Price For Extra Keys for Ford Focus

I purchased extra keys from a local hardware store and they cut them for me $15, I programmed them. Here in Canada I have seen PATS keys at Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart is starting to carry them. Also at Princess Auto I picked up 2 extra remotes on sale for $14.00 each.

I checked with my local dealer and they charge $22 (after a

I am also seeing a lot of PATS keys being sold on eBay and other sites. Had anyone that bought them had any problems?

I believe that both prices above are in the right ballpark.

I bought two keys on eBay, had them cut locally and programmed them myself with no problem. Now I see that my local ACE hardware store sells the PATS blanks so if I did it again, I'd just buy from them. I also believe that when getting a new car with PATS keys that the owner should have a spare (3rd) key made so that in event of a loss, there'd still be two keys available for user-programming.

Craig

"Craig" wrote

...> when getting a new car with PATS keys that the owner should have a spare

Another idea is to get just the key portion cut, which allows you to get in the door. I keep this in my wallet, which saves my butt at least once a year since I've never lost a key in 4 1/2 decades of driving but I do occasionally lock a key inside. If my wallet got stolen a thief could not start the car.

Neat. I keep a non-starting key in my wallet, too.

Craig

I need some clarification. Does this mean that ANYONE that buys a key cut for a Focus can get into my car and steal the packages out of it while I am parked at a shopping mall? Or are all key cuts car specific (I have never seen another Focus owner's key)? Won't the alarm go off if you don't use a programmed key?

"Bill R" wrote..

The key would have to be cut for your lock just like for older cars.

No. It'll unlock the doors and trunk just fine but won't be able to start the engine. I'm not sure what it takes to set off the alarm.

Craig

"Bill R" wrote

Yes, they are specific, just like all other car lines. And my alarm has never gone off.

Thanks Craig. I just want to verify that others could not get into my car.

I did read my owners manual and talked to my dealer. According to them the alarm will only go off if entry is attempted without a key (broken window, then opening the door). Also, my dealer HIGHLY recommends that ALL keys be programmed in case you lose your regular set of keys and are stuck someplace. As mentioned here, a non programed key (carried in your billfold) would allow you to open the door but it would not allow you to drive home. Lost keys can be a potential problem but it is highly unlikely that a person that found the keys would know which Ford car they belonged to (unless your name and address were on your key chain). My neighbor (he is a Policeman) has said that they have picked up people attempting to break into cars and some of them had over 100 keys on them or in their car.

It should be noted that the car is programmed to recognize the codes embedded in the keys, not the other way around.

Two thoughts:

First off, given the bulk of the plastic end of a programmed key, there's no way I'm going to keep one in my wallet and have to sit on it all the time. The entry-only key is much more walletable...oh yeah, it's oodles cheaper, too.

Second (and not that I'm telling you I've done this--and if so, I won't tell you where I live), with an entry-only key, you have access to the entire interior of your car including under the hood and in the trunk. With all this space available, you could hide a genuine programmed key (far enough away from the ignition lock to avoid it allowing the car to start) for you to be able to start the car with the spare key while making it nearly impossible for a thief. I can't imagine a thief assuming that there will be a spare key kept in the vehicle so that he'd (she'd?) want to spend the hours it could take to search through a vehicle wasting their time and increasing the chance of their effort resulting in a call to the police.

Craig

Thanks. I wondered about that; it makes a lot of sense since they likely use a read only chip in the key.