2018 Ford Explorer
Key Replacement - Save vs Dealer in Ventura County

Q: How do I know you are not a scam locksmith?

Fair question, and Ford owners run into this more than most. The pattern is familiar: you search for a mobile locksmith, somebody quotes low on the phone, shows up in an unmarked car, then the price doubles once the work is done. No receipt, no license number, no way to find them again afterward. EZ Car Keyz gives you a firm price on the phone before I ever leave. I show up in a marked vehicle.

Q: Will the replacement key work exactly like the original?

Yes, when it is done right. The 2018 Explorer smart key gets enrolled into the vehicle's immobilizer through the diagnostic port, and every function gets confirmed before I leave: lock, unlock, and the other buttons on the fob, plus both door handle touch sensors if your trim has them. The thing to watch out for is cheap aftermarket fobs bought online without knowing whether they are built to the right specification for this vehicle.

Q: My 2018 Explorer shows a key-not-detected warning but the fob battery is fresh. What is actually going on?

This one comes up a lot on Explorer forums. If you have already confirmed the battery is a genuine CR2450 seated correctly and the warning is still showing, there are a few things worth checking before assuming the fob is dead. First, the backup start location. On this generation, there is a designated spot on the steering column area where you can hold the fob if the car is not reading it through normal proximity.

Q: I only have one key for my 2018 Explorer. Is it worth getting a spare made before something goes wrong?

Yes, and the reason is specific to how this vehicle's immobilizer works. If you lose your only fob and the car has no registered keys left in memory, the job becomes an all-keys-lost procedure. That takes longer, requires additional steps to reset the system, and costs more than simply adding a second key while the first one is still working. Getting a spare made now is the cheaper, faster version of the same job.

Lost Every Key? | We Start From Scratch

Available

Smart Key

All keys lost is our specialty. While the dealer would require a tow and days of waiting, we arrive at your location and have a new key cut and programmed on the spot.

CA BSIS LICENSE LCO#6792

Locked Out? No Stress Keys From Zero Fast Response

Fast Response15-25

min arrival

1,400+reviews

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Fast 2018 Ford Explorer key replacement quote from EZ Car Keyz Simi Valley CA

Zero Keys Needed

We program directly to your vehicle's computer

On-Site Key Cutting

New key cut from vehicle codes, not from a copy

Fast Recovery

Back on the road in 30-45 minutes from arrival

805 Special

10% OFFCODE:EZ-805-2026

🔥 Rescue key service, 10% off 🔥

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2018 Ford Explorer
Key Options

Dealer-grade key for a fair, honest price

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Lost Ford Key: Tow vs Mobile Fix

Stranded? Compare response times

EZ Car Keyz

Dealership

Average Cost

✓ $$

✕ $$$$

Location

✓ We come to you

✕ You drive there

Wait Time

✓ 20-45 min

✕ 2-5 days

Same-Day

✓ Yes

✕ Rarely

All Keys Lost

✓ No problem

✕ Tow required

OEM Quality

✓ Yes

EZ Car Keyz wins 5 out of 6

All keys lost is no problem for us

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2018 Ford Explorer Smart Key Replacement - Fast, Affordable & Professional

Bridle Path in Simi Valley is one of those neighborhoods where the streets are quiet and everyone knows their neighbors. A mom there called me on a Tuesday morning.

Her 2018 Explorer was sitting in the driveway with one working fob, and that one had been dropped enough times that the buttons were getting soft and the case was cracked along one edge. She wanted a spare before the main one quit entirely.

Smart move. I told her that's actually the best time to call, before you're stranded.

I pulled up to her house, connected to the OBD port, and ran the Ford smart key programming sequence on my diagnostic unit. New fob, cut the blade to her vehicle, enrolled it into the immobilizer. The whole thing took about 45 minutes, which included walking through every button and both door handles with her watching.

She mentioned she had called the dealer first, just to get a number. They told her to bring the car in and plan on leaving it. No same-day availability, and the quote they gave her was, in her words, "a lot more than I expected."

She kept her Tuesday. Car stayed home, kid got to school, and she drove to work with two working fobs in her pocket.

Save vs the Dealer on Your Ford Explorer Key

Get your key for hundreds less than the dealer. Same quality, same result, better price.

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BSIS Licensed

LCO#6792

CA Bureau of Security & Investigative Services

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National Automotive Service Task Force

Fully Insured

Liability & vehicle damage coverage

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Also serving: Big Sky · Bridle Path · Corriganville · East Simi Valley

Ford Explorer Rapid Response, Done Right

Rapid response in the field

2018 Ford Explorer

Smart Key | Rescue Key

Priority ETA

Rapid Arrival

Available Today

Simi Valley

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805 Area

Same-Day Keys (805) 790-8162

Lockout to Five-Star Review

Lost key panic turned to five-star praise

K

Kassidy D.

Apr 2023

★★★★★

“So good! Reasonably priced and quick job. I called and within the hour I was at his location getting the key fixed. Ford was going to charge me an arm and a leg but i got a deal with him. Would absolutely recommend”

Google Review

C

Cristal G.

Mar 2018

★★★★★

“I was in a desperate need of a locksmith and one of my co workers told me about nivs so i gave him a try and im glad that i did he was great! Made a key for my ford car and a remote too now i can get back on the road. Thanks!”

Google Review

A

Amy M.

Mar 2024

★★★★★

“He came quickly, within 10 minutes& gave me 2 keys when I had locked my keys in my trunk. Now I never have to worry about any more keys.”

Google Review

Fast 2018 Ford Explorer key replacement review - EZ Car Keyz Simi Valley CA

★ 5.0 out of 5 - Based on Over 1,400 five-star Google reviews

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Ford Explorer Mobile Service FAQ

Real costs, no dealer surprises

Are you licensed and insured to work on Ford vehicles?▼

Yes. EZ Car Keyz is a California BSIS licensed locksmith company, License No. LCO#6792, and we carry full liability insurance. We also hold NASTF Vehicle Security Professional certification, which means we have been vetted to access manufacturer security data for Ford and other makes. That vetting matters on newer vehicles where the immobilizer enrollment process requires documented credentials to access. We operate under a real business name, have a physical presence, and you can verify our reviews before you call.