I'm trying to get some additional keys for my smart 451. My dealer says that there are only two types available. The ones with the remote built in like the two that came with the car ($165 each + programming) and "flat" keys without the remote ($20 each). The dealer says the "flat" keys won't start the car and can't be programmed to enable them to start the car. Every other car I know of including my 07 VW Eos and my 06 Honda Ridgeline have "flat" keys available that can be programmed to start the car (I have them for both those vehicles). My question is "What good are keys if they won't start the car?" Can anybody help or provide more information?
Replies to This Discussion
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interesting. reading over this, i was thinking about saving 160USD. but i'd hate to walk out and find the entire car missing, tipped, or plain old vandalized.
e.g, there is one spot, between my building and the one east, that a only a smart can fit. people do park there (and get tickets), but i'm thinking of asking the city to deem it microcar parking only. if i can park there exclusively, you bet someone will get p.o.'d enough to want to do harm to my car.
then maybe it will entice others to by a fortwo! ...or something considerably smaller than the wasteful machines that are tightly parked in these multi-family tenement neighborhoods. i'm on a mission!
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spoke with the traffic commissioner - that's a "no go" on a public road. drat!
guess i'll just have to impress everyone with my tight parking maneuvers. :)
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Dave:
My dealer warned me about the cost of keys being replaced. Believe or not I bought the key replacement "insurance" from the dealership. I can get up to TWO new keys a year for 3 to 5 years. I cannot remember how many years, but it was worth it! GOOD LUCK!
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Permalink Reply by 451 Kahn on -
Insurance for the key is a good way to go. I did it the same way. I guess the good news is bad guys are not getting my car.
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My dealer told me $375 to get a copy of my key for my ForTwo
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I got an insurance.
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I posted this back in June
IMPORTANT smart Key Information
Every smart owner needs to be aware of the replacement key situation
Your smart comes with two keys with remote controls attached. Should you lose one and the other is not readily available (at home, spouse out-of-town, etc) you may find yourself in a difficult and potentially expensive situation. Based on my personal experience and the information from my dealer:
1. The key consists of a “blade” (the metal part) and the “remote” (the plastic part with the buttons).
2. The “blade” must be cut to fit your car. This can only be done at the smart headquarters and, therefore, may take up to six days for the dealer to get.
3. The “remote” contains a “RF Chip” that has a specific frequency and MUST BE PROGRAMMED by a smart dealer to your car. A sensor in/near the ignition switch picks up the frequency to enable the starter. This is the reason for the slight delay you experience after you turn the key before the starter engages. Without a properly programmed “remote”, the key “blade” alone WILL NOT START YOUR CAR!
4. There is no “Valet Key” available for your smart (unlike virtually every other manufacturer).
Therefore, if you lose your key and the other is not readily available, you will find yourself in a situation where your only choice may be to have your car towed to the nearest smart dealership and to wait up to six days to get back on the road. A replacement “blade,” “remote,” and programming can easily run $250.00 plus the cost of the tow.
To address this situation, I purchased two extra “blades” and one extra “remote.” I have duct taped one of the “blades” to the back of my front license plate. This “blade” can be used to unlock the driver’s door manually. I have hidden the other complete key (“blade” and “remote”) inside the car. This way I will always be able to get into and start my car but even if a thief found the “blade” on the back of the license plate, he still couldn’t start the car.
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Permalink Reply by salihu abubakar on -
Hi, can you pls assist as i lost my smart fortwo car keys, and can't get a replacement. Mine was imported from germany with docs to back-up. Can you guys pls assist with a dealer dat can make anoda key for me. i can scan and mail all the car docs for him to verify the authenticity. PLS ASSIST.
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I have an idea -- we have two fortwos, a 2008 and a 2009. I'm thinking about buying two spare flat keys for each vehicle. Then have the 4 original electronic keys programmed into BOTH vehicles. We would then need to carry only one "complete" key and the flat key from the other car. That would also give us two complete sets of spare keys.
Comments?
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Terri & Jim
It sounds like a good idea but, unfortunately. it probably won't work. I think that the "code" is specific to the car, not the key. While you can have the key's coded to any vehicle, I don't think that you can have the same key/keys programmed to two vehicles. The opposite may be true though, the "code" may be specific to the key. If that's the case, then your plan will work. Please let us know.
Enjoy
Dave S
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I think the problem with this idea is here,
"In order for a dealer to code or recode a key(s) they must get a 12 digit code directly from smart.
This code is good for 5 days only and IT TAKES 24 HOURS TO GET THE CODE FROM smart !"
Even with a sympathetic dealer, they may have their hands tied by this coding scheme.
I just went through this key procedure and it was tedious.
Yes, the key comes in two parts - blade and transponder/chip
The blade is sold as a pair so if you order one, you get two.
Having the blade alone will do little good as you lock and unlock the car with the transponder.
The chances of locking your key in the car is pretty "remote".
When I got my replacement key, it took over two hours - close to three to get the code from smart central.
(not 24 hours - but not right away either)
The cost was stunning.
An hour labor for the procedure and the $150 transponder head, plus the blades.
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Kind it's a little bit expensive to replace the keys of a smart car...mmmmm a MBZ keys only cost $65 that includes the remote something going fishy here....
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