A Paddle on the Bayou and a Fob That Didn't Come Back
People expect the worst when a fob is gone for good. This is a typical example of how differently it can end.
Two friends spent a Saturday morning paddling a stretch of Buffalo Bayou in west Memorial. One of them had parked his SUV in a lot near the water and tucked the smart key in a pocket of his life vest. Somewhere around a bend, climbing over a fallen tree, the pocket opened. He didn't notice until they pulled the kayaks out. The fob was somewhere at the bottom of the bayou.
His spare was at home, but home was locked and his wife had the house key on a trip to Austin. The SUV was locked too, with his wallet inside. He'd already decided how the day would go: a tow to the dealer, a rental, maybe three or four days without the car, a big bill. His friend suggested calling a locksmith first.
The dispatcher asked where the SUV was parked, the year, make and model, whether it was push-to-start (yes), and whether the registration was inside. It was, along with his license, in his wallet. She explained the order of things: open the car, check the papers with him, then make a new smart key and erase the lost one. She said a technician was on the way.
In company uniform, the technician introduced himself and showed his ID. He opened the driver's door with an air wedge and a long-reach tool and waited while the man found his wallet. License and registration matched.
He looked up the key code by VIN, cut the emergency blade on his code cutter, and matched a new smart key to the part number for that model. Then he connected his programmer to the OBD port. The car made him wait out a short security delay before it would accept the new key. He used the time to explain how to delete a fob later, if the old one ever turned up in a heron's nest. The new key registered, the lost one was erased, and the SUV started.
The man had expected to lose most of a week. The technician's advice: zip pockets only on the water.
Your Fob Options, Explained
Try the Battery First
If the buttons are weak or dead, replace the coin battery and check its direction. If the car won't start, hold the fob against the start button, since many cars read the chip even when the battery is flat.
Cracked Case, Working Insides
Broken key fob repair is sometimes all you need. A cracked case or broken battery door doesn't always mean a new fob. A key fob shell replacement moves your working board, chip and blade into a new case.
Smart Key Fob Replacement When the Board Is Gone
Water, heat and hard drops kill circuit boards. A new smart key must match your car's frequency and part number. We confirm that, program it and cut the emergency blade.
A Fob That's Simply Gone
Lost key fob replacement starts with the car itself. If the fob is gone, we program a new one and erase the missing fob where the vehicle allows. If it was the only key and the car is locked, we open the car first.
Push to Start Key Replacement Needs the Right Part
Fobs often look identical across model years and trims while using different frequencies.
Drowned Fobs
Pool water, bayou water and washing machines all reach the board. Dry a wet fob completely before testing it, but expect to replace it.
Fobs From Online Sellers
Some are fine. Some are used and locked to another car.
When a Re-Sync Is Enough
If the fob is intact and only the buttons stopped after a battery change, it may just need key fob programming. For a spare from a working key, see car key replacement.
Two Fobs, Always
Most cars come with two fobs, and many households are down to one without realizing it.
Show Us the Car Is Yours
A photo ID and the registration or title. If those are in the locked car, we open it first and check them with you.
Summer-League Pools and Swim Bags
Neighborhood pools around Memorial are busy all summer, and fobs end up in wet swim bags, under pool chairs and, now and then, at the bottom of the deep end. Keep fobs in a zipped dry pocket and leave a second fob at home, so one bad afternoon at the pool doesn't strand the whole family.
Keeping Fobs Safe Outdoors
A waterproof pouch for paddling and swimming, a zip pocket for running, and no fobs left baking on dashboards. And keep a second fob in the house, not in the car.
Reaching Your Spot in Memorial
We send a technician to your address anywhere in Memorial. Saturday mornings near the bayou and Terry Hershey Park are easy. Weekday rush hours on the Katy Freeway and Memorial Drive, and school times near Memorial High and Stratford, are slower.
Technicians Who Fix What's Actually Broken
The technician who comes is in uniform and carries company ID. They look at the fob and the car before recommending anything. If a shell swap does the job, they'll say so. If the fob is truly gone, they'll explain each step, including any security wait, and test the new fob for start, doors, trunk and range.
Fast Locksmith 24/7 is licensed and insured, and we're rated 5 stars on Google.
Key Fob Replacement Around Memorial
We replace fobs at trailheads, in driveways in Nottingham Forest and Fonn Villas, and in parking garages across the area.
Key fobs wear out in Memorial for ordinary reasons. They go through pockets, get dropped on garage floors and spend summers on hot dashboards. Plastic warps, buttons stick and the circuit board loses its connection.
Before replacing a fob, we test it. Sometimes the battery is dead, the contacts are dirty or the case has split, and a small repair is all it needs. If a new fob is required, we tell you which type fits your car.
Bring the old fob even if it is broken. The part number and the board inside help us find an exact match, and sometimes the board can be moved into a fresh shell.
Smart keys for push-button cars are paired on site. We check every function, including the trunk release, remote start and panic button where the car has them, and we remove the old fob from the car's memory if it was lost.
A spare fob kept in a drawer at home is good insurance against a bad morning. We would suggest one for each vehicle.
If the fob works only when you hold it against the dash, the battery is probably weak, and replacing the coin cell may be all it needs. Tell us what happens and we can usually say before we arrive.
Cars with remote start need to be checked after the fob is replaced. We run the feature before leaving, so a cold-start morning does not turn into a surprise.
We also replace key fobs in Spring Branch, Memorial City and River Oaks.
Fob Gone? Don't Call a Tow Yet
Call Fast Locksmith 24/7. Tell us the car, what happened to the fob, whether the car is locked and where it's parked. A technician on the way.
Estimated Technician Arrival Time
Arrival times vary depending on your location and technician availability.
Actual arrival time may vary depending on your exact location, traffic conditions, time of day, current demand, and technician availability.
Providing your exact vehicle location when calling allows us to give you a more accurate estimated arrival time.