A Fob in the Washing Machine and a Test Done on the Phone
Much of a fob replacement can be sorted out before anyone drives over. Here's a typical example from a house in Walnut Bend.
A woman pulled a load of laundry out of the washer and heard a clunk in the drum. It was her husband's smart key, still in the pocket of his work pants. He was away for two weeks on a project in Louisiana, and his SUV sat in the driveway. She dried the fob with a towel and pressed the buttons. Nothing. She called us, not sure whether to buy a new one or just wait.
The dispatcher walked her through it on the phone, step by step. First, he asked her to open the fob and take out the coin battery, since water and a live battery are a bad combination. She found the little slot and popped it open. Then he asked her to try something with the dead fob: take the emergency blade out, open the driver's door with it, and hold the fob right against the start button with her foot on the brake. Many push-button cars read the chip that way even with no battery. She tried it. The dashboard lit up, flickered, and showed "key not detected." The chip hadn't survived the wash.
So the fob needed replacing. He asked for the year, make and model, and had her read the VIN from the lower corner of the windshield. He looked up the part and confirmed he had it in stock. He also asked whether there was a spare. There was, in the husband's travel bag in Louisiana. He explained that the spare would keep working after programming, as long as the car's key list wasn't fully erased, and that the washed fob would be removed. He booked the next morning. He'd phone ahead when he was on the way.
The technician arrived in uniform the next day and showed his ID. She had the title and her ID ready, along with a text from her husband authorizing the work. The technician cut the new fob's emergency blade on his key-cutting machine in the van, connected his programmer to the OBD port, removed the washed fob and paired the new one. He tested the locks, the hatch and the start button.
The technician's advice, with a smile: check the pockets before laundry day.
Replacing a Fob, Explained
A Fresh Coin Cell Before Anything Else
Most fobs that stop working need a new coin cell, often a CR2032 or CR2025. If the fob has been wet, take the battery out, dry everything for a day or two, and then try a fresh battery before buying anything.
New Proximity Keys
A smart key fob replacement means a new proximity key programmed to the car, plus a new emergency blade cut for the door. Many makes are done on site in under an hour.
Push to Start Key Replacement Test
Before you replace a push-button key, hold it against the start button with your foot on the brake. If the car starts, the chip works and the problem may only be the battery or the buttons. If it doesn't, the fob likely needs replacing.
Broken Key Fob Repair
Cracked cases, worn buttons and loose battery contacts can sometimes be repaired. Broken key fob repair is worth trying when the chip and board still work. We'll test it and tell you honestly.
Key Fob Shell Replacement
If only the case is broken, a key fob shell replacement moves the board and chip into a new shell.
A Fob That's Gone for Good
When the fob is gone, a lost key fob replacement includes erasing it from the car so nobody can use it. If you have no working key at all, see lost car key replacement.
Water, Heat and Concrete
Washing machines, pools, hot dashboards and garage floors are the usual culprits. A silicone cover helps, and a zipped pocket helps more.
Parts From Internet Sellers
Online fobs are often the wrong frequency or part number, and some are used fobs that are locked to another car. Send us the part number before you buy, and we'll tell you whether it will program. For a key with a separate blade and remote, see car key replacement.
Spares Away From Home
If your spare is out of town, as in the story above, we can usually program the new fob without erasing it. Tell us where the spare is so we plan the programming correctly.
Authorization When the Owner Is Away
If the vehicle is in someone else's name, we need their authorization: a text or call from the owner, plus your ID and the vehicle documents.
Getting a Spare While We're There
If your household shares a car, or one driver travels often for work.
Mobile Visits in Westchase
Tell the dispatcher where you are in Westchase, and a technician is sent to that address. Around Westchase, Westheimer is busy most evenings, the Beltway feeders slow down at rush hour, and Richmond Avenue fills as the towers let out. Planned replacements are booked whenever it suits you, and the streets of Walnut Bend and Ashford Forest are quick to reach once we're off the main roads.
Friendly, Careful Technicians
Our technicians wear the company uniform and carry ID. They test before they replace, explain what failed and why, and show you how to change the battery yourself. Every fob is tested on the locks, the hatch and the ignition before they leave.
Fast Locksmith 24/7 is licensed and insured, and we hold a 5-star Google rating from Houston drivers.
Key Fob Replacement Around Westchase
Fob calls in Westchase come from families in Walnut Bend, Ashford Forest and the townhomes near Royal Oaks, apartment residents along Wilcrest and Briar Forest, and office workers who drop their keys in the garages on Richmond and Westchase Drive. Key fob replacement in Westchase usually takes a single visit.
A key fob takes a beating. In Westchase it gets dropped on parking structure floors, left on dashboards in the sun and carried in pockets with coins and keys. Eventually the buttons wear, the case cracks or the board stops responding.
We start by checking the simple things. A weak battery, a corroded contact or a broken case can mimic a dead fob. Fixing those is better than buying a new unit.
If a new fob is needed, we match it to your car by the part number and the frequency. Bring the old one even if it is in pieces, because the circuit board has clues we use.
Once the new fob is ready, we pair it with the car and test each function: lock, unlock, trunk, panic and remote start if the car has it.
Ask about a spare fob for a second driver. Offices in the area are full of people who share a car, and the extra fob is a small errand next to a stranded morning.
Avoid fobs from sketchy sources. Many are the wrong frequency or locked to another vehicle, and they can't be fixed.
Keep the fob out of direct sun on the dash. Summer heat in Houston warps cases and drains batteries sooner than people expect, and a small pouch in the console helps.
If your fob has a hidden emergency blade, test it once. Most drivers have never used it, and it is better to learn how it works in daylight than in a dark lot.
We also replace fobs in the Energy Corridor, Memorial City and the Galleria. For a working fob that only needs pairing, see key fob programming.
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.