2016 Lexus NX
Key Replacement - Save vs Dealer in San Diego

2016 Lexus NX Smart Key Replacement - Fast, Affordable & Professional

Out near the CSUSM area in San Marcos, I got a call from a guy who had bought his 2016 NX used about a year earlier. One fob. That was it. Previous owner never mentioned a spare, and he never thought to ask.

He lost it somewhere between the parking area and wherever he'd been that afternoon. Checked the obvious spots twice. Nothing. He'd already looked up the Lexus dealer and seen what an all-keys-lost job would cost him, plus they told him they'd need the car there. He didn't have a way to get the car there because, obviously, he had no key.

I told him I could come to him.

When I got there, the car was locked. I used a pick tool to work the driver's door cylinder and decoded the cut pattern off the wafer positions, then cut a fresh emergency blade to match. That got the door open without any damage. From there it was a matter of getting the interior power on so I could work the diagnostic port.

The all-keys-lost procedure on the NX smart key system has a timed sequence built into it. You can't rush it. It clears all previously registered fobs from the vehicle memory, which matters because his old key was somewhere out there and he didn't want it to be able to start the car. Once the clear completed, I registered the new fob and ran through everything: door handle touch sensors on both sides, the start button, the lock and unlock functions. All confirmed working before I packed up.

He saved a good chunk compared to what the dealer quoted him, and he didn't need a tow. Start to finish, including the lock work, was under an hour. He asked if he should get a spare. I told him yes, and that answer goes for every Lexus NX owner reading this.

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