Aftermarket Keys/Fobs: What You Need to Know Before You Buy

The cost of additional or replacement fobs is frustratingly high. We all cut costs in our lives by using off brand products when possible, but what about off brand fobs and transponder keys? Let's lay out the risks so you can make an informed decision.

Aftermarket Fobs: At your own risk

Unscrupulous sellers and unpredictable sourcing can lead to major problems. Here are some of the known issues to help you decide whether the risk is worth it.

Used, Therefore Unusable: Buyers sometimes receive keys that were already programmed to another car. If the fob has a key blade that was already cut, it is a clear sign that key was already programmed for another car. With a keyless model it is not so easy to tell. Once a key fob has been programmed to one car, it can not be programmed to another, so the purchased fob is useless.

Quality: When buying an aftermarket fob or transponder key, the source materials are inconsistent and unreliable. Reduced quality components and poor construction often cause these keys stop working prematurely. Cheap materials and sub-par workmanship can lead to connectivity issues. This inconsistent functionality can lead to a lockout, lockdown or inability to start your vehicle.

Absent Security: Aftermarket fobs and keys may not have the same security measures as OEM parts, leaving your vehicle more vulnerable to theft. Some aftermarket keys do not meet the bare legal standards for security. There is not currently a way for consumers to know if a particular aftermarket key has this flaw or not.

Mismatch: There is no guarantee the key you receive is for your exact vehicle. Attempting to program an improper key can lead to serious malfunction of both the key and your car.

Bricking: If your car sees a signal that is off, it can trigger anti-theft lockdown or damage your BCM, turning your car into a very expensive brick.

Support: Most aftermarket key sellers do not have functional, reliable or even existent customer service. If you received a key that damages your vehicle and/or our programming equipment, there is often no recourse with these sellers. They just sell under a new name on Amazon or EBay and move on to victimize more consumers.

Why We Want No Part of That:

We do not program aftermarket keys provided by our customers. While we do this to protect your vehicle from the risks outlined above, we also uphold this policy to protect ourselves. In addition to damaging your car, faulty after market keys can damage the equipment we use every day to serve our customers. These machines are very expensive, and one of the ways we care for them is ensuring all the keys and fobs they interact with were purchased from reliable, consistent, safe sources.

Pricing-Aftermarket keys/Fobs vs OEM:

Fobs are expensive! We have all watched the cost of electronic components rise, and access become more scarce. In that climate, cheap products using what should be expensive components should raise some eyebrows. If a seller is offering an expensive item for peanuts, you will probably get exactly what you paid for.