"Replacement key FOB cannot be reprogrammed" ... says dealer

[Gergarnold]

A dealer on Ebay now sells the transmitter and blank key for $100. These are brand new and never programmed. I looked into my local dealer and he would sell me the transmitter for $170 and the key for $30, plus the programming for over $100. The total was over $300 so I let it pass. You can get the key and transmitter for a bit over $100 from the online dealers. The best I found was a Red River Nissan - nissannewparts.com. They have the best prices for both parts and accessories. Then you still need to get it reprogrammed. I wonder if a locksmith would be less expensive.

I just did that .. bought a use smart key on ebay for $37 $6 for a blank key and the local Bloomingdale Locksmith guy charge me $50 to program the smart key and cut my blank key on my 2007 GS350 I called the Lexus Dealer before that and they wont even do it.. they said I need to buy a brand new $300 key to them and they can program it for free...
BTW it only took about 20 minutes to reset the ECU and re program the Smart Key.

 

[Sammysmith]

I wanted a duplicate key and the dealer quoted me $290. I found Oaklawn Locksmith that does car keys and he wanted $76 for a plain key or $152 for one with the remote locking on it. I purchased the plain key since I already had the key with the remote on it.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

We were looking at used LEAFs at a place called offleaseonly. Some of their cars have two fobs, others only one.
I called one dealer who said it would be $375 for a new fob, I think it was $250 for the part and $125 for the programming. After reading all the stories my conclusion was that the only thing worse than spending $375 would be spending a lesser sum to get Lord knows what off of eBay, waste a bunch of time and money trying unsuccessfully to get it to work, then having to pay the $375 on top of all that.

 

[Turnover]

I've been paying $233.06 (includes sales tax) for new fobs including reprograming. First to go was our Subaru then a couple of month's later a 2nd set for our new to us used 2013 Leaf. (The Oregon dealer, Greg of Platt Auto Group, was great about writing out a check when he found that there was only one set of keys.) Our local key shop is Curley's.

 

[Petermartin]

I bought 2 replacement keyshells on ebay for $10 each. It cost me $30 to have them cut by a small Locksmith shop owner who obviously overcharged me. The problem is, the key machines required to cut these key fobs is special. Regular key cutters don't do it. As for programming, that's another bunch of bullshit. The guy charges $100 if he has to program a key or find PIN numbers.

 

[Evoforce]

Purchase the right part number fob and key from eBay and have a locksmith with the right dongle equipment program it and cut the key. The one I had done a few days ago cost $90 for programming. It costs the locksmith $50 just to buy/get the key code. This is my third time doing this on Leaf vehicles. It is a learning experience for the locksmiths so expect a little head scratching as they figure it out.

 

[commasense]

So is the consensus that if you buy a used fob online (for $50-70 on eBay at the moment: http://www.ebay.com/sch/Keyless-Entry-Remotes-Fobs-/33723/i.html?MMake=Nissan&MModel=Leaf), dealerships can't or won't reprogram it, but a good automotive locksmith can?

Does it matter if the fob is used (as most of the ones at eBay seem to be)?

 

[Evoforce]

So is the consensus that if you buy a used fob online (for $50-70 on eBay at the moment: http://www.ebay.com/sch/Keyless-Entry-Remotes-Fobs-/33723/i.html?MMake=Nissan&MModel=Leaf), dealerships can't or won't reprogram it, but a good automotive locksmith can?

Does it matter if the fob is used (as most of the ones at eBay seem to be)?

The dealers will also reprogram as well as some locksmiths and it doesn't matter if it is used other than getting a new key to have cut to fit your door. But the correct fob part number does matter.

 

[commasense]

So is the consensus that if you buy a used fob online (for $50-70 on eBay at the moment: http://www.ebay.com/sch/Keyless-Entry-Remotes-Fobs-/33723/i.html?MMake=Nissan&MModel=Leaf), dealerships can't or won't reprogram it, but a good automotive locksmith can?

Does it matter if the fob is used (as most of the ones at eBay seem to be)?

The dealers will also reprogram as well as some locksmiths and it doesn't matter if it is used other than getting a new key to have cut to fit your door. But the correct fob part number does matter.

Right, and a call to a more knowledgeable service department informed me that the FCC ID code on your new key has to match the one on your existing key. That number is inside the fob, and visible when you remove the key. So I've ordered a replacement fob and now am looking to find a locksmith who might reprogram it for less than the $120 the dealers want. And I don't think that includes cutting the key! (Of course, having a workable mechanical key would seem to be of limited use in an all-electric car.)

