Just found out modern car keys can cost $500+ to replace and nobody warns you

Was helping a buddy swap his battery on a 2022 Honda Accord yesterday, and he accidentally locked his fob in the trunk. Called the dealer to get a new one cut and programmed, and they quoted him $580. I almost dropped my 10mm socket. Turns out those key fobs have encrypted chips that only dealers can match now, and the programming alone is like 2 hours of labor at their shop rate. Found this out from a service advisor who said they do 3 or 4 of these a week. Anyone else run into this mess with newer cars?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina_campbell25d ago

I had to pay $450 to get my cat out of a tree last year, so your buddy's situation actually sounds like a bargain when you think about it. That cat was not even my cat, just some stray that looked at me funny while I was grilling. The fire department wouldn't touch it, said they stopped doing that in the 90s. Had to call some guy named Mike who showed up with a ladder and a net and charged me a flat fee plus mileage. Anyway, these key fobs are ridiculous. My neighbor's Hyundai fob stopped working because he dropped it in a puddle and the dealer told him it was a $700 paperweight.

blair_webb25d ago

That Mike guy sounds like a real character. I respect the hustle though, $450 for someone else's cat plus mileage is a solid business model if you can get away with it. And yeah those Hyundai fobs are a nightmare, my cousin had the same problem and ended up just taping his to the dashboard after the dealer quote. You start to wonder if they make them break on purpose sometimes.

susan64924d agoTop Commenter

My buddy paid $500 to unlock his car after the battery died in his fob.