Key Fob & Remote Programming
New fob, lost remote or an extra one for the family. We program it to your car on site in Coronado and San Diego.
How it worksJeep keys ยท Coronado & San Diego
Jeep key replacement in Coronado and San Diego
Jeeps live outdoors in Coronado and San Diego, and their keys go missing outdoors too: off the rocks at Sunset Cliffs, in the sand at Silver Strand, somewhere on a trail. We come to the Jeep. Lost keys are made from the VIN, spares are added while you still have one, a dead fob is replaced, and a transponder or FOBIK key is programmed so the engine runs. The work is done at the vehicle, not at a counter.
Every day, 7:30 AM to 10:30 PM
Jeep has used three main key styles. Sentry Key, a transponder chip in a metal key, has been on most Jeeps since the late 1990s. From about 2008 to 2018 many models, the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee among them, used the FOBIK, a plastic fob that pushes into the dash and turns like a key. Newer Jeeps use a conventional key fob or a proximity key with push-button start. Each is programmed a different way, and we carry all three.
Jeep key types we cut and program
Sentry Key transponder keys
Most Jeeps since the late 1990s check a chip in the key head under the Sentry Key system. A key without the chip will turn the ignition, but the engine runs briefly and stops or never fires.
FOBIK keys
Many Jeeps from about 2008 to 2018 use the FOBIK, a rectangular fob that slots into the ignition and rotates. It carries the remote and the immobilizer chip together, and it is programmed to the vehicle rather than cloned.
Key fobs and proximity keys
Newer Jeeps use a key fob with a flip blade or a proximity key for push-button start. We bring these for most current Jeeps and pair them on site.
Basic metal keys on older models
Pre-Sentry Key Jeeps, including many older Wranglers and Cherokees, start on a plain cut key. For those we cut to the code and you are on your way.
What we do for Jeep owners
- All Jeep keys lost, cut and programmed from the VIN once we have checked your ID and proof of ownership
- Spare keys and second FOBIKs or fobs paired alongside the one you have
- Fob and proximity key programming for push-button start Jeeps
- Replacement FOBIKs and remotes when the shell has cracked or the buttons have died
- Erasing lost or stolen keys so they can no longer start the Jeep
- FOBIKs that will not turn or will not come out of the dash, a complaint that comes up often on those model years, diagnosed at the vehicle
Jeep models we see most
- Jeep Wrangler
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Jeep Cherokee
- Jeep Compass
- Jeep Renegade
- Jeep Gladiator
Not listed? Call with the year and model; most Jeep keys are within reach.
Jeep keys around Coronado and San Diego
Wranglers and Gladiators are the beach cars of the bay side. We make keys for them at the Sunset Cliffs pullouts, the OB Pier lot, Silver Strand and the driveways of the Coronado Cays, where a key that went into the water is a regular story. Grand Cherokees and Cherokees park at the Hotel del Coronado, in the Gaslamp garages and outside the Naval Amphibious Base. Compasses and Renegades are common at Fashion Valley, Liberty Station and the lots around Southwestern College. If your Jeep is somewhere between NAS North Island and the IB Pier, we will get to it.
- Coronado
- Downtown San Diego
- Point Loma
- Ocean Beach
- Pacific Beach
- Mission Valley
- North Park
- Imperial Beach
- National City
- Chula Vista
- La Jolla
- Hillcrest
- Mission Hills
- Old Town & Midway
- Bonita
- Eastlake
Keys we carry, across makes
A sample of what rides in the van. Yours may look different by year and trim; we match it to the VIN.
Smart key with emergency blade
Acura 4-button smart key
Ford smart key, 2023 and newer
Mercedes-Benz key shell
Audi flip key
BMW smart key
Buick flip key
Cadillac smart key
Chevrolet keyless entry remote
Chevrolet transponder key
Chrysler smart key
Dodge smart key
Not pictured? Most makes are within reach; call with the year and model.
Jeep key questions
My Jeep FOBIK will not turn. Is it the key or the ignition?
It can be either. Try the spare FOBIK if you have one; if it turns, the first fob has worn or lost its pairing and we program a replacement. If neither will turn, or the FOBIK is stuck in the dash, the ignition node on those models is the more likely cause, a complaint that comes up often on FOBIK-era Jeeps. We diagnose it at the vehicle and go from there; see ignition repair.
Can you make a Jeep key with no original?
Yes. We obtain the key code for your VIN, cut a blade for a Sentry Key or an emergency blade for a fob, and program the transponder, FOBIK or proximity key to the Jeep with the vehicle present. Have your ID and the registration or title ready, because we check them before we begin. Our car key replacement page walks through it.
Can a Jeep key be copied, or does every one need programming?
It depends on the type. A plain metal key on an older Jeep is simply cut. A Sentry Key can sometimes be cloned onto a new key with the original present, and otherwise is paired at the vehicle. FOBIKs and proximity keys are always programmed to the Jeep rather than copied. Either way we handle it at the car; see transponder keys for the chipped ones.
Related services
Transponder Key Programming
A cut key alone will not start a modern car. We program the transponder chip to your vehicle on site in San Diego.
How it worksSpare & Duplicate Car Keys
Copy a working key or fob before it goes missing. We cut and program spares at your car in Coronado and San Diego.
How it worksOther makes
Need a Jeep key today?
Call or text and tell us where the car is. We come to you anywhere in Coronado and across San Diego, 7:30 AM to 10:30 PM, every day.