HizAndHerz

Long-time Nissan owner (presently own 6) and forum lurker. I searched and didn't find a definitive answer.

I've lost my only key fob. The dealership said that they can't program the car to an aftermarket or used fob. Well, I bought 3 fobs from Amazon before I talked to them: a cheap no-name, a Nissan branded one that might be used, and a Dorman-branded fob. Is the dealer blowing smoke? Would a locksmith have more flexibility?

Long story: I lost the one and only key fob to my 2011 Maxima. My plan was to buy an inexpensive fob, have my insurance company pay for the towing to the dealership or locksmith and then only have to pay for the programming. There are mixed reviews on Amazon for the fobs - many say that a locksmith was able to do the programming. None of the reviews say that the locksmith/dealership couldn't do the programming.

The worst scenario is that I have the car towed to the locksmith and that they can't program any of my fobs (none of locksmiths have a Nissan fob in stock). Then my car is stuck and I have to pay to have it towed to the dealership and then pay $380 for a Nissan fob and the programming.

Thanks in advance!

HizAndHerz

Well, it looks like I don't have to find out the answer. One week after losing my keys and just after posting this question, my wife found my keys in the bottom of her makeup bag. I tried to not make her feel too bad.

At least now I'll have some spare sets of keys for our Maximas. I'm going to try to program the car with the new fobs myself using this tool from Dorman. I'll post back with my results.

clborden

iTrader: (2)

bleedingsujit

I bought a Nissan branded used one on Ebay for $43. Went to the local locksmith and had it programmed for $45 i think. Took that guy less than 5 mins.

HizAndHerz

Thanks to for the responses. Here are some of my take-aways:

• Locksmiths charge less than the dealership to replace and program a fob (duh). The dealership wanted $265 for a new fob and $150 to program it. OTOH, my go-to locksmith wanted $500 to come out to my car and provide a new fob. I had to call around to find a decent price: $230 to come out with a new fob and program it, $120 if I towed the car to them ($45 to do the programming and $75 for the fob).
• Only the dealership had replacement fobs in stock. All of the locksmiths in my area had to order the fob.
• Before you even buy an aftermarket fob, call the dealership/locksmiths in your area to see if they will program an aftermarket fob and how much it will cost. Some will do it and some won't. Ask what they will do if they can't get your fob to work. Will they charge full price if it doesn't work?
• Don't trust the battery in an aftermarket fob. Replace the battery with a new name-brand battery. Based on reviews, it seems that many fobs come with weak batteries.
• The Dorman 99159 Key fob and Programmer kit is intended to replace a single fob. It isn't intended for multiple uses and will actually self defeat itself after 5 attempts to program a fob. I ordered one from Autozone and got it delivered the next day. Since I need to program fobs for both of my Maximas, I'll be returning this. If you have a working fob and simply need a second, then this seems to be a good option.
• Fobs on Amazon that claim to be "OEM" with the Nissan logo generally aren't "OEM" at all. I bought from two different sellers and both fobs had no FCC ID or part numbers on them. They aren't even legal without the FDD info.

-Jorns

bleedingsujit

The used one I bought was OEM, I checked the FCC ID before buying. You are right about all those fake OEMs floating on ebay and amazon that are not useful. I paid very little altogether but for you it seems to be a costly endeavor.

HizAndHerz

I guess the key (npi) to getting a real Nissan fob would be to verify that the listing has a picture of back of the fob with the key removed and make sure it has the correct FCCID and Nissan part number.

clborden

iTrader: (2)

Did the locksmith cut a new key for your car also, or did that price only include programming? Because $45 is a total score.

John2552

Hey, I think you can. You need to ask for help from locksmiths. They will be able to reprogram the new key. I got into a similar situation, lost my keys. I needed to reprogram another key. Then I turned to the local locksmith services near me, who helped me, as I did not want to get involved with the dealer. We were able to reprogram another key and now everything is in chocolate. The guys did everything quickly enough. Many people convinced me that this was a waste of money and money, but it turned out to be quite the opposite. Maybe they can help you too. Good luck!