Lost Car Keys Replacement

All You Need to Know about Car Keys, Programming and more

How to find your lost car keys – Great ideas from people who have found their keys.

Table of Contents

Introduction – How to find lost car keys:

Lost car keys under a table
Lost car keys under a table

In today’s busy lifestyle, losing items is pretty common. One of the biggest headaches is to lose your car, home or office keys.

We have helped thousands of customers get replacement keys for their cars, home, and office. Sometimes, after a customer has called us for service, they call back full of joy to let us know they found their keys.

When that happens – and with a view to helping others – we usually ask a few questions such as: “Where did you find your keys? Outside? In the grass? At home?” etc. Of course, their successes and this article cannot guarantee that you’ll find your keys, but they may help so read on and try some of the tips we present.

where people are losing their car keys
where people are losing their car keys

There are a few things you can do once you realize you’ve lost your keys.

In addition, some things should be done AFTER finding your keys, such as investing in a key finder tool (Bluetooth, or Apps for finding keys with your cell phone/iPhone) so you never lose your keys again and so can avoid the situation in the future.

There is, of course, a difference between losing your keys at home or in your workplace and losing them outdoors or on a night out. We’ve outlined what you should do in each case.

At the end of the article, you’ll find some useful ideas so you don’t lose your keys and some handy gadgets and tips to help you keep your keys safe in the future.

Finally, if you don’t find your keys and need service, check out our blog posts about how to get a replacement car key, how to get money back from your insurance, or how to  save A LOT OF MONEY on a replacement key and the estimated price here

Want to know more before you make a decision? Check out our blog: Locksmith near me

What should you do when you can’t find your car keys?

First, think about the last place you’re sure you saw or held your keys!

Then, try to go back to this same spot. It may be your home, mall, bedroom, office, bathroom, grocery store, parking lot, school, class, or your friend’s house.

Think back about your movements since the moment you are sure you had your keys: What did you do next? Who did you talk to? Where did you go?

If you have already done this, try to look in places where you don’t usually put your keys. We are often distracted by a phone call, an SMS or even a troubling thought, etc., and unintentionally put the keys down in a place where we don’t usually put them, or perhaps didn’t pay attention as we put them down.

This is especially relevant for cases when you “can’t find our keys anywhere, but had them just minutes ago.”

Here are the places where people most commonly lost their car keys:

Four main categories where people have lost their keys
Four main categories where people have lost their keys

As you can see in the chart above, almost 50% of people lost their keys at home or office, while others at the gym, shopping, in or around the car, and finally, on a night out/dinner with friends.

Below, we outline the most common places where people actually found their car keys, divided into the four categories mentioned above.

Let’s start with people who lost their keys at home or work:

How to find car keys charts and information home
How to find car keys charts and information home

First, do not attempt to take it out yourself. You will probably end up damaging the ignition or door cylinder, which will result in a bigger problem.

Second, do not throw away the key piece that you do have. The locksmith may find this piece particularly useful when cutting a new key. When the locksmith removes the piece from the ignition, they can often place both pieces together on the machine and simply make a duplicate. This speeds up the process making it less expensive as the key does not have to be cut according to a code.  So, let your locksmith know that you have the pieces, so they do not have to charge you for a code.

How to find car keys charts and information home
How to find car keys charts and information home

Third. occasionally, people get creative and try to start the car with the broken pieces. While it may work, this is not the recommended way. You may have a problem turning off the ignition, or even worse, push the broken piece deeper into the ignition and make it even more difficult for the locksmith to extract.

Lost keys near the car?

How to find car keys charts and information - Car
How to find car keys charts and information - Car

Don’t be the person who turns the room upside down looking for a pair of reading glasses only to realize they’ve been on their head all this time!

What I’m trying to say is, check the ignition, cupholders, glove compartment, trunk, and the rest of your car before you search anywhere else. This is especially relevant if you just put your groceries in the trunk. Most people who lost their key after grocery shopping told us they found it in the trunk.

car keys forgotten in silverware tray
car keys forgotten in silverware tray

Gym/shopping

Ideas to find car keys near gym or shopping
Ideas to find car keys near gym or shopping

Did you lose your keys while shopping at the mall? You may want to go back and check every store you went into, even if only for a second. Check the fitting rooms, ask the store associates for assistance, and keep your eyes peeled for a shiny metal object on the floor. Did you take a break and enjoy an ice cream at the food court? Check there as well!

Use the same system to look for your car key if you lost it at the park or any public space for that matter. Go back and check the bench you sat on and follow the same route you took on your way there.

Have you just been to the bathroom? Perhaps your keys fell on the floor? Or maybe you put them down to wash your hands and left them there? Try to think outside the box.

car keys forgotten in fridge
car keys forgotten in fridge

Visit the lost and found office/ Security office

If you happen to lose your car key at school, business establishment or gym, try your luck at the lost and found. A customer or a fellow schoolmate might have stumbled upon your key and handed it in to the office. This happens a lot! Don’t give up without asking them first.

Tell them what your keychain looks like, let them know the make and model of your car, and give them all the other unique details to describe what your key looks like.

