There are many reasons that you could have lost your car keys in Los Angeles, but luckily there are also several things you can do about this. Most of these solutions are kept to general advice, as that will offer the best chance of helping the general public. For specific questions about your predicament, reach out to a local professional. 

1. Retrace Your Steps

When retracing your steps, you might not find your keys, but you will have a better idea of how you lost them. How your keys were lost is extremely important to find the solution for you lost car keys in Los Angeles. For example, determine that your keys are not lost, but rather they were left in your locked car. If you lost your keys down a storm drain, or your car keys were stolen, the recommendations for what to do will vary.

Think about the last time you can remember having your keys. Likely this will be the last moment you can think of using them. Where were you when you locked the car last? Did you use your car keys to lock the car, or did you lock the doors manually before exiting the vehicle? Did you feel your keys poking your leg through your pocket at any point while you were walking? This allows you a place to start with the search for your car keys.

When you lose your car keys in Los Angeles, most people assume that a reprehensible individual will have found them and taken them. But despite commonly held beliefs about Los Angeles residents, there is a good chance that if someone found your keys, they were given to a nearby business owner who will be around when you come back. Ask employees, or call the businesses, around the area where you lost your keys and see if someone turned in your keys.

If you have lost your car keys in your home, you are limited in positive and negative ways. On the positive side of things, there is very little danger that the keys will be taken or permanently lost. There is also less area to look through, so with some assistance from friends or other people in the home, you should be able to find your lost car keys.

2. Retrieve Your Lost Car Keys

Sometimes saying your car keys are lost is a hyperbolic way of expressing that your car keys are just out of your reach. This could be because your car keys fell between the bars of a sewer grate, or because you locked your car door with the keys still inside. When you can see your lost keys, but they are lost to you because they are just out of reach, there are a few things you can do.

First of all, when you lose your car keys in Los Angeles, you are in the best possible location. There are stores all around where you can find supplies to do this work yourself, and you are not limited in the number of companies available to assist you, should you need help. There is also never a shortage of bystanders and people milling about in Los Angeles, so you can ask for assistance on the spot.

What help do you need, and what type of tools would best serve your goal? Most often, you will be best served by opening any device your car keys are lost inside of. But if there is a large enough gap to pull the keys out through, you can grab the keys themselves with a tool. A long metal wire that is strong but malleable enough to bend into the proper shape is going to be the most universally helpful tool for retrieving lost car keys.

Again, you might suspect that people in Los Angeles are going to be standoffish to your calls for help, but this is almost never the case. However, if you happen to be unlucky enough not to find anyone who can offer you the help you need, there are enough businesses open 24 hours for you to find assistance. And if your location is too remote, a mobile locksmith can come to your location.

3. Look For New Car Keys Online

With lost car keys in Los Angeles, there are going to be very few instances where you can wait for online deliveries. People in our city use their cars every day, so when you lose your car keys in Los Angeles, it is usually a time-sensitive issue. However, if you have a spare set of working keys, you can take your time finding new car keys with the best price and a duplication process that you are happy with.

Buying car keys online presents you with the most options, which you can easily evaluate side by side. The most pressing drawback is that it is difficult to sort through all the options without knowing exactly what you are looking for. You are also in danger of being taken advantage of by predatory online distributors. If this happens, most of the time you can get your money back, but the process wastes a lot of time.

Using this method to replace car keys lost in Los Angeles is not really necessary because the city offers much more convenient options. You also end up spending a lot more time than you would expect comparing prices and checking reviews. From there, there is a good chance you will still need to compare prices and check reviews to find someone to cut or program your new car key.

4. Visit A Hardware Store Or Auto Parts Store

Hardware stores will often be able to cut simple keys, but you will need a working key for them to duplicate. If you are just looking for a replacement key blank or another car key remote, you may have a better chance finding one at an auto parts store. Some auto parts stores will also have a mechanic garage where they do some car key servicing, such as key programming, but this is not always the case.

For lost car keys in Los Angeles, visiting one of these stores is fast and simple. The city is riddled with big box store chains that have key cutters. But the main issue is that the training and knowledge of whoever is helping you will be severely limited. By the very nature of these type of stores, they do not reliably have employees with a deep knowledge of car keys. It is not a good idea to rely on their recommendations or insight.

With a hardware or auto parts store as your solution to losing your car keys in Los Angeles, you also have a similar issue to the one described in the section on buying car keys online. Namely, that you are going to be restricted in the types of services you can get along with your new car key. That means, you still may need someone to program a transponder chip, cut the car key properly, or program your car key remote.

5. Call The Dealership to Replace Your Lost Car Keys

A dealership is a popular option for replacing lost car keys in Los Angeles because of the number of people in the city who lease and purchase new cars. However, if you own a used car or have a car whose manufacturer has gone out of business, this might not be such a simple choice. When you can find a dealership, they will be able to handle replacing your lost car key.

Your only concern will be the cost associated with this service. When it comes to Los Angeles car dealerships, they often feel no onus towards competitive pricing, and this extends to replacing lost car keys. The dealership knows they are most people’s first thought for minor servicing and replacing small parts. This hubris comes at a high cost for car owners.

The price you pay will get you peace of mind and quite a bit of convenience. The dealership can get replacement parts, as long as the vehicle is not too old, and you will have a service technician who is accountable for delivering you what you need. Though the dealership will not come to your location if you cannot get into your car, they can make a new car key without a spare.

This is the first option that allows for a full car key replacement in Los Angeles, with or without a spare key present to duplicate. It is not the only option when you need this kind of service, but it is among your very few choices.

6. Call The Best Auto Locksmith in Los Angeles

In my humble opinion, calling a locksmith is the best thing you can do when you lose your car keys in Los Angeles. And even more humbly, I would like to say that Locksmith Pros USA is the best locksmith in Los Angeles. We will come directly to you for maximum convenience. No matter the reason you lost your keys, a locksmith can replace them at your location. This is ideal when your lost car key makes driving the vehicle impossible.

If you are locked out of your car, and your keys are lost inside, a locksmith can also help with that. In instances where the vehicle is locked, and the car keys are lost, you will need your car to be opened in order to get the information needed to make a new key. Auto lockout services do not come standard with any other possible solution to losing your car keys in Los Angeles.

You are also going to get the best possible price. Locksmith Pros is dedicated to delivering affordable prices for every one of their services. Lost car keys in Los Angeles are not going to be replaced for a lower price with the level of excellence that a trained locksmith can provide. Years of specific training and knowledge allow technicians to replace lost car keys in the fastest manner possible.

Rather than choosing to go to the dealership, you can decide to hire a locksmith to make new car keys without a spare. With access to your vehicle, a locksmith can also change your ignition cylinder and invalidate existing car remotes. Changing your car’s security is perfect for when your car keys were stolen, or you cannot locate them, and fear they will end up in the wrong hands.

When you lose your car keys in Los Angeles and need a locksmith, don’t waste precious moments looking at the competition. No one will beat Locksmith Pros’ prices. Give us a call to handle your car key replacement, and provide any other service you may need.

What Is The Best Solution?

Too many issues, there is not a one-stop solution, but when it comes to lost car keys in Los Angeles, calling a locksmith will solve the problem no matter what. Still, I would recommend trying to retrace your steps, unless your key is lost to you because it has broken or is out of reach.

For keys that are out of reach, call for help or get the supplies to get your keys back. For broken car keys, there are several options. With broken car keys and no spare, you will be limited to calling a locksmith or the dealership, even if you do buy replacement parts through other means.