Programming A New Key

I just bought a 2002 Focus SE with 17,500 miles on it. No complaints so far, seems like a great car. The only problem is that it only came with one key. I can buy a spare key on eBay , but the manual says that I need to already have two keys to program the new transponder, if I only have one key I have to buy a new key from a dealer and have them program it.

Of course I would like to save a few dollars, so if there is a way to program a new key without having two keys already, I would love to know about it.

Reply to
Roger Wilco
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Good for you. I also found a couple key blanks and remotes on eBay and programmed them at home. Fortunately for me, I had the two originals of each allowing home programming.

As far as I know, with just one functioning key, you will have to go to the dealer to have the new key programmed and it costs much more than you'd hope for.

I do have a suggestion to lessen future grief. Since you're going to have a 2nd key programmed, go ahead now and find another one or two blanks on eBay--or have the dealer sell you another key or two. With only two keys, if one is lost, you're back to the very expensive replacement mode. But if you had 3-4 keys, the loss of one would still allow you to self-program additionally purchased replacements at minimal expense.

Craig (with a 2001 Focus that's already suffered the well-known fuel pump failure and passenger-side floor Lake Erie effect after a good rain)

Reply to
Craig

You do need two keys for your cars computer to do the programming, but if you only have one you don't necessarily have to resort to a dealer. Any locksmith with the proper equipment can program one key. I found a place on the internet that had a nationwide list of locksmiths with the equipment and who agreed to program a key for a fee of $45.00, which is about half of what a dealer will charge. It worked for me. Unfortunately, I have lost the URL. You should be able to find it with a search.

Reply to
Gary Compton

To clarify- the keys themselves are not programmable. The car's computer has to be programmed to recognize the key. The key just has a chip in it that broadcasts a unique identifying code to the computer when the key is exposed to an RF signal. Nothing happens to the key itself during programming.

So, just in case anyone with a single key was thinking they could mail their original key and a new 'unprogrammed' key to a locksmith, that is not correct. The car and the programmer have to be brought together in order to make a new key work, if the owner has only one working key.

Reply to
Mark Olson

I was able to find keys and 2 new key "fobs" on e-bay for 1/4 of what the dealer wanted. My dealer questioned where I bought these from. The dealer then tried to charge me the 1 hour service charge for each key and "fob" I spoke to the shop manager and explained how it could not take four hours to program two keys, and two "fobs" If it did, I am sure the Ford Customer Service Group would like to know that. Then all of a sudden it was only a 1 hour service charge.

Reply to
TODD DAVIS

Reply to
Gary Compton

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