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Apr 18, 2024

Looking for advice on getting a new car key and fob

The dealer is telling me it’s $600 for a new key plus $250 for programming. I see key fobs online for around $20, but, of course, the issue is whether they can be cut and programmed or if I must use

The dealer is telling me it’s $600 for a new key plus $250 for programming. I see key fobs online for around $20, but, of course, the issue is whether they can be cut and programmed or if I must use the dealer to be safe. Any advice is welcomed.

A: Depending on the vehicle, online replacement keys and fobs can be a bargain. But with your Land Rover, I would avoid the online purchase, since the key is going to need to be cut and the remotes reprogrammed.

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As an alternative to the dealer, I would try an automotive locksmith. The vehicle identification number will provide the key codes, then it can be cut with a specialized machine. Once the key is cut, the fob needs to be programmed.

An automotive locksmith may be able to get replacement fobs and cut the keys, which may save time and money.

Q: We are having an issue with our 2014 BMW 335i xDrive. While we're driving the car at a steady state, there is a retarding force that comes on anywhere from one to three seconds, consistent with a light brake application. It only happens while the car is being driven in the rain, and it seems to happen more frequently the heavier the rain.

The car is a six-speed manual. The transmission and clutch were replaced by the BMW dealer and I recently had the brakes completely serviced. It changed nothing. Any ideas?

A: Your BMW uses a brake-drying feature that — when the windshield sensor detects a certain amount of water — will lightly run the brake pads against the rotors to dry the brakes. The issue could be with the electronics, or it could even mechanical, with the calipers, master cylinder or choice of brake pads. At this point, you would need to use a scan tool to confirm what you feel is the brake-dry feature and perform further diagnostics.

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Q: When I went to start my seven-month-old Hyundai Santa Fe (not the hybrid) this week, the key fob clickers would not work. The tow guy came and found a secret key and a way to open the car and he jump-started it. He said just to let it run awhile to charge the battery.

I decided to take it to Hyundai and let them doublecheck it. They said it might be the battery after only seven months.

The car had not been started for two weeks while I was laid up, but shouldn’t the battery keep a charge for longer than two weeks? What happens when people go on vacation and leave their cars unused? Will they all need a jump-start?

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A: The battery in your Hyundai is quite robust at 760 cold cranking amps and 120 minutes of reserve. Under normal circumstances, this should allow the car to sit idle for a month or more and still start up and run normally.

You made the correct decision to take the car back to the Hyundai dealer, where they can fully recharge and test the battery (it could be defective) as well as look for any sources of parasitic drain that could be causing the battery to discharge at an abnormal rate.

Q: My niece has a Hyundai Ioniq electric vehicle with Michelin tires. At 1,500 miles, she picked up a nail. The dealer told her that, because the tire has acoustic foam, it is not repairable. Michelin makes great products, but why would they make a tire (on a car with no spare) that is not repairable?

A: I found this puzzling as well. I called my local dealership, and they told me the same thing: that the tire could not be repaired.

I called two local Michelin dealers. One said no problem, they could repair the tire. The second tire dealer said they would need to look at it.

I called Michelin directly and was told the tire could be repaired, although they were a little vague on the procedure.

After a bit of checking, I went to a tire repair company, TECH (techtirerepairs.com/), where I found a video of the proper method to repair a tire with acoustic foam. The method requires cutting out the foam, repairing the tire with a plug/patch combination and re-gluing the foam insert.

John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email [email protected] and put “Car Doctor” in the subject field. Follow him on Twitter @johnfpaul or on Facebook.