Car keys in clothes cupboard
Car keys in clothes cupboard

General tips:

Don’t spend too much time in one area

General tips to find keys 1
General tips to find keys 1

You have already checked your pockets nine times and have been rummaging through your purse for the last 15 minutes.

The reason you still can’t find your keys is probably because they are not there. Try other places, or other methods – don’t spend too much time on one specific area.

Don’t get me wrong. It makes sense to start your search in the most obvious places as already mentioned.

However, if you fail to find your key after turning your pockets inside out for the hundredth time, you should probably give up on that idea. This leads me to my next tip…

Check the not so obvious places

Car keys inside bag pocket
Car keys inside bag pocket

If it’s not in your purse and not in your pockets, then where could it be? Well, why don’t you check the washing machine? You may have forgotten to take your key out of your pocket yesterday when you came in from work or the bar … and this is only one example.

Did you order a pizza? Did you take the tray out? Maybe you accidentally threw your keys out with the empty pizza tray? Or maybe, just maybe, you put your pizza leftovers in the fridge? Well, this is exactly where Mike from Salt Lake City found his Chevy keys. In the fridge!

This happens more often than you think, but nobody thinks to start their search in the laundry room, trash, fridge, etc. So, here is what you need to do.

Check the hamper, the washer, the dryer, or the clothesline. In short, find whatever it is that you were wearing the previous day or doing before going to bed, and start probing!

Call a friend

Additional places to look for your car keys
Additional places to look for your car keys

That’s right. You are not the first person to lose their car keys. Perhaps a friend can offer a good idea or tell you where they found their keys. If not, ask them to help you search.

It’s also much easier to find something when you have an entire search party looking for it. If you lose your key at the grocery store with your roommate or friend, have them look at the meat section while you search the produce section. The search will be more efficient and faster.

Finally,

Auto locksmith copy new car key
Auto locksmith copy new car key

regardless of the type of key you had – remote key, fob key, etc. – although you try to find them in the same way, the price of replacement fluctuates drastically – so look carefully before you call for help.

To learn more before you call for service please visit: 

Locksmith near me

Losing your car keys outdoors or on a night out, can be more challenging to find.

A locksmith is coding a new car keys on site
A locksmith is coding a new car keys on site

The same search rules apply, but while most people who lose their car keys at home or office typically find them within 30-40 ft of where they remember last having them, this rule of thumb won’t apply when you lose them outdoors.

The best move is simply to go back along the same route you took from where you remember having or seeing your keys the last time. Hopefully, this will trigger a memory of where you left your keys.

What should I do if I can’t find my car keys?

Car key coding machine used by a locksmith to program new keys on site
Car key coding machine used by a locksmith to program new keys on site

Call an automotive locksmith – who offers mobile service. Chances are that this is your best option to get a replacement fast. We can help you with that.

Order a car key online – but once it arrives, you will probably have to get the key cut and coded which adds to its cost.

Contact your local dealer, who should be able to cut and code a new key for you. However, you will have to tow the car there.

To learn more visit:

how to get a replacement car key

Found your keys? What’s next?

Make sure to make a duplicate key
Make sure to make a duplicate key

So now you have a key –  perhaps you found it, perhaps a locksmith made you a replacement. But losing your car keys, or any other important item, can be costly in time and money.

It’s not a nice situation and you don’t want to be in it again, so here are a few ideas, tips and some nice gadgets so you don’t lose your keys again.

How to avoid losing your car keys again

Chrysler duplicate key fobs
Chrysler duplicate key fobs

First, make a copy! Yes, make a copy and make sure it actually starts the car!

Nowadays most keys have a chip built-in which needs to be coded and since you’ve already paid the locksmith to come and program you one key, get a second key at the same time – and you’ll probably get a discount on it!

Second, ask for the key code. The locksmith or dealer should have it. This code is a series of numbers that tell the locksmith how to cut the key correctly for your ignition. It can save a lot of time and money in case you want to make an additional duplicate.

It’s a good idea to leave a copy of your key with a close friend, neighbor or family member so you don’t have all your keys with you or in one place. This step will save a lot of hassle if you lose your key chain again.

Third, use a key chain. A key chain is a great way to make sure you feel your keys in your pocket. The bigger the key chain, the easier it will be to find your keys if you put them down somewhere you usually don’t.

Interested in a useful gadget? Here are some top gadgets that can help you!

Key finders –

You probably landed on our site because you lost your keys. True, there is nothing better than to have a duplicate at home or with a good friend, but sometimes, especially when we are short on time, it’s easier to locate your keys and fast. Here is an example of key finder to buy online.

Get a key finder online

This simple gadget allows you to locate your keys with your phone. Nothing too complicated, just a simple chip with a locator that connects to your phone. Take a look as this gadget may save you a lot of time, especially if you, like me, are not so organized person…

Chipolo Plus Bluetooth Key Finder

You can attach this simple gadget to any valuable item you like, including your car keys, phone, wallet, etc. It’s simple, useful and water-resistant. Get it online here

Get a key finder online

Tile Mate –

This simple gadget makes life easy with Bluetooth technology to help you find anything you want. Simply attach it to any valuable item and use the app to locate it. In addition, it allows you to see where you left your item last which makes it easier in case you totally forgot where your keys were. You can order it here

Get a key finder online