £160 for most makes, or from £170 if every key is lost. BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Lexus smart keys start from £220. These are the fobs that stay in a pocket or bag while the car unlocks and starts on a button, sold under names such as Intelligent Key, KeyFree, KESSY and Smart Entry. We confirm by registration that your car is supported before we travel, and in the city we usually arrive within 10 to 30 minutes.
How a proximity key talks to your car
The car wakes the key
Touch the door handle or press start, and aerials in the doors and cabin send a short low-frequency signal that reaches only a metre or two.
The key answers
The fob replies by radio, on 433 MHz for most UK and European cars, with a code that changes every time it is used.
The car checks where the key is
Inside or outside matters. Most cars will not start unless the fob is detected inside the cabin.
Backup when the fob is flat
A coil near the start button, or a marked spot on the column or console, reads the fob’s chip at close range so a dead fob can still start the car.
Because one fob combines a radio transmitter, a chipped key and a changing security code, replacing it is more involved than cutting a key. The new fob has to match the car’s frequency and be added to its memory, and the emergency blade hidden inside needs cutting to the door lock.
Key not detected? Check these before buying a new smart key
| Message or symptom | Likely cause | Try first | If that fails |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key not detected, but the car starts with the fob at the backup spot | Low fob battery | New cell matching the old number | Fob repair for worn contacts, or a smart key from £160 if the fob is faulty |
| Nothing responds and the dash stays dark | Car’s 12V battery flat | Emergency blade in the door, then a jump start | Breakdown service, not a locksmith |
| One fob works, the second does not | Second fob damaged or never coded | Test both at the backup spot | Programming only £55 to £95 |
| Car locks itself with the fob inside | Signal masked by a phone, laptop or metal bag | Carry the fob apart from other electronics | Lockout from £85 in the daytime |
| Fails only in certain car parks | Radio interference nearby | Use the fob’s button or blade | Usually no fault in the key |
Fob batteries vary. CR2032 is common, but some makes use CR2025, CR2450 or a rechargeable cell, so match the number printed on the old one. If the car has locked itself with the fob inside, our keys locked in car page explains what to do while you wait.
Relay theft and keyless cars: how to protect yours
Relay theft is the main weakness of keyless entry. Criminals use equipment to extend the signal between a fob inside your house and the car on the drive, so the car behaves as if the key were standing beside it. It happens in Oxfordshire as elsewhere, mostly to cars parked outside homes overnight.
Simple protection that works
Keep fobs in a signal-blocking Faraday pouch or a metal tin, well away from the front door. Check your handbook, because several makes let you put the fob to sleep or turn off keyless entry. A visible steering wheel lock and a tracker add further layers. Test the pouch by standing at the car with the fob inside it: the door should stay locked.
If a fob has gone missing, assume it could be used. Having it deleted from the car’s memory is part of every smart key job we do, and it is the strongest reason not to put off replacing a lost one.
Smart key replacement by make
Every manufacturer has its own name and its own quirks. These brand pages go into the models and key generations in more detail:
- Toyota and Lexus Smart Entry on the Yaris, C-HR, RAV4 and Lexus hybrids: Toyota smart keys and Lexus keys from £220.
- Nissan Intelligent Key on the Qashqai, Juke and Leaf: Nissan key replacement.
- Ford KeyFree on the Kuga, Puma and Focus: Ford keyless fobs.
- Skoda and VW KESSY on the Octavia, Superb and Kodiaq, with similar systems across the group: Skoda key replacement.
- Kia and Hyundai smart keys with push button start: Kia keys and Hyundai keys.
- Mercedes and BMW smart keys, priced from £220: Mercedes keys.
Driving a Smart ForTwo or ForFour, the car brand rather than the key type? Most of those use a remote key rather than a proximity fob. Call with the registration and we will tell you what applies.
Smart key replacement Oxford: spare fob or all keys lost?
A spare while one fob still works. The new fob is added alongside the existing one, the emergency blade is cut, and both are tested. This is the straightforward route and starts from £160 on most makes. Our spare car keys page explains why doing it early saves money.
No working fob at all. We generate the key data from the car, code a new fob and erase the missing one. From £170 on most makes, and from £220 on BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Lexus, with the exact figure agreed by registration.
Honest limits. Smart keys for the very latest models, cars that use a phone as the key, and some premium systems in an all keys lost situation can need the manufacturer. We check your registration first and tell you if a dealer is the better route. Every make we cover is listed on our car key replacement in Oxford hub.
Bought a smart key online? Read this first
Cheap smart keys online are tempting, but three problems come up again and again: the wrong frequency, a fob built for a different market, or a used key that is locked to its original car and cannot be reprogrammed. Any of these means a wasted visit.
Send us the part number and a photo before booking. If the fob is compatible, programming only costs £55 to £95, and we cut the emergency blade too. The V5C and photo ID check applies just the same as for a key we supply.
Smart key prices in Oxford
Starting prices including VAT, coding, blade cutting and testing; your exact price is agreed by registration.
| Service | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Keyless smart key (most makes) | From £160 | Proximity fob coded, emergency blade cut |
| All keys lost (most makes) | From £170 | Fob made at the car, missing fobs erased |
| BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Lexus | From £220 | Exact price by model and year |
| Programming only (fob you supply) | £55 to £95 | Compatible fob coded to the car |
| Car lockout | From £85 daytime | From £130 at night, weekends and bank holidays |
Prices include VAT and labour. Parts are listed separately. See the full Oxford locksmith price list.
