Chip Key Replacement, Austin TX
Chip key is the everyday name for a transponder key. The chip is a small glass or carbon transponder in the plastic head with no battery in it, which is why chip keys keep working long after a remote fob has gone flat.
The chip has to be matched to your vehicle's system, not just to the make. Two cars from the same manufacturer two years apart can want different chips entirely, which is why we ask for the VIN when you book.
Chip keys are also where dealership pricing gets silly. The same key, cut and coded at the roadside, typically lands at well under half what a dealer quotes once the tow and the shop time are counted.
What the job involves
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Right chip for the right system
Matched from the VIN, not guessed from the badge.
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Cheaper than the dealer, mobile
No tow bill and no two-day wait for a parts order.
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Tested before we leave
Start, remote functions and every door, in front of you.
Chip Keys: what it costs
Typical Austin-metro ranges. Your exact number is quoted on the phone.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Transponder key cut & programmedMost makes from the mid-nineties on | $120 – $250 |
| Duplicate from a working keyChipped or chipless | $70 – $180 |
| Remote flip keyCut, coded and remote paired | $150 – $300 |
| Blank cut, no programmingMechanical key or valet blade | $25 – $70 |
| Service call / dispatchCharged once per visit, never per lock | $29 – $49 |
| Nights, Sundays & holidaysQuoted on the phone before a van is sent | +$25 – $65 |
These are the ranges most jobs in the Austin metro land between. The exact number is quoted on the phone before a technician is dispatched, and it is the number on the invoice. Parts are itemised separately and priced from a rate card, not invented at the door.
Common questions
Do chip keys have a battery?
The transponder chip does not. If your key also has remote buttons, those run on a small coin cell that we can change while we are there.
How do I know if my key is chipped?
Anything from roughly 1996 onward almost certainly is. If a plain copy cranks the engine and it dies immediately, that is a chip issue.
Can you supply the key or do I have to buy it?
We supply it. Keys and fobs are stocked on the van for common makes.
Part of our Car Key Replacement & Programming work. Covering Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Leander, Lakeway, Kyle, Buda, Hutto, Manor and Dripping Springs.
What Austin says
about us
Reviews left by customers across Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park and Pflugerville.
Locked myself out at eleven at night with a toddler asleep upstairs. Quoted me on the phone, arrived in half an hour, had the door open in under five minutes without a scratch on it. Charged exactly what was quoted.
Marisol Trevino
Homeowner, Mueller
We turn over about forty units a year and they handle every rekey. Invoiced to the office, keying schedule emailed the same day, never had to chase them.
Dwayne Whitfield
Property manager, North Austin
Dealer wanted a tow plus two days for a lost Kia key. These guys did it in my driveway in about an hour for a lot less. Two keys, both tested before he left.
Priya Raghunathan
Driver, Cedar Park
Panic bar failed on a Friday during service. They came out after close, fixed it properly and talked me through what the inspector would be looking for.
Ben Ostrowski
Restaurant owner, East Sixth
Locked out? We answer the phone at 3 a.m.
One call gets a licensed, insured technician rolling to you anywhere in the Austin metro.
