Kia key replacement cost at dealership vs local locksmith

[PWMDMD]

The Kia is driven by the kids and they lost a key a few months ago. At that time, I put AirTags on all the keys. Last weekend, the 17 year old couldn't find the remaining key and I tracked it to 1/2 mile down the road. He came home and put the key on another car to play basketball with his brother and then the 20 year old drove off with that car. Found the key which was smashed but the actual key part still worked so we still have a functioning car. This is a 2022 Kia Soul LX and NOT a push start - the key flips out of the fob. I called Kia and explained the situation and I was quoted $1010 PER KEY. That's 14% of the cost of the Kia NEW.

Needless to say, that is ridiculous, and I actually laughed at the guy. This guy just left message this AM stating he forgot to quote the 1 hour of time needed to program the key so it's actually $1210 per key. A locksmith in town can do it for $200 per key fully programmed.

 

[rijndael]

Check your local Batteries Plus, they do keys for a reasonable fee.

https://www.batteriesplus.com/service/key-fob-replacement

 

[cptbarkey]

The mobile locksmith outside Costco quoted me $280. Yes, shop around, yet another lesson to not do business with stealerships.

 

[dadto2]

I recently had a key made for my Kia at a local Ace Hardware store. They quoted me $90 for the key and programing the chip to the car. They dropped the price to $45 when I explained that my keys don't have a chip, so no programming necessary. They claimed they couldn't go lower than $45 because the keys they order are chipped, regardless of programming. Sounds fair to me.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Well at least it has two keys or did have. When you buy a new Toyota nowadays they come with one key and you have to come back for the second one. Their excuse still to this day is the chip shortage. But I always would go to the locksmith over the dealership. We got a quote from my work for an extra key for my dads Buick and it was like $300 some dollars and an hour of labor to program so it would be like $430 with my discount. But those switch blade keys are always a little bit more expensive but over $1k is just insane.

 

[andrew_j]

Acura dealer locally was $60 for key blade and cut. Locksmith wanted $200 for same service.

A real key fob costs $160 without blade or programming from Acura. Programming is $160.

The locksmith wanted $200 for aftermarket key fob and program. Touching the aftermarket one felt like garbage.

Call around is my take away as you did.

 

[JavierH19]

Twelve hundred bucks per key? bet those rocks barely fit in the pipe.

 

[PWMDMD]

Acura dealer locally was $60 for key blade and cut. Locksmith wanted $200 for same service.

A real key fob costs $160 without blade or programming from Acura. Programming is $160.

The locksmith wanted $200 for aftermarket key fob and program. Touching the aftermarket one felt like garbage.

Same local key smith said if I don't want the fob, just the key blade, it would be $35.

 

[Nukeman7]

Acura dealer locally was $60 for key blade and cut. Locksmith wanted $200 for same service.

A real key fob costs $160 without blade or programming from Acura. Programming is $160.

The locksmith wanted $200 for aftermarket key fob and program. Touching the aftermarket one felt like garbage.

FYI...the Autel MaxiAP AP200 dongle costs ~$55 on Amazon and is capable of programming Acura/Honda chipped keys. I have a $400 XTool D7 tablet that can only program the newer Honda/Acura "Smart Keys", but the AP200 can program all Honda/Acura keys if you select Honda/Acura as the primary brand software when you initially register the device.

 

[rijndael]

"Frequently returned" .... who would have guessed that.

 

[Variant_S]

The mobile locksmith outside Costco quoted me $280. Yes, shop around, yet another lesson to not do business with stealerships.

Agreed. Got a key from the Costco mobile vendor for $200 a year ago. Except for the lack of the manufacturer's logo, it looks and works as well as the factory one.

 

[The Critic]

Well at least it has two keys or did have. When you buy a new Toyota nowadays they come with one key and you have to come back for the second one. Their excuse still to this day is the chip shortage.

That hasn't been universally true in a long time. There are a few new Toyota vehicles sitting within a few feet of me and everyone has 2 keys.

 

[AutoMechanic]

That hasn't been universally true in a long time. There are a few new Toyota vehicles sitting within a few feet of me and everyone has 2 keys.

Interesting. Every single one at our dealership is one key and come back for the other one as it’s special order. Our area representative says it’s chip shortage that’s what he is told to tell his people so that’s what he does. I haven’t seen a Toyota come with two keys since before Covid. Maybe yours already had the keys programmed by the dealership?

 

[The Critic]

Interesting. Every single one at our dealership is one key and come back for the other one as it’s special order. Our area representative says it’s chip shortage that’s what he is told to tell his people so that’s what he does. I haven’t seen a Toyota come with two keys since before Covid. Maybe yours already had the keys programmed by the dealership?

Southeast Toyota Distributors shenanigans?

Heck, my Mother in law's RX350h was delivered last August and came with 2 keys.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Southeast Toyota Distributors shenanigans?

Heck, my Mother in law's RX350h was delivered last August and came with 2 keys.

Maybe. I thought it was normal across the US. The tech who just moved to my dealership from Pennsylvania said it was the same way at his up there so I thought it was still the universal thing.

 

[svtrit]

My 2020 Wrangler only had one key. I got the new one through a locksmith, plus the programming, and 2 keys just for unlocking the doors for $250. I wouldn’t go to the dealership.

He had never seen a vehicle with push button start but manual door locks and hand crank windows.

It’s a Jeep thing.

 

[D60]

This is one area of the automotive world that just drives me insane and I feel the immediate need for a rubber room and straight jacket.

Are locksmiths still subject to the "token" thing, ie they have to buy a token every time they copy a key like this?

That whole program screams organized crime, like someone just pulled an idea out of thin air about finding something you can "lock down" and not release without being paid extortion, er I mean a fee.

 

[PWMDMD]

FTR…finally got the replacement keys. When the local guy said for $250 he could get me a key just like the OEM I thought he meant a 3rd party with the same functionality. It IS an OEM key fob and it took him 20 mins to program the car and cut the key blade.

Kia dealership is out of its mind.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

The Kia Boyz will do it for free

 

[Kestas]

I believe key replacements and headlamp replacements are another scam automakers have created for the dealerships to make money. At this point I believe it would be cheaper to go with the old key technology and tolerate stolen autos.

30 years ago enhanced key technology gave rise to the new phenomenon of carjacking. Thieves found it too hard to steal cars, so they just take them from then owners as they step out of their vehicles.