First, let's look at what one of these keys is and what makes them "smart". A smart key is also known as a push-to-start, proximity, or FOB key. These keys communicate with your car via radio pulses.

Increasingly found in new vehicles, smart keys offer hands-free convenience. Unfortunately, these handy keys are subject to several very inconvenient problems.

• Like all keys, they're easy to misplace.
• A smart key can stop working if either its battery or the car battery is dead.
• It won't work if it's suffering from temperature extremes or water damage. You did remember to take it out of your pocket before you went for that swim, didn't you?
  

Location Is Everything

If you've misplaced your smart key, or it just stops working, you're probably not going anywhere in a hurry. Relying on a dealership for a replacement may require calling a tow truck! That's because reprogramming a smart key requires access to the car's On-Board Diagnosis (OBD) computer. Your vehicle needs to be nearby.

Once you get your vehicle there, you'll have to wait for an expensive replacement key to be programmed to match your vehicle. At a busy dealership, you'd better hope they have comfortable seating because you could end up waiting for hours.

Maybe It's Time to Call the Professionals

Reprogramming a smart key requires a few key things. Your locksmith will need:

• A code from the manufacturer.
• The know-how and special tools needed to correctly input the code into your key.
• A quiet place to work — like maybe your driveway or parking space at work?

Of course, if your key is lost, they'll also need a blank smart key to program with that all-important code!

At Prolocksmith, our trucks are fully equipped with everything needed to program a new transponder key for your vehicle. Contact us and one of our experienced locksmiths will have you back on the road in minutes — no matter where in Orlando your vehicle quit working. Looks like you won't be needing that expensive tow truck after all!