Buying a replacement car key online: check before ordering

1. Identify what the listing actually supplies

“Replacement key” can describe several different things. A new case for existing components is not the same purchase as a complete electronic key, and a blank blade is not a cut-and-programmed service.

Read the item description and the selected option rather than relying on the main photograph. If anything is unclear, ask the seller to confirm it in writing before buying.

• Is it a shell, a blank blade, an electronic fob or a complete service?
• Are the electronics, blade and battery included?
• Are cutting and programming included or separate?
• Which remote and starting functions should the finished key provide?

2. Check the vehicle and the key specification

Provide the registration, make, model, year and details of the existing key to the person who will carry out the work. Similar-looking cases are not enough to establish compatibility.

A model name and broad year range should be treated as a starting point for a check. Ask about any part information supplied by the seller, and explain whether a working key remains. Our catalogue options should also be checked against your vehicle before the job is arranged.

3. Confirm programming suitability before payment

A blade that fits a lock does not establish that a replacement will start the vehicle. Ford’s guidance, for example, explains that its coded ignition keys are matched to the vehicle’s anti-theft system.

If you want us to work with a customer-supplied key, send the specification before ordering. Do not assume that a previously used key can be reused or that a seller’s programming claim applies to your exact car. Suitability must be confirmed for the key and vehicle together.

4. Compare the complete cost and outcome

Compare an item-only price with the cost of any separate cutting, programming and attendance. For our product pages, read the option’s year and key type and ask for the total for your registration and location.

Keep the seller’s description and ask about its return arrangements before placing the order. The useful comparison is a compatible, working result with clearly agreed work—not simply the cheapest photograph of a similar fob.

• Tell the provider if all keys are lost.
• Confirm the selected option and included work.
• Ask what happens if the supplied key proves unsuitable.

Common questions