My car only came with one key — what should I do?

Why you may only have one

Single-key cars are everywhere. A key gets lost years before you own the car and is never replaced; a private sale hands over one key and a promise to post the other; a part-exchange loses the spare somewhere in the process.

None of that is unusual, and it is rarely a sign of anything wrong with the vehicle. It does mean that one small object now stands between you and driving.

First, check what you actually have

• Look through the paperwork and any pouch or wallet supplied with the car.
• If you bought from a dealer, ask in writing whether a second key was supplied at handover.
• Check whether your key is a plain transponder key, a remote key or a smart proximity key — the type affects the work involved.
• Note whether the blade is worn or the buttons are unreliable; if the only key is tired, that is a second reason to act.

Deciding whether to get a spare

The question is not really the price of a key. It is what happens on the morning the key is missing, snapped or waterlogged, and you need to be somewhere.

With a working key in your hand, a spare is a planned appointment at your home or workplace. Without one, the job becomes an all-keys-lost procedure that takes longer and varies considerably by vehicle.

What the appointment involves

We identify the correct key from your registration, cut the blade where one is fitted, and program the key to your vehicle using professional equipment. Your existing key continues to work.

You will know the price before anyone attends, because AccuKey® quotes against your specific vehicle.