 

[QueenBee]

(Of course, having a workable mechanical key would seem to be of limited use in an all-electric car.)

Until the day your 12 volt battery goes dead, or the battery in the key fob goes dead. Then it'll come in real handy.

 

[commasense]

(Of course, having a workable mechanical key would seem to be of limited use in an all-electric car.)

Until the day your 12 volt battery goes dead, or the battery in the key fob goes dead. Then it'll come in real handy.

Ah, so it's the 12-volt battery that controls the door locks? Good to know. Thanks. (I just got our 2013 SV yesterday, still learning the ropes.)

 

[QueenBee]

(Of course, having a workable mechanical key would seem to be of limited use in an all-electric car.)

Until the day your 12 volt battery goes dead, or the battery in the key fob goes dead. Then it'll come in real handy.

Ah, so it's the 12-volt battery that controls the door locks? Good to know. Thanks. (I just got our 2013 SV yesterday, still learning the ropes.)

Congrats! Yep, the 12 volt battery needs to be in good shape for the key fob to unlock the doors and for the LEAF to "start" at which point the DC/DC converter will convert the traction battery to 12 volt to power everything.

So the physical key will open the driver's door. Then if your key fob battery is dead pressing the start button with it (may take a few times) will start the car.

 

[gshepherd]

Still seems curious to me that NissanConnect can not unlock the doors via app/web like OnStar.

 

[QueenBee]

Still seems curious to me that NissanConnect can not unlock the doors via app/web like OnStar.

Considering how incompetent the development team has been thus far it's definitely a good thing that it doesn't have that feature.

 

[commasense]

Agreed. I was just reading about the security mess with the app. It just boggles the mind that computer professionals (supposedly) could create an app to be used on hundreds of thousands of cars with absolutely NO security.

 

[commasense]

Here in Vegas, all the dealers want at least $120 to reprogram another key, and at least 3 locksmiths I found on Angie's List also want $120. No cheap way out for me, except that I bought the fob on eBay for less than $50, and didn't pay the dealer $180+. :x

 

[TimLee]

...Then if your key fob battery is dead pressing the start button with it (may take a few times) will start the car.

But don't get in habit of doing that and keep putting off changing the fob battery.

With the fob dead I left it in the LEAF and locked myself out.

But Nissan provided no cost road aide assistance at 4 1/2 years and 32,000 miles.

 

[baustin]

Here in Vegas, all the dealers want at least $120 to reprogram another key, and at least 3 locksmiths I found on Angie's List also want $120. No cheap way out for me, except that I bought the fob on eBay for less than $50, and didn't pay the dealer $180+. :x

Planet Nissan charged me $80 to do the programming and cut the key. However, that was about 14 months ago, and the car was still under the original warranty. I bought a new FOB and blank key from an out-of-state Nissan dealer for about $100. Planet Nissan wanted $300 to supply the key, FOB, and do programming.

Also, the dealer does not program the FOB to the car, they program the car to recognize the FOB. All the FOBs that the car is to respond to have to be present when the programming is done.

 

[QueenBee]

Here in Vegas, all the dealers want at least $120 to reprogram another key, and at least 3 locksmiths I found on Angie's List also want $120. No cheap way out for me, except that I bought the fob on eBay for less than $50, and didn't pay the dealer $180+. :x

Planet Nissan charged me $80 to do the programming and cut the key. However, that was about 14 months ago, and the car was still under the original warranty. I bought a new FOB and blank key from an out-of-state Nissan dealer for about $100. Planet Nissan wanted $300 to supply the key, FOB, and do programming.

Also, the dealer does not program the FOB to the car, they program the car to recognize the FOB. All the FOBs that the car is to respond to have to be present when the programming is done.

Your numbers match my experience as well though my dealer didn't cut my keys but the first keys I bought the dealer I bought the keys from online did cut them for me after asking for my VIN.

FWIW if you run your fob through the laundry for a month (got hidden in the front load machine behind the gasket) they can still register the fob but it only works when you hold it up to the power button.

 

[RegGuheert]

FWIW if you run your FOB through the laundry for a month (got hidden in the front load machine behind the gasket) they can still register the FOB but it only works when you hold it up to the power button.

Thanks for testing that for us, QueenBee!