Car keys
Why make a spare before losing your last car key?
A working key gives the technician a useful starting point and gives you a backup during the visit. A spare appointment and an all-keys-lost appointment can require different equipment, authorization and procedures, so describe your situation accurately when comparing quotes.
Decide what the spare needs to do
Some customers need a full remote or proximity fob; others need an engine-starting spare for a second driver. Specify the functions you expect. An emergency blade that only opens a door is useful, but it is not a substitute for a complete programmed key.
Bring every key you still use
Ask dispatch which keys must be present. Certain programming sessions affect more than the new key, and an absent spare may need separate attention. Label existing keys so you can compare them after the work without mixing them up.
Test the spare on its own
Keep the original working key away from the vehicle while testing the new smart key. Otherwise, the vehicle may be detecting the original and hide a problem with the replacement. Confirm lock, unlock, starting and any agreed trunk or remote-start functions before storing the spare separately.
Choose a backup that solves your actual problem
An emergency blade can address a locked door but may not provide starting authorization. A starting key without remote buttons may meet one driver's needs while another needs a complete proximity fob. Specify the functions you want, then ask for the compatible options. Store the spare somewhere useful: a second key inside the same locked car does not help an outside lockout.
Keep a record of the completed spare
Label the receipt with the vehicle and keep the part information without posting security details publicly. Test the spare periodically and after any later programming visit. If a second driver uses it, have that driver understand the mechanical blade and the owner's manual backup-start procedure. Do not rely on the familiar shape of a fob to remember which vehicle it operates.
Customer account from Mya Correia
A replacement key, plus a spare
Mya reported that a technician arrived within 20 minutes and made a replacement key plus an extra spare. The review highlights the pricing discussion and the service received.
“provided excellent service!”
This account describes requesting a replacement and an extra spare during one visit. It illustrates why it is useful to discuss both keys when booking; the review does not establish today's price or arrival time.
Read the original Google review
Source recorded September 5, 2026. Individual customer accounts describe their own experience.
Before you call
- Choose full fob or a more limited backup
- Tell dispatch how many working keys remain
- Bring the keys requested for programming
- Store the tested spare away from the primary key
Follow-up questions
Will making a spare disable my existing key?
Ask which enrollment procedure will be used and bring every key you want to retain. Some procedures change the authorized-key list; test each retained key afterward.
Can two copies satisfy a two-key onboard requirement?
Two physical keys do not necessarily represent two separately enrolled credentials. Have the actual vehicle requirements checked before relying on an owner programming routine.
Official reference
Ford Support: replacing a lost key ↗
Manufacturer guidance for the Ford replacement-key route. It does not establish AID Locksmith coverage for a specific vehicle.
Published by AID Locksmith, owned by Allan, serving Greater Sacramento. General service checklists are editorial guidance; product instructions apply to the named model.