Ford Explorer Key Replacement in San Diego

A push-button Explorer fob is $239 with programming at your SUV, against about $450 at a Ford dealer. Turn-key 2011 to 2019 Explorers take a $169 remote head key.

Explorer keys split at two model years. Before 2011 it is an edge-cut chip key; 2011 to 2019 brought a remote head key or an optional push-button fob; and after the 2020 redesign the fob is the usual key.

The VIN tells us which part to load, and the new key is made on site wherever the Explorer is parked, a school pickup line in Poway or a driveway in Rancho Bernardo. It carries the factory chip type and a one-year warranty. Our smart key replacement notes explain what goes into programming a fob and why it takes more than a chip key.

Ford Explorer keys by model year

Find your year, and the row shows the key it takes, what the dealer charges and what we charge at the car.

Prices as of 2026-09-30. Every price includes the drive to you anywhere in San Diego County. There is no trip fee and no after-hours rate inside our open hours. All keys lost adds $60.
Model years	Typical dealer	Value Car Keys	You keep
1999 to 2005: Transponder chip keyLate second-generation and all third-generation Explorers take an edge-cut Ford key with the chip sealed in a black head. The chip type changed inside these years, so the VIN picks the blank.	~~$240~~	$129	$111
2006 to 2010: Transponder chip keySame blade style with a 40-bit chip. The remote for these years is a separate fob, and it pairs to the SUV through its own routine.	~~$240~~	$129	$111
2011 to 2019: Remote head key (Base and most XLT usually turn a remote head key; most Limited from 2011, Sport from 2013 and Platinum from 2016, along with XLTs ordered with the option, start with the $239 fob)Most unibody Explorers carry Ford's 80-bit chip, confirmed by VIN. The turn-key version has its buttons molded into a fixed head, not a flip key, on an edge-cut blade.	~~$310~~	$169	$141
2020 to 2026: Smart key for push-to-start (Push-button start is expected on every trim, ST and Timberline included; the VIN confirms yours)The rear-drive sixth generation starts with a button. Its fob carries a small emergency blade, which we cut from the key code in your VIN during the same visit.	~~$450~~	$239	$211

The new key next to the original.

Lost every Explorer key?

With every key gone, the van parks behind your Explorer instead of a tow truck. We decode the blade cuts from the VIN, cut the key or the fob's hidden blade, and program the SUV through the diagnostic socket on the driver's side. Older 1999 to 2010 Explorers may force a timed security delay on the tool; most 2011 and newer models use coded access.

A push-button Explorer has to learn the new fob twice, once for the immobilizer and once for keyless entry and start, and both happen in one sitting. Price: the key for your year, then $60 more for the from-scratch work. Show us the title or registration with your driver's license, and the lost keys are cleared from the SUV's memory without charge.

Ford Explorer key questions

Which Explorer years and trims start with a push button?

On most SUVs of those years, the Limited started with a button from 2011, the Sport from 2013 and the Platinum from 2016, and some XLTs had it as an option. After the 2020 redesign a button start is expected on every trim. All of those take the $239 Intelligent Access fob; a key slot on the steering column means the $169 remote head key instead.

Why does a new Explorer fob cost more than the key for my old 2008?

It is two jobs in one part. The 2008 key is a blade with a 40-bit chip, $129, programmed once to the immobilizer. A push-button fob, $239, must be enrolled twice, in the immobilizer and in the keyless start system, and it carries a hidden blade that we cut too. A Ford dealer typically asks about $240 and $450 for the same two.

Will my two 2007 Explorer keys let me program a third?

Yes, if both are programmed and working. The owner's manual has you turn each existing key to On, then Off, one right after the other, then turn the new, already cut key to On before a short window closes. Start with a blank carrying the correct chip for 2007, since a wrong chip will not learn no matter how well the blade is cut.

My 2017 Explorer shows a key-not-found warning. Is the fob finished?

Usually not yet. A weak fob battery is the common cause, and there is a backup location, marked in the manual, where the Explorer can pick up a fob whose cell is flat, so the engine will start anyway. Replace the coin battery first. If the message stays with a fresh battery, the fob may be damaged; a replacement is $239, and a new fob you bought yourself costs $79 to $119 to pair.

What does the dealer route cost when every Explorer key is lost?

Typically about $450 for a push-button fob or $310 for a remote head key, plus a $125 to $200 tow to reach the service drive, and the part can take one to three days to arrive. Our all-keys-lost price is the key plus $60: $299 for a fob or $229 for a remote head key, done where the Explorer sits.

Other Ford models

Text us your Ford Explorer year and trim

Call or text (619) 340-1518 with the car's year, make and model. If a dealer already quoted you, send that quote over for our answer on the same key.

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