Automotive Locksmith in North Florida — All Makes & Models

Mobile Automotive Locksmith Service — All Makes, All Models, On-Site

Getting stranded over a car key or lock problem is one of the more frustrating experiences there is — especially when the dealership can't see you for three days and wants $400 for a replacement key. Our automotive locksmiths are mobile and fully equipped, meaning we come to wherever your vehicle is parked and resolve most key and lock issues in a single visit.

We service all domestic and foreign vehicles — sedans, trucks, SUVs, minivans, and most luxury makes — and we carry key-cutting machines and the electronic programming equipment needed to handle the full range of modern automotive key types on-site. That includes chip keys, transponder keys, remote head keys, push-to-start proximity fobs, and laser-cut high-security keys.

Before we dispatch anyone, we'll ask for your vehicle's year, make, and model. This lets us confirm that we can handle your specific key type on-site and give you a realistic price range before we show up — so there are no surprises once we arrive.

📞 Stranded right now? Call (904) 668-0776

Emergency Car Lockout Service

A car lockout is a vehicle lockout — keys visible inside the car, locked in the trunk, or simply nowhere to be found. However it happened, the goal is the same: get you back into your vehicle quickly, without damage.

How We Open Locked Vehicles

We use long-reach tools, air wedge systems, and slim jim techniques depending on the vehicle's door construction and locking mechanism. Modern vehicles — particularly newer European and Asian models — have tighter door tolerances and more sophisticated lock architecture than older vehicles, and technique matters more than it used to. Our technicians are trained on current automotive door entry methods and know which approach works for which vehicle type.

What we don't do is break windows or force locks. Damage-free entry is the baseline standard for any legitimate automotive locksmith, and it's achievable on virtually every standard passenger vehicle with the right tools and training.

What to Do While You Wait

If your keys are locked inside and you're in a safe location — a parking lot, a street, a familiar area — stay with the vehicle. If you're on a highway shoulder or an isolated area at night, move to a safer spot and note your vehicle's location when you call us. If there's a child or pet inside a locked vehicle, call 911 immediately — police and fire respond to those situations with tools and authority that a locksmith can't replicate, and every second counts.

When you call us for a lockout, have ready: your exact location (address, intersection, or business name), your vehicle year, make, and model, and confirmation of whether your keys are locked inside or lost entirely. The answer to that last question changes what we bring.

Car Key Replacement — On-Site, Without the Dealership

Lost your only set of keys? This is where the dealership comparison matters most. A dealership replacement for a transponder key or proximity fob can run $250–$500 and take days to schedule, especially if your vehicle requires a key ordered from the manufacturer. We carry the equipment to cut and program keys for most vehicles on the spot, at rates that are typically well below what the dealer charges for the same service.

Understanding Your Car Key Type

The type of key your vehicle uses directly affects how long replacement takes and what it costs. Here's what you're actually dealing with:

Standard mechanical keys — Found on older vehicles and some basic models. No electronics involved. We cut these from a key code or by reading your existing lock in minutes. Least expensive option.

Transponder keys (chip keys) — Used on most vehicles made after the mid-1990s. There's a microchip embedded in the key's plastic head that communicates with your vehicle's immobilizer system. If the chip isn't programmed to match your car's ECU, the key will turn but the engine won't start. We program these using OBD-II port access or EEPROM reading, depending on the vehicle's security architecture.

Remote head keys — A transponder key with the lock/unlock remote buttons integrated into the key head rather than a separate fob. These require both key cutting and remote pairing to function correctly.

Proximity keys (push-to-start / smart keys) — The key stays in your pocket or bag; the car detects its presence and allows the start button to function. These require specialized programming equipment and are more time-intensive than standard transponder keys. Most makes and models are within our on-site capability, though some newer luxury vehicles with proprietary security protocols may have limitations we'll flag before dispatching.

Laser-cut (sidewinder) keys — High-security keys with a distinctive winding cut pattern on the blade rather than the standard serrated edge. These require specialized cutting equipment and are harder to duplicate, which is a feature — not a bug. We carry the appropriate cutting equipment for most laser-cut key applications.

What We Need Before Cutting a Key

For any key replacement, we require proof that you own or have authorized use of the vehicle. Registration in your name is the standard. Insurance documents with your name on the policy also work. We take this seriously — programming a car key for a vehicle you don't own is something we won't do regardless of the story behind the request.

Transponder Key & Key Fob Programming

Transponder key programming is a technical process that involves reading or writing data to the vehicle's immobilizer control unit to associate a new key's chip with your car's security system. Depending on the vehicle manufacturer, this happens through one of three methods:

OBD-II diagnostic port programming — Most common on domestic vehicles and many Japanese makes. We connect a programmer to the OBD-II port (typically under the dashboard) and use manufacturer-specific software protocols to register the new key. Some vehicles require a working existing key to authorize new key programming; others allow all-keys-lost programming through the diagnostic port.

EEPROM reading — Required on vehicles that don't support OBD-II key programming — many older European vehicles, some luxury makes, and certain Asian imports. The transponder ECU is accessed directly, its data is read and cloned or modified, and the new key is matched to the existing immobilizer configuration. More involved than OBD-II programming but fully on-site capable with the right equipment.

Key learning via existing keys — Some vehicles, primarily certain Honda, Toyota, and Nissan models, allow a new transponder key to be programmed using two existing working keys through a timed ignition sequence. No external programmer required, but you need at least two working keys to start — so this method doesn't apply in a total key loss situation.

Key Fob Programming and Replacement

A key fob that no longer locks or unlocks the vehicle is typically either a dead battery or a lost synchronization with the vehicle's receiver — the latter can often be re-synchronized through a programming sequence without replacing the fob at all. If the fob's internal circuitry has failed, we carry aftermarket and OEM-equivalent replacement fobs for most common vehicles and can program them on-site. OEM fobs directly from the dealer are often significantly more expensive for the same functional result.

Saltwater and Humidity Damage to Automotive Lock Hardware

This is a North Florida-specific issue that doesn't get enough attention. The combination of coastal humidity, salt air, and the temperature cycling of Florida's climate accelerates corrosion inside automotive lock cylinders and key fob electronics in ways that don't affect vehicles in drier inland climates.

What salt air does to lock cylinders: The wafer tumblers and springs inside an automotive door lock cylinder are steel components that corrode when exposed to moisture over time. In coastal communities — Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Fernandina Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach — this process happens faster than the manufacturer's service interval assumes. A cylinder that's stiff, intermittently sticky, or occasionally fails to turn cleanly is showing early corrosion symptoms. Left unaddressed, it eventually seizes or breaks a key.

What humidity does to key fob electronics: The PCB inside a key fob is sealed, but that seal degrades over time — particularly in high-humidity environments. The circuit board traces corrode, leading to intermittent function, reduced range, or complete failure. This isn't a battery issue; it's internal corrosion that a new battery won't fix. For residents of North Florida's beach communities, key fob failure after several years of use is a predictable maintenance event rather than a random failure.

We carry replacement cylinders and key fob housings for common vehicles specifically for this type of salt/humidity damage, and we see it regularly enough across our service area to consider it a routine part of automotive locksmith work here.