Lost Car Key Replacement - Page 6

fthunt · ‎12-24-2010

@shoesnbags To clarify.......say you're out at night and lose your key.......spare is at home or ..... spare is in glove compartment in your locked car...... (stupid I know)......how do you get out of that dark parking lot without starting your car?

With a cell phone.......you call OnSTAR and ask them to unlock your car.

IF your car is unlocked but you lost your key to start car.....ask them to start your car so you can, at least, drive home.

They provide wallet size card (like AAA) card with phone number OR if in the car push OnSTAR telephone connection above sun visor.

Scooby Doo · ‎03-14-2010

@eadu4 wrote:
@patbz Yup that's what I did for our key chains. I have ours on carabiners (blue for his keys and fuchsia for me) and I put tiles on each of them. No way am I losing one of my keys! My daughter told me about them, I had never knew they existed. Her husband was always losing things.

That's what I had on mine. Be sure to buy the one that screws and keep it tight. Don't buy the one that you just squeeze because it loosens up over time. That's how my key fell off. I don't use them any more due to that fact.

Scooby Doo · ‎03-14-2010

@queendiva wrote:
Even when DS had a 2003 car his duplicate key had to be made at the dealership.
My 2014 car that was purchased after being previously owned only came with one key fob! I guard it with my life.
As per suggestions here I am going to add my phone number to the fob today!
To replace the fob battery cost me $50.00 at the dealership a few years ago. Ouch!
Next time I will try Batteries Plus first.

I buy the batteries at Auto Zone for about $5 and do it myself. It's no big deal. I do have to use a knife to get in the small groove and pop the two pieces apart.

1Snickers · ‎03-19-2016

I know to be careful with my keys because I was at a car wash where the attendant drove the car to be dried, then I left and went to a store. When i got back in the car. NO KEYS! Fortunately it was my son's store and the car wash people delivered my keys.

I went to lunch once and had started the car, got out to retrieve something from the back, then went to my son's house. Got in car and NO KEYS! They fell out.
My friend lives near him so she took me back to where I'd been parked and they were turned in to a store.
Now I have my name on them ! I had a LINK chip on them but it fell off. Might get another!

CelticCrafter · ‎03-09-2010

@fthunt wrote:
@shoesnbags To clarify.......say you're out at night and lose your key.......spare is at home or ..... spare is in glove compartment in your locked car...... (stupid I know)......how do you get out of that dark parking lot without starting your car?

With a cell phone.......you call OnSTAR and ask them to unlock your car.
IF your car is unlocked but you lost your key to start car.....ask them to start your car so you can, at least, drive home.

They provide wallet size card (like AAA) card with phone number OR if in the car push OnSTAR telephone connection above sun visor.

#1 - if it's a key fob most times you cannot leave the key inside the car and try to lock it, it won't let you lock it.

#2 - not everyone subscribes to OnStar.

shoesnbags · ‎03-10-2010

@fthunt wrote:
@shoesnbags To clarify.......say you're out at night and lose your key.......spare is at home or ..... spare is in glove compartment in your locked car...... (stupid I know)......how do you get out of that dark parking lot without starting your car?

With a cell phone.......you call OnSTAR and ask them to unlock your car.
IF your car is unlocked but you lost your key to start car.....ask them to start your car so you can, at least, drive home.

They provide wallet size card (like AAA) card with phone number OR if in the car push OnSTAR telephone connection above sun visor.

@fthunt

But my point was that none of the Onstar benefits help with the cost of replacing a lost key or key fob.

BTW it's not possible to lock the key fob in my car. The car "senses" the key fob and won't lock until you find it inside the car and remove it. That has saved me several times.

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." Jimmy Buffett

fthunt · ‎12-24-2010

@shoesnbags Replacing lost key - never said nor implied OnSTAR would pay for the cost to replace. That would be an insurance issue IF you carry such.

I made reference to a LOST key - not one left inside automobile. Not all makes of cars operate the same.

GM cars have the OnSTAR feature - agree - most people buy other makes of cars

lulu1 · ‎03-29-2011

I lost a key fob and I knew I'd only been in 1 store for about 10 minutes, in 2 adjacent departments. At the time there was a man cleaning the floors and there is little doubt in my mind, he found it. (I was the only shopper in either of the departments.)

The worst part of the situation was, I'd parked close to the store and my car was the only one of the make. What I once found convenient, being able to beat my car to find where it was in a crowded parking, was now my worst nightmare. I could not leave my car, for fear someone would take it and the sun was beating down full force. I could have walked to my house within 10 minutes to get my spare fob, but then again, I couldn't leave my car.

I called the roadside assistant number and was instructed to call the dealer. They told me it would be a few hours. Finally I was able to find someone home who went to my house and brought me the spare. After almost 90 minutes standing next to my car, I was off to the dealership where they reprogrammed my spare. I was told to wait a week or so just in case the fob was turned in. Of course it wasn't. I've since learned that even though that lost fob was no longer programmed to my vehicle, there is a hot market for lost fobs.

patbz · ‎03-10-2010

@queendiva: I buy my batteries at O'Reillys for $5-7 and they put them in fob ( also buy headlight bulbs there and they do the replacement).

patbz · ‎03-10-2010

@shoesnbags : We were offered OnStar with our Buick but its clunky and expensive. In 18 mths you could buy another fob for what you pay and their directions ( faux GPS) are outdated. We bought a nice GPS for $100 ( way better and way cheaper).