Keep a spare car key inside the home, away from the front door, or with a trusted person who is able to reach the car inside an hour, and never on the car itself. A keyless fob goes in a signal blocking pouch. A spare that is safe and still out of reach is no help in a lockout.
No spare key yet? Call 07830249408 in Devon, Dorset or Somerset. I cut and program a spare at home or at work in 30 to 60 minutes.
The sections below give the 6 safe places to keep a spare car key, the 4 places to avoid, the pouch question for a keyless fob and the way to keep the spare within reach.
A spare car key is safest inside the home away from the front door, in a safe, or with a trusted person. Never keep it on the car, in the glovebox or with the main key.
What Are the 6 Safe Places to Keep a Spare Car Key?
The 6 safe places to keep a spare car key are a drawer away from the front door, a home safe, a signal blocking pouch, a trusted relative, a trusted neighbour and a locker at work.
A drawer away from the front door
An inside room, out of sight of windows and the letterbox.
A home safe
The strongest place at home for a key that is rarely used.
A signal blocking pouch
For a keyless fob, so the signal does not reach the car from inside the house.
A trusted relative
A second address, close enough to reach the car inside an hour.
A trusted neighbour
The nearest help when the keys are locked in the car on the drive.
A locker at work
Useful when the car is parked at work each day.
Where Is a Spare Car Key Never Kept?
A spare car key is never kept in 4 places, which are on the car, in the glovebox, by the front door and on the same ring as the main key.
- On the car. A magnetic box under the wheel arch or the bumper is the first place a thief checks.
- In the glovebox. A key inside the car is no help in a lockout and is a gift after a break in. Insurers often refuse a theft claim when a spare key was left inside the vehicle.
- By the front door. A hook near the letterbox is in reach of a rod pushed through it.
- With the main key. Both keys are lost in the same moment.
Does a Spare Keyless Fob Need a Signal Blocking Pouch?
A spare keyless fob needs a signal blocking pouch when it is kept near the front of the house, because a relay device picks up the signal of a fob through a wall and passes it to the car. A pouch or a metal tin blocks the signal. Test the pouch by holding it next to the car with the fob inside.
How Is a Spare Car Key Kept Accessible?
A spare car key is kept accessible when 1 other person is able to bring it to the car inside an hour. Spare car keys kept at home or with a relative end a lockout at no cost when 1 reaches the car in that time. Tell 1 trusted person where the spare is.
A spare car key cut and programmed at home costs £80 to £220, and £80 to £180 for most vehicles.
Why Is a Spare Car Key Tested Now and Then?
A spare car key is tested now and then because the fob battery runs flat in a drawer. Test the spare in the door and the ignition, and press the buttons next to the car. A fob that lost its pairing is paired with the car again in 20 to 30 minutes.
What Does a Spare Key Save Against a Lost Key?
A spare key saves the difference between £80 to £220 and £150 to £400 or more, which is the cost of a new key after the only key is lost. A spare also keeps the car in use on the day the first key fails.
Frequently Asked Questions About Keeping a Spare Car Key
The best place to keep a spare car key is a drawer in an inside room, away from the front door and the windows, or with a trusted relative who lives close.
Do not hide a spare key on the car, in the glovebox, under a plant pot or by the front door. Each of these is checked first by a thief.
Keep a spare key outside only in a locked key safe fixed to a wall, with a code that 1 trusted person knows. A hiding place on the car or in the garden is not safe.
Yes, keep the spare car key and the house keys separate, so 1 loss does not take both. A lost ring with both keys gives access to the house and the car.
A spare car key costs £80 to £220, and £80 to £180 for most vehicles. The benefits of having a spare start with the lower cost, and the guide to the benefits of having a spare car key lists all 6.
With the spare car key lost too, a new key is made at the car from the VIN. Lost car keys with nothing left to copy are covered in the guide to lost car keys with no spare.
Dean answers in plain words
Do I have to bring the car to you?
No. I come to your home, your workplace or the roadside. No towing and no booking in.
How do I get a price?
Call with the make, model and year. The quote is free and you get it before I travel.
Based in Honiton. Working since 2009. Dealer level programming equipment on the van.
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