Question 1

How do I spot a fake locksmith before I get ripped off?

Accepted Answer

Three things to check before anyone touches your car. First, a real business name and a verifiable California BSIS license number they can give you on the phone, not after they arrive. Scam operations run under dozens of rotating names that all route to the same call center. Second, ask for a firm estimate on the phone for your specific vehicle. Vague answers or "I have to see it first" on a common job like a 2000 Lexus ES key is a warning sign. Third, watch what happens when they arrive. A legitimate locksmith will quote the final price before starting work. If the number doubles the moment they open a bag, you are allowed to say no and send them away.

Question 2

What exactly is a remote head key and how is it different from a regular key?

Accepted Answer

A remote head key is one unit: a metal blade, a transponder chip, and a built-in remote, all sharing the same plastic head. Your 2000 Lexus ES uses this setup. There is no separate fob hanging on the ring. The chip inside the head communicates with the vehicle's immobilizer when you turn the key, and the three buttons on the head handle lock, unlock, and the remaining function remotely.

A standard key is just metal. A remote head key has to be both cut to your lock and programmed to your vehicle's security system before it will start the car. Get just the cut right and skip the programming, and the engine cranks but does not start. Some people learn this the hard way after buying a cut-only spare online.

Question 3

What equipment do you use to program a key for the 2000 Lexus ES?

Accepted Answer

For the transponder side, I use a professional immobilizer programmer that communicates through the OBD port to register the new key to the vehicle. For extraction and decoding when a blade is broken or a lock needs reading, I use dedicated pick and decode tools that let me read the cut without damaging the cylinder. The remote portion gets programmed as part of the same visit.

If a locksmith cannot tell you what tool they use on your specific year and model, or gives you a vague answer about "professional equipment," that is worth pressing on. The 2000 ES is not a guessing-game job. It is a well-documented vehicle with a known procedure, and the right tools make it a clean, on-site job every time.

Question 4

My 2000 Lexus ES starts fine but the remote buttons stopped working. Do I need a whole new key?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. Start with the CR1616 battery. A dead or weak cell kills the remote side while the transponder chip keeps doing its job just fine, so the car starts but the buttons do nothing.

If a fresh CR1616 does not bring the remote back, open the key head and check the contact points on the circuit board. On a key this age, corrosion on those points is common and often overlooked. A light cleaning can bring it back.

If the hardware checks out and it still will not respond, the remote may need to be re-paired to the vehicle. That is a separate procedure from the transponder programming and can be done on site.

Question 5

I have a working key but want a spare made for my 2000 Lexus ES. Can you add one without erasing the original?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is the right time to do it. Adding a spare while you still have a working key is faster and simpler than an all-keys-lost situation, which requires a full reset and wipes everything. When a working key is present, I can register the new key alongside the existing one so both function normally. The original is not erased. On a vehicle this age, I always recommend getting a spare cut and programmed before the original wears out or the blade fatigues, because a replacement job gets more involved once there is nothing left to work from.

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