Question 1

Are you licensed and insured to work on Mazda vehicles in California?

Accepted Answer

Yes. EZ Car Keyz holds a California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services locksmith license (LCO#6792) and carries full liability insurance. For a 2018 CX-9, adding or replacing a smart key requires diagnostic equipment and proper credentials to access the vehicle's security system. Not every locksmith advertising online has that setup. Before you let anyone plug into your CX-9, ask them directly: do you have the tools to register a smart key on this vehicle, and can you show a license number. If they hesitate on either, that's your answer.

Question 2

How do I know you are not one of those scam locksmiths that shows up with a low quote and then triples the price?

Accepted Answer

Scam outfits follow a recognizable pattern. They post a low number online, show up with generic parts, and then add fees on site after the door is already open. Mazda owners report this specifically because the smart key job sounds simple but requires real equipment, and a lot of bait-and-switch operators know owners are stuck once they're locked out.

Here's how to screen anyone before they arrive: get a firm price on the phone for your exact vehicle, year, and key type. Ask for the license number and look it up on the BSIS database before they pull up. A real shop will give you both without hesitation. We have verifiable reviews, a real license, and video of actual jobs on our YouTube and TikTok channels. You can watch how the work gets done before you ever call.

Question 3

Will a replacement smart key work exactly like the factory original on my 2018 CX-9?

Accepted Answer

Yes, when it's done right. A properly registered smart key communicates with the vehicle's immobilizer and body electronics the same way the original does. The start button responds, the door handles work, and the lock and unlock functions behave normally. We test all of that on site before the job is closed out.

Where things go wrong is when someone uses a low-grade aftermarket fob and doesn't verify the programming completed cleanly. Some owners on CX-9 forums have reported a persistent key warning indicator after a bad programming job, which means the vehicle registered the key but something in the pairing didn't finish correctly. That doesn't happen when you're using the right equipment and confirming each function before you leave.

Question 4

I have two working keys but I want a spare programmed. Can you add one without erasing the keys I already have?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is the normal way to do it. Adding a key to the 2018 CX-9 when you already have working fobs is a much simpler process than an all-keys-lost job. The diagnostic tool reads the existing key count, registers the new fob alongside the ones already in memory, and nothing gets wiped. Your current keys keep working exactly as before.

The only time existing keys get erased is in an all-keys-lost situation where the system has to be fully reset before any new key can be registered. If you still have at least one working fob, that reset is not part of the job. Getting a spare made now, while you have a working key in hand, is also faster and less expensive than waiting until you're locked out.

Question 5

My 2018 CX-9 shows a key warning on the dash but the car still starts. What does that mean?

Accepted Answer

Usually it means the vehicle is detecting the fob inconsistently. The car sees enough signal to allow a start, but the communication is dropping in and out rather than reading clean every time.

First thing to check is the fob battery. A CR2025 that's reading low voltage will cause exactly this. Swap it with a fresh cell, make sure it's seated flat with no tilt, and retest. If the warning clears, that was it.

If the warning stays after a confirmed good battery, the fob itself may have a failing internal component, or there's an issue with the antenna that reads the fob near the start button. Either way, it's worth getting it looked at before it stops starting entirely, because that's usually where this pattern ends up.

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