Delete Lost Keys from Your Car in Milwaukee
Locksmith Milwaukee Now deletes lost and old keys from cars in Milwaukee and about 30 miles around it, so only your keys start the engine. Erasing old keys starts at $119, and a spare can be added on the same visit. We work 24/7, every day of the year. Call or text us.
Why a lost key still starts your car
Your car keeps a list of every key it was ever taught. It has no idea when a key is lost or when the car changes owners. A key that fell out of a pocket at a bus stop, a spare the seller kept, a copy made for a family member years ago: each one starts the engine until somebody removes it from that list. To delete lost keys from a car, the list itself has to be cleared and rebuilt with the keys you hold. Erasing old keys and testing the ones you keep usually takes 15 to 45 minutes.
When to erase old keys
- You bought a used car. You got one or two keys, and nobody can say how many more exist.
- A key was lost or stolen. It still works, wherever it is now.
- Someone left with a key. A former partner, roommate, or employee kept a key that still starts the car.
- A key was copied somewhere. Nothing in the paperwork shows how many copies exist.
What erasing does
We connect to the car through the diagnostic port under the dash and clear its key list. Then we program back the keys you hold, one at a time. Any key that is away from the car at that moment drops off the list, wherever it is. On most cars the list cannot be cleared one key at a time, so every key you want to keep has to be with you, including the spare in the kitchen drawer.
On many cars the remote buttons have their own list, separate from the chip. Where that is the case, we clear and program both, so an old remote stops locking and unlocking the car as well. Where a car only allows adding keys, we tell you at the car before any work.
Erase and add a spare on the same visit
Most people who erase old keys have one key left. A second key can be programmed during the same procedure, so you leave with two working keys and no unknown ones. A spare car key made later means a second visit and a second time through the car's key list.
How the visit goes
- Tell us the carText us or call with the year, make, and model and how many keys you have.
- Show it is your carA photo ID and the title in your name. On a car you just bought, the title signed over to you works.
- Clear the listWe erase every key from the car and program back the ones you hold.
- Test every keyEach key starts the engine, and the buttons lock and unlock the doors.
Prices to delete old car keys in Milwaukee
Erasing lost or old keys starts at $119. A spare chip key on the same visit adds to that, and a smart key spare costs more than a chip key. We confirm the full price at the car.
| Erase lost or old keys from the car | from $119 |
|---|---|
| Spare car key (you have a working key) | from $69 |
| Push-to-start smart key | from $159 |
Documents for erasing keys
Erasing keys decides who can start the car, so we check ownership with care. We ask for a photo ID and the title or the registration in your name. On a car bought this week, the signed title works. For a company car, we need a letter from the company. These papers protect you, because the person who erases the keys chooses which keys stay.
Lost every key?
If no key is left at all, erasing is part of a bigger job: we read the lock, cut a new key, and program it, and the lost keys come off the list in the same step. That visit is covered on our page about lost car keys.
Company vehicles and car lots
Companies erase keys when a driver leaves, and car lots erase them before a car goes to a new owner. See fleet keys and keys for used car dealers.
Cities we serve around Milwaukee
Milwaukee and about 30 miles around it: Milwaukee County, Waukesha County, Ozaukee County, Washington County, and Racine County.
Questions about deleting lost car keys in Milwaukee
Can a lost key still start my car?
Yes. The car accepts every key on its list until the list is cleared.
How much does it cost to erase old car keys?
From $119 at the car. A spare on the same visit costs extra.
Do I need all my keys with me?
Yes. On most cars every key you want to keep has to be at the car, because the whole list is cleared at once.
I bought a used car with one key. Should I erase the others?
If you do not know where the other keys are, erasing them is the only way to stop them from working.
Does erasing keys stop an old remote too?
On cars where the remote has its own list, we clear that list as well.
How long does it take to erase old keys?
Usually 15 to 45 minutes, including programming and testing the keys you keep.