Transponder KeysCape Town
A spare chip key, cloned at the vehicle, usually for a good deal less than the agents charge. Get the second key before you need it, not on the night you lose the first.
Transponder key services
Get the spare cut now. Losing the only key is the expensive version.
We can replace most duplicate transponder keys at a much better rate than the agents. We have the equipment and can come out to where the vehicle is to clone you a new key. In some cases the vehicle does have to be towed in, and we will tell you that on the phone rather than after arriving.
We supply transponder blanks for most vehicles. Remote units sometimes still have to come through the agents. The equipment for duplicating transponder keys is expensive, and with new models released every month the software needs constant upgrading, which is part of why this work is priced the way it is.
Some transponder keys can be duplicated with reader and encoding hardware, software and writable chips. Others have to be programmed into the vehicle processor before they will work. Which of those applies comes down to the make, model and year.
If you have just bought a car that runs on a transponder key, get a second set cut. Replacing a set after hours is costly, and losing your only key out of town can mean towing the vehicle back before anything can be done at all.
Call 073 444 3773
How a transponder key actually works
Useful to understand, because it explains why a cut key alone will not start the car.
- A chip in the head of the keyInsert the key and the car transmits a radio frequency. That energises the transponder, which replies with an ID number.
- The car checks the numberIf the onboard computer recognises the ID, the ignition and starting system is enabled. If not, nothing happens.
- No battery in the chipIt runs at 125 kHz with a range of about 1cm to 15cm, and the signal passes through the plastic or rubber of the key bow.
- Keyless entry keysLater models carry large numbers of unique codes, adding another layer of security along with keyless entry.
What happens when you call
Make, model and year decide almost everything here — the blank, the method and whether we can do it where the car stands.
- 01Give us the vehicle details
Make, model, year, and whether you still have a working key. That last one changes the job completely.
- 02We confirm the method
Whether the key can be cloned with our equipment or has to be programmed into the vehicle processor.
- 03We come to the vehicle
Most jobs are done on site. Where a vehicle has to be towed in, you hear that before anyone is dispatched.
- 04You test it before we finish
The key turns, the car starts, and the remote works, checked with you on the spot.
Transponder blanks for familiar makes
Key systems differ by model, year and specification, so the badge alone does not tell us enough. Give us the exact vehicle details and we will confirm whether we can clone it, programme it, or need to send you to the agents for the remote.
If your make is not shown, call with the make, model and year.
Equipment, software and a real workshop behind it
AAA Locksmiths has served the Cape Peninsula since 1999. Transponder work needs equipment that has to be paid for and software that has to be kept current, which is not something a man with a bag can sustain.
- PSIRA-registered security service provider
- Members of the Locksmith Association of South Africa
- Transponder blanks stocked for most vehicles
- Mobile equipment that comes to the vehicle
- Manufacturer warranty on the hardware we supply
Where we help
We work right across the Cape Town metro, out of the branch nearest to you. Pick your area to see who answers.
Cape Town CBD
The City Bowl, the Foreshore and the harbour, out through Woodstock and Observatory. Office blocks, flats and parking garages, at any hour of the night.
Common questions
Have the make, model and year ready — it is the first thing we will ask.
Is it cheaper than going to the agents?
For most duplicate transponder keys, yes, and usually by a good margin. Remote units sometimes still have to come through the agents, and we will say so up front rather than after the fact.
Can you do it where my car is parked?
Most of the time. We carry the equipment to the vehicle. Some vehicles do have to be towed in, which we will tell you on the phone.
I have lost my only key. What now?
Get a new set as soon as possible from someone equipped and experienced to do it. Some vehicles allow a blank transponder key to start the car and programme itself while you drive, taking around thirty minutes. Whether yours is one of them depends on the make, model and year.
Why is duplicating a car key expensive at all?
The equipment costs a great deal, and because new models are released monthly the software has to be upgraded constantly to keep covering them. That cost sits behind every chip key anybody cuts.
How many keys should I have?
At least two. Replacing a set after hours costs more, and losing your only key while out of town can mean towing the vehicle back into town before anyone can help at all.
Tell us the make, model and year
And whether you still have a working key — that changes the job entirely.