So what's the skinny on lost key/fob?

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albion

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2016
Messages
9
Location
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
I bought my 2013 Leaf second hand. Unfortunately the dealer only had one fob. Well while driving around town in the wife's car today I seem to have lost my last and only fob. I've read here and at other forums a lot of conflicting information, from towing the car to the dealer to getting a blank from an OEM parts store and then having a lock smith reprogram the fob. Can someone clarify?
 
The quickest way to get a fob is from the dealer, and it is the most expensive. If you do not have a fob to drive your car now, that may be your only option. If you had a fob and wanted a spare, you could order one online and take it to a dealer or a key programmer to get it mayched to the car.
 
So I've been calling around all morning looking for solution to my problem. I called a bunch of locksmiths, all of which that do fobs claim that the Leaf has to be programmed at the dealership. I checked out the OEMs and they have blank keys and fobs for about $20 (Part# 99810-3NF0A). The tech in both service and parts at my Nissan dealership said they give keys purchased outside of Nissan about a 50% chance of programming correctly. Not to mention, I can't wait for the OEM to take a week to ship it my way, maybe when I get my second key made. So the total cost at the dealer (Milwaukee, WI) is $60 to program, $149.85 for the FOB, and $15 for the blank key, $100 towing. :(
 
Gardina Nissan Said "around" $350 for the fob and programming. A guy on CL said $299 for emergency replacement and $225 non-emergency if I had a key but didn't know if the car could hold 3 keys. I still have two fobs but don't want to deal with emergency and I took my wife's fob to work this morning.

So does anyone have more than 3 fobs programmed?

Maybe if a group got together we could get a lower price? I'm not in a hurry but since my car is worth less than 10k $225 is kinda steep for back-up.
 
albion said:
So I've been calling around all morning looking for solution to my problem. I called a bunch of locksmiths, all of which that do fobs claim that the Leaf has to be programmed at the dealership. I checked out the OEMs and they have blank keys and fobs for about $20 (Part# 99810-3NF0A). The tech in both service and parts at my Nissan dealership said they give keys purchased outside of Nissan about a 50% chance of programming correctly. Not to mention, I can't wait for the OEM to take a week to ship it my way, maybe when I get my second key made. So the total cost at the dealer (Milwaukee, WI) is $60 to program, $149.85 for the FOB, and $15 for the blank key, $100 towing. :(
Click to expand...
Also, it is not only a Leaf problem, but many other brands have that issue. Some brands like Audi have the same prices for their fob.

Sometimes time is money, so you are pinned into spending hundreds for the fobs.
 
When I got my Leaf, in March of 2015, the dealer I use was charging $300 to supply a replacement key and fob and do the programming. I purchased a new key and fob from another dealer for around $100, and my dealer agreed to program the car and cut the key for $80.

The way it was explained to me is that the car is programmed to recognize the specific fobs using the Consult tool, and all fobs the car is to recognize have to be present when the programming is done.

I read somewhere that the Leaf will support up to four fobs at once, but cannot confirm that.
 
albion said:
So I've been calling around all morning looking for solution to my problem. I called a bunch of locksmiths, all of which that do fobs claim that the Leaf has to be programmed at the dealership. I checked out the OEMs and they have blank keys and fobs for about $20 (Part# 99810-3NF0A). The tech in both service and parts at my Nissan dealership said they give keys purchased outside of Nissan about a 50% chance of programming correctly. Not to mention, I can't wait for the OEM to take a week to ship it my way, maybe when I get my second key made. So the total cost at the dealer (Milwaukee, WI) is $60 to program, $149.85 for the FOB, and $15 for the blank key, $100 towing. :(
Click to expand...

$100 for towing?? Are you towing it across country, or what? :eek:
 
My understanding that it is much cheaper to get a replacement if you have at least one fob already. With no fobs, the dealer can charge you even more. The prices the have quoted you are very generous, especially considering that you will be bringing the dealer a car with NO KEYS.. I don't know what part of the country you live in, but the prices for the fob, to program it, and towing are bargain basement in my book... I cannot imagine getting a better price. When I got my 3rd fob, I paid about that. Pay the money, and move on..

However, since this adventure happened to you because you were naively thrifty, make sure you get TWO fobs, and actually THREE fobs. That way, even if you lose one, you will still have two good fobs... That is the cost of admission for these cars.
 
Also consider adding a Bluetooth finder to each fob. I've had good luck with Tile, and their latest version is quite compact (TrackR is even smaller and a better shape, but it went through batteries and was not as long-range as Tile). Saved my sanity several times now.

Looking forward to the day I can use my smartphone and smartwatch instead of a fob.
 
derkraut said:
$100 for towing?? Are you towing it across country, or what? :eek:
Click to expand...

Around here towing costs during/after a blizzard are synonymous with a plumber on thanksgiving. I actually thought it was a deal. The last time I had to be towed on a day like that cost me $250 and 6 hours.
 
powersurge said:
My understanding that it is much cheaper to get a replacement if you have at least one fob already. With no fobs, the dealer can charge you even more. The prices the have quoted you are very generous, especially considering that you will be bringing the dealer a car with NO KEYS.. I don't know what part of the country you live in, but the prices for the fob, to program it, and towing are bargain basement in my book... I cannot imagine getting a better price. When I got my 3rd fob, I paid about that. Pay the money, and move on..

However, since this adventure happened to you because you were naively thrifty, make sure you get TWO fobs, and actually THREE fobs. That way, even if you lose one, you will still have two good fobs... That is the cost of admission for these cars.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately the previous owner had only given the dealer one fob. Considering I have never lost a fob in my life, I wasn't expecting to lose this one within the first two months of ownership. Chalk it up to laziness, I guess.
 

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