We get the same questions every week from Vancouver, Surrey and Langley customers — and we’ve built this page to answer them all upfront. If your question isn’t here, just email us at info@vancouverkeyrescue.com with your VIN and a description of the problem and we’ll give you honest advice if it’s within our area of expertise.
Our workshop is at 19705 Fraser Hwy, Langley, BC V3A 7E9. We provide mobile service and accept appointments at the workshop across Vancouver, Surrey, Langley, Burnaby, Richmond, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North & West Vancouver, Delta, White Rock, South Surrey, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and the rest of the Fraser Valley.
Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Genuine emergencies (stranded vehicles, all-keys-lost on weekends) are considered case-by-case — call or email and we'll do our best.
Pricing depends on the vehicle, key type, and whether you have a working spare. Approximate ranges (CAD, parts + labour, before tax):
- Spare key when one working key exists — $180–$320 for most makes
- All keys lost — basic transponder vehicle (older Honda, Toyota, Nissan) — $250–$450
- All keys lost — modern push-to-start (most 2015+ vehicles) — $450–$800
- All keys lost — locked Audi BCM2 / BMW CAS4+/FEM/BDC / Mercedes EIS — $700–$1,400 depending on platform
We give a firm quote before any work starts. Dealer prices for the same work are typically 40–80% higher.
Yes — all-keys-lost is one of our core services. We extract the immobilizer PIN or component-security data directly from the vehicle's BCM, cluster or other security module, erase any old (lost) keys, and program new ones. We routinely do this on Audi (including locked BCM2 0711), VW, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Ford, GM, Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep, Hyundai/Kia, Subaru, Mazda, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover and Tesla.
No. Erasing old keys is part of every all-keys-lost programming procedure. Your old fobs become electronically dead the moment we finish the new ones — they cannot start the engine. On push-to-start vehicles they also cannot unlock the doors via proximity. The mechanical emergency blade can still open the door, which is why we recommend rekeying the door lock cylinder if the keys were stolen rather than simply lost. Ask us about this.
Always: government-issued photo ID (BC driver's licence, passport) plus proof you own or are authorized to use the vehicle (BC vehicle registration, ICBC insurance, or notarized authorization from the registered owner). We never program keys to a vehicle without verified ownership — this is a fundamental ethical and legal requirement.
Both. Mobile service is available across Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley for: diagnosis, key programming, all-keys-lost recovery, simple coding, battery registration, and most jobs that don't require a bench. Workshop appointments at our Langley facility are needed for: cluster pixel/stepper repair, DSG mechatronic cloning, ECU/TCU bench work, BCM swap with cloning, and any soldering-level electronics work.
Yes — for virtually every make sold in Canada from approximately 2002 onward. This includes VW, Audi, Škoda, SEAT, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Land Rover/Range Rover, Volvo, Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Acura, Nissan, Infiniti, Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Ford, Lincoln, Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, Buick, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Tesla and more.
Not necessarily. That symptom is more often a dead fob battery, a failed transponder coil in the fob or in the steering column antenna, or a separate immobilizer fault — none of which require new keys. We diagnose this in 10–15 minutes on-site. Replacing a CR2032 fob battery is a small fix that's worth ruling out before assuming a full replacement is needed.
It's VAG's anti-theft authentication system. When a control module — head unit, cluster, ABS, airbag, comfort module, camera — is installed in a vehicle with a different VIN than the one it was originally paired to, the module locks itself into a restricted state. Symptoms include "Component Protection Active" warnings, no audio after a head-unit swap, locked features, or refusal to start. CP-related fault codes typically begin with B201A, B201B or B2014. Fixing it requires authenticated ODIS Service with GeKo access, which is what we use. See our VW Golf Mk7 MMI Component Protection case study for full technical detail.
Because CP removal requires a signed cryptographic token from VW's online GeKo backend. VCDS, OBDeleven, Carly and similar aftermarket tools — useful as they are for routine fault reading and basic coding — have no mechanism to obtain that signature. Only ODIS Service with an authenticated dealer-level account can.
Not always. Common cheaper causes: low DSG fluid from an overdue 60,000 km oil-and-filter service, failed clutch position sensor, faulty wiring loom on early DQ200 boxes, or a known firmware bug that needs a flash update. We always diagnose before quoting parts. Many "DSG failures" turn out to be a $300 fix instead of a $3,000 one. If the mechatronic is genuinely faulty, we can often clone a donor unit instead of paying for a full transmission replacement.
Still have questions?
📍 Vancouver Key Rescue — 19705 Fraser Hwy, Langley, BC V3A 7E9 ✉️ info@vancouverkeyrescue.com 🕐 Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The fastest way to get a useful answer is to email us with your VIN + description + photos / scan. We’ll come back with a clear, honest assessment — even if the work isn’t ours to do.
