1997 Chevrolet Astro
Key Replacement - Save vs Dealer in San Diego

1997 Chevrolet Astro Key Replacement - Fast, Affordable & Professional

I got a call from a guy in Loma Alta who had been driving his 1997 Astro for years on one original key. He finally decided to get a spare made after the original started looking worn down, edges a little rounded, cuts getting soft. Smart move. Most people wait until the key stops working entirely.

He met me in his driveway. The van was just sitting there, this older Astro with that boxy rear end and the side cargo door slightly ajar from unloading something earlier.

I looked at the original key under good light before I cut anything. The cuts were still readable, which matters because a worn key that still turns can lie to you if you just duplicate it directly. I measured the original and compared it against the key code pulled from his VIN to make sure I was cutting to spec, not duplicating the wear. That extra step takes maybe two minutes and it means the new key will work better than the copy you made at the hardware store.

Cut the blank, tested it in the ignition, tested it in the driver door, tested the rear lock. Everything turned clean on the first try.

He mentioned he had checked with the dealer first. Whatever they quoted him, he said I came in at a fraction of that, showed up same day, and he never had to leave the neighborhood.

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