Replacing car parts can be a costly process, depending on the part. According to Car Brain, the most expensive car parts range from $500-$10,000. But what if you just need a replacement key?
Recently, one Honda driver discovered that getting a replacement transponder key would cost her $175.
The situation
In a video viewed over 293,000 times as of publication, TikToker Apaea (@aphaea_2nd) showed off her broken Honda key. Using an on-screen caption, she explains, “Honda said it would cost $175 to replace.”
Multiple viewers believed the price wasn’t too bad for getting a transponder key replaced.
“175$ to be able to use ur car doesn’t sound that bad,” one said.
“Thats pretty cheap tbh. I spent 600$ replacing a fob once,” another agreed.
“175 for a key is cheap af just pay it,” a viewer said.
“Be grateful it’s not European. Mine cost $800 to replace, stop complaining,” another added.
Others suggested she DIY the situation.
“Duct tape works wonders my bfs keys been duck taped since the day he got the car,” a viewer said.
“Get one from Amazon and take the guts out and replace it with the new key and get the keycut,” a second suggested.
“On Amazon you get 2 key shells for 10$ you swap the guts from your old key in 10 minutes and done,” a third advised.
“Wife of auto locksmith. if u replace it it will need to be programed and old ones possibly wiped out. if u can’t get the lockSmith to u then u have tow fee on top of that. Ones on Amazon and Ali,” she added.
According to AutoZone, a transponder key costs between $100-$250 to replace, and it also warns that getting the key programmed will cost extra.
@aphaea_2nd to be clear i will NOT be paying that…
Key transponder replacement
Replacing the key through a dealership can be an expensive process, but needed if the transponder key is no longer able to work remotely. However, if the key is simply cracked or the case is broken, but the chip is intact, then getting a repair kit may be the best bet.
However, purchasing replacement key fobs doesn’t need to break the bank. On Amazon, transponder keys range from roughly $16-$200.
Home Depot also sells a wide variety of transponder keys and has a DIY replacement kit.
J.D. Power also offers DIYers a simple step-by-step guide.
If you have an existing key, the car site suggests sitting in your driver’s seat with the current key and its replacement. Place your current key in the ignition and turn it so the electrical system comes on, then turn it back off. According to the car site, you have about “five seconds” to stick the second key in the ignition and repeat the process. This will program the key to your vehicle.
To program a single key, it suggests the same process except longer. Drivers should use the key to turn on the electrical system and leave it in the ignition for 10 minutes and 30 seconds. This process needs to be repeated three times for a key to get programmed to your vehicle.
The Daily Dot reached out to Honda via email and Apaea via TikTok comment.
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The post ‘I just bought a new shell off Amazon’: Honda driver accidentally breaks key. Then the dealership tells her the cost to replace it appeared first on The Daily Dot.