01/15/2025
Today's word salad: The Joy (but mostly Sorrow) of European Vehicle Keys
What makes European brands so much different than American or Asian brands when it comes to car keys?
In 3 words or less: pre-encoded keys.
If you trot down to your local Ford, GM, Honda, Nissan, Toyota (etc., etc.) dealer with a request to buy a key, smart key, or remote for a vehicle they’ve built in the last 20 years, there’s a good chance they’ll have it, and be able to hand it across the counter to you, and possibly even cut it and program it to your vehicle, maybe even on the same day if you’re really lucky.
Take a trip down to your local VW, Audi, BMW, Mini, or Mercedes dealership and ask for a key for something made in the last 20 years, and they’ll tell you they’ll need to order it, and it’ll be a few days or more before it arrives.
Why is this, and why do so few locksmiths offer keys for European vehicles? (we do, since you're asking)
It comes down to these two points:
-European vehicles typically require keys electronically pre-encoded to a specific vin, either partially or fully.
-Access to OEM key programming software and data is very difficult and costly to obtain and maintain.
I’ll expand a bit on the first point: a pre-encoded key can be one of two types: partially coded, or fully coded. In both cases, the major limitation this creates is dealers cannot stock “blank” keys and cut/program them as needed, as no auto manufacturer I’m aware of provides their dealers access to the VIN specific key coding data. This data is very different from the mechanical key code that can often be retrieved by dealers in order to recreate the cuts on the key blade itself. It is electronically written onto a ‘blank’ key, which is typically done at a central facility for a brand of vehicles for an entire country or region. It’s not data that they would entrust to a lowly parts counterperson.
Fully encoded keys are delivered from the dealer with no additional programming required at the vehicle, or at a minimum, a dealer-ordered key can be used to start and drive the vehicle with no special tools or equipment, but possibly a simple, no-special-tools-or-computers registration process is needed to synchronize the key or remote to the vehicle. This type of system is used on all years of BMW, and Mercedes up to around 2014-2016.
Partially encoded keys are delivered from the dealer with a small amount of qualifying data that is required in order to register the key to a specific vehicle using diagnostic equipment. The vehicle will not register new keys without this data, and in some cases, even previously registered keys may be “orphaned” if not present during a key registration session. VW and Audi first pioneered the use of partially encoded keys in 2006, and many other European brands followed, such as Fiat, Porsche, Bentley, Alfa, and probably quite a few others that I don’t encounter (there aren’t a lot of Bugattis and Lamborghinis running around East Tennessee). Stellantis aka Fiat Chrysler America, has in recent years begun using pre-coded keys as well, so even Dodge/Jeep/Ram vehicles are included now that they're a "Euro" brand.
In either case, this leaves two routes for key programming operations: the OEM way, or the aftermarket way.
The OEM way, as is probably obvious, has the advantage of being safe and the most likely to yield a positive outcome. It is usually the most expensive, and due to the need to order and wait for a pre-encoded key to arrive from the dealer, it can take anywhere from 2 days to several weeks or more for the key to arrive and programming completed. The key registration process must be done at the vehicle, so once the new key arrives at the dealer, either the vehicle must be towed in, or a provider (a locksmith like myself or in some rare cases, dealership mobile service) must go to the vehicle to complete the programming. On this path, the key is ordered by VIN from one of the brand’s dealerships (or sometimes from the OEM directly) and programmed to the car using OEM diagnostic software, which access is typically purchased as a subscription. Software subscriptions range greatly in price and minimum length. Mercedes offers only a 1 year subscription which is $3,922 (as of 2025), Porsche offers a 1 hour subscription for a very reasonable $17.
Issues encountered along this route typically stem from computer/OS/diag interface incompatibility, failure to maintain the latest version of the OEM software, or environmental factors, such as cellular data availability in remote areas (virtually all OEM key programming operations require a live connection to the OEM servers via internet).
The aftermarket path involves retrieving the pre-encoded key data either off of a working key or the vehicle itself, and in situations where all keys are lost, usually requires removal and disassembly of “target” computers in the vehicle in order to retrieve the data needed to precode the key. The advantage of this process is it is typically days faster than ordering keys and does not rely on the dealer or OEM supporting the vehicle (there are numerous Mercedes vehicles that are considered “orphans” as Mercedes can no longer supply keys for them). Additionally, it allows for the use of aftermarket keys/smart keys, which are generally much less costly than dealer ordered keys. The disadvantage is the additional labor, skill, and equipment needed to perform the work. The risk of damaging the vehicle, module, or corrupting the data to the point where an expensive trip to the dealer and a new module is required is largely a function of the level of experience of the locksmith performing the work. Because of this, I am upfront with my customers about the risks associated with these procedures, and stand behind my work 100%. I wish I could say I’ve never damaged a customer’s vehicle beyond my own ability to repair it, but in the very rare cases where it has occurred (single digit incidents over a 20+ year career), I have always made them whole again, usually going to great lengths to do so, such as covering rental car costs and the repair bill at the dealership.
For the scope of this article, it is impossible to offer definitive advice on which is the better path, as it is case by case, but as a very vague rule of thumb, the aftermarket process typically is best suited for spare keys (the owner has at least one working key, and wishes to have additional copies), or in situations where all keys are lost and the owner wants more than one new key delivered, or needs same-day or at least faster-than-the-dealer service. Technology available to my industry is evolving on a daily basis, and new techniques and equipment are constantly being released to provide aftermarket solutions to previously dealer-only vehicles, so if you’re not sure, please ask.
My policy has always been and will continue to be that if I don’t believe I’m able to provide the best value to you, I’ll offer advice and alternatives.
Happy motoring.
