1997 Infiniti Q45
Key Replacement - Save vs Dealer in Ventura County

Q: What exactly is a transponder key and why does my 1997 Q45 need one instead of a regular key?

The key blade cuts are what open your door and turn your ignition, same as any metal key. But inside the plastic head there's a small chip. When you turn the key, an antenna ring around the ignition cylinder reads that chip. If the chip is missing, wrong, or not registered to your vehicle, the immobilizer blocks the engine from starting even if the cut is perfect.

Q: How long does the dealer process take for a replacement key on a 1997 Q45?

Longer than you'd expect for a car this age. Dealers sourcing keys for late-90s Infiniti models sometimes have to order through parts channels that aren't fast, and owners on forums report being told a few days and then chasing the service department when the part doesn't show. Once it arrives, plan on at least an hour in the service bay for the programming appointment itself. With EZ Car Keyz, the job is one visit.

Q: I bought a replacement key blank online for my 1997 Q45. Can you just program it?

Sometimes, and sometimes not. The blank has to be the correct type for this vehicle, meaning the right key head profile and the right chip family inside. A lot of aftermarket blanks sold online for older Infiniti models are close but not quite right, and a chip that's the wrong type won't register no matter how good the programming equipment is. If the blank you bought is the correct match, yes, I can work with it.

Q: My 1997 Q45 starts fine with the original key, but a copied key I had made won't start it. What's going on?

Classic symptom. The copy was cut at a hardware store or a shop that duplicated the blade but had no way to program the transponder chip. The car reads the blade fine, turns over the cylinder, but the immobilizer sees no valid chip signal and kills the start. You need a properly programmed transponder key, not just a cut key. The blade and the chip registration are two separate steps, and you need both done correctly.

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1997 Infiniti Q45 key fob price quote from EZ Car Keyz Ventura CA

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1997 Infiniti Q45
Key Options

Dealer-grade key for a fair, honest price

Transponder Key

Infiniti Q45 Key: Same-Day vs Days of Waiting

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1997 Infiniti Q45 Transponder Key Replacement - Fast, Affordable & Professional

In North Ventura, a guy had just bought a used 1997 Infiniti Q45. First real luxury car, good shape for the age, one key. The lot told him to handle a spare on his own, which is exactly the kind of advice that sends people straight to a dealer.

He called the Infiniti dealer first. They quoted him a wait and a price that made him pause. He'd just bought the car. He found EZ Car Keyz and asked if that dealer number was just a luxury tax.

I told him it was partially that, but also that these older Infiniti transponder keys are a known quantity to anyone who works on the Nissan side of the family. The architecture is well documented, the procedure is stable, and I run it regularly.

I met him near where he'd parked the car in North Ventura. The 1997 Q45 takes a plain transponder key, no fob, no buttons, no battery to swap. Just the key blade and the chip inside the head. I decoded the existing key, cut a matching blade, registered the new transponder to the vehicle, and tested it through full cold-start cycles before I called it done.

He looked at the two matching keys in his hand like he was waiting for a catch. There wasn't one. Two working keys, done on site, for a fraction of what the dealer quoted. If one ever walks off, the next job is an add-a-key, not a crisis.

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1997 Infiniti Q45

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Dillon S.

Dec 2025

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“Incredible service fast and easy had my Infiniti g37 key phobe replaced and reprogrammed”

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Terry H.

Mar 2018

★★★★★

“Called Niv in a need of a transponder key, he gave me a flat price over the phone came after shortly cut and program the key for my Infiniti qx4 he did a good job and I'm happy with his locksmith services. Thanks niv!”

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Tammy

Mar 2024

★★★★★

“Marcos is the Best !! Absolutely without a doubt I highly recommend... things happen and we lose things ... but Marcos truly lives up to EZ Car Keyz...So professional and fast .... easy 5 stars”

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Dealer vs locksmith review for 1997 Infiniti Q45 key - EZ Car Keyz Ventura CA

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Infiniti Q45 Mobile Service FAQ

Real costs, no dealer surprises

Do I have to go to the Infiniti dealer to get a replacement transponder key for my 1997 Q45?▼

No. A mobile locksmith with the right tooling for older Nissan and Infiniti systems can cut and program a transponder key on site. The 1997 Q45 is not a new platform with gateway security or encrypted pairing protocols. It's a late-90s transponder system, and the procedures are well established. A lot of owners assume dealer-only because of the Infiniti badge, but the badge doesn't change the key system.