2011 MINI Convertible
Key Replacement - Save vs Dealer in Ventura County

Q: Can you erase a lost or stolen key so it can't be used to start the car anymore?

Yes. When we do a security reset on these, the process wipes all previously registered keys from the vehicle's immobilizer and enrolls only the new keys you authorize. Any key that was lost or stolen stops working. It won't start the car, and the remote functions won't operate either.

Q: My MINI key has a blade that folds into the fob -- is there also a separate emergency blade inside?

On the remote head key for this generation MINI, the folding blade is your mechanical key. There isn't a second hidden emergency blade inside the fob the way you'd find on a proximity-style smart key. The folding blade is what goes into the ignition and the door lock. If that blade is worn, cracked, or snapped off at the pivot, we can cut a replacement blade and fit it to the housing.

Q: I bought a replacement fob online. Can you just program it, or is there more to it?

It depends on what you bought. The remote head key for this MINI has two sides to it: the remote functions and the transponder that talks to the immobilizer. Both have to be addressed for the key to work fully. If the replacement fob matches the factory FCC ID on your original, the remote side can usually be synced. The transponder side requires OBD programming regardless -- there's no button sequence or ignition trick that handles it.

Q: The key starts the car fine but the remote stopped working entirely. Do I need a whole new key?

Not necessarily. On these remote head keys, the transponder and the remote are in the same housing but they operate independently. If the car starts, the transponder side is fine. A dead remote is usually a battery, a corroded contact, or a cracked solder point on the board inside the housing -- all things worth checking before writing off the whole key.

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Remote Head Key

Skip the trip to the dealer. Our mobile locksmith brings professional-grade equipment right to your door anywhere in the area. Your new key is cut and programmed while you wait.

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Stranded without a 2011 MINI Convertible key? EZ Car Keyz Santa Barbara CA can help

Key Specialists

Fully equipped mobile unit - all makes and models

At Your Location

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2011 MINI Convertible
Key Options

Dealer-grade key for a fair, honest price

Remote Head Key

Your MINI Convertible Key at Your Location

Your driveway vs their service bay

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

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2011 MINI Convertible Remote Head Key Replacement - Fast, Affordable & Professional

I was out on the Eastside of Santa Barbara on a Tuesday when a woman flagged me down -- not literally, she'd called ahead -- but she was standing in her driveway with that look people get when they've already tried everything they can think of.

Her 2011 MINI Convertible had one working key left. She'd lost the second one months ago and kept meaning to get a spare cut. Then the remaining key started acting up. The remote would lock the car, but unlock was hit or miss. Range had dropped to almost nothing. She'd been walking up to the car and pressing the button from six inches away like that was just normal now.

The key blade and the ignition were fine. Car started every time. It was purely the remote side of the fob.

I popped the housing open on the hood of my van. The CR2032 had some surface oxidation on the negative contact, not the battery itself but the clip inside the housing. A little cleaning, fresh battery, reseated the housing. Tested lock, unlock, and the third button from across the driveway. Full range came back immediately.

She'd been about two weeks from just ordering a whole new fob online and trying to figure out what to do with it from there. The fix she needed was already in her hand.

Took maybe fifteen minutes. She mentioned the dealer had quoted her a significant wait and a parts order before they'd even look at it. We were done before she finished her coffee.

Save vs the Dealer on Your MINI Convertible Key

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

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MINI Convertible Rapid Response, Done Right

Rapid response in the field

2011 MINI Convertible

Remote Head Key | Made at Your Door

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MINI Customers Love the Convenience

What doorstep service looks like in reviews

F

Francis W.

Aug 2023

★★★★★

“These guys hooked me up when nobody else would. Came out quick and fixed my broken car key and got my car back on the road!”

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B

Brian

Dec 2025

★★★★★

“Best of the best, handled my issues in the rain and didn’t give up! Super super awesome support this business please!!!!!”

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D

Don J.

May 2024

★★★★★

“Super friendly and efficient service!! Best locksmith in the area by FAR. Will use them if I ever need another key made for my Honda Element! 10/10”

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Locked out rescue review for 2011 MINI Convertible - EZ Car Keyz Santa Barbara CA

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

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MINI Convertible Mobile Service FAQ

Real costs, no dealer surprises

What is the cheapest way to handle all-keys-lost on my 2011 MINI Convertible?▼

Call a mobile locksmith before calling the dealer. All-keys-lost on this generation MINI means the immobilizer needs to be accessed through the OBD port to wipe the old keys and register new ones -- that requires the right diagnostic equipment, but it doesn't require a dealer bay or a tow truck. If you call the dealer first, you're looking at a tow, a parts order, and a wait.