Dropped Key Fob in water, it’s dead. Will it really cost $500 to replace?
Called a Ford dealership, the guy said they charge 220 to reprogram, and their parts guy said it cost around 230 to order a new one. Are there any workarounds, here?
Thanks in advance.
Check your car insurance policy! I paid $315 to replace the key for my '08 Mercury at the dealer, but later found out my auto insurance would have covered it.
Also, have you tried putting the key fob in rice?
They’re definitely charging too much for labor, and you might find the fob cheaper online.
Try taking it apart to just the circuit board, use a hair dryer to blow hot air on it for a few minutes, and then put in a new battery. It might not fix it, but it’s worth trying.
You can also dry it out in your oven. Put it on the top rack, away from the heating element, leave the oven door slightly open, and set it to the lowest temperature for about 10 minutes.
Open it up, take out the battery, and use a small fan to help dry it out. Once you’re sure it’s completely dry, put in a new battery and see if it works.
I’ve had good results with this method before.
Go to a private locksmith. They can usually do it for a couple hundred dollars at most. I lost my 2011 key fob and had a local locksmith make and program a new one. It took him about 15 minutes.
This depends on the car’s year and technology. My experience is based on a 2011 XLT with remote doors and no remote start.
I broke one of the key fobs for my 2016 Edge, and the dealer charged me $300 for a new fob and programming.
What kind of key fob is it? They can be expensive, but the price depends on the type and the buttons it has.
If it’s a newer model, you might need access to Ford’s servers for programming. $220 seems really high; we usually charge $65 for half an hour.