Question 1

What is the cheapest way to replace a key for my 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer?

Accepted Answer

Call a mobile locksmith first. Dealer pricing on a smart key for this generation Lancer tends to run high once you add the fob, the cut, and the programming labor as separate line items. That is before you factor in towing if the car won't start, plus however long the dealer needs to get the part in. A mobile locksmith comes to you in Old Town Goleta, does the work on site, and the all-in price is a fraction of what the dealer route looks like. If you already have one working key and just need a spare, that job is simpler and faster than a full all-keys-lost situation, which is another reason not to wait until you're completely without a key.

Question 2

How much harder is all-keys-lost on a 2013 Lancer compared to just adding a spare?

Accepted Answer

Meaningfully harder, and it takes longer.

When you have one working key in hand, adding a second is a registration job: connect the diagnostic tool, enter the existing key, register the new one, done. The system already knows a valid key and just needs to learn another.

All-keys-lost means the immobilizer has no reference point. The key memory has to be fully reset and reinitialized before any new key can be registered. On the 2013 Lancer smart key system, that reset process involves the body control module and has a timed sequence built in, so you can't rush it. It also typically requires PIN-level access through the diagnostic port, which is why this is not a DIY job and why the cost and time are both higher than a simple spare.

The practical takeaway: if you still have one working key for your Lancer, get a spare made now. The difference in complexity and cost between "adding a spare" and "all-keys-lost" is real.

Question 3

Do aftermarket fobs work on the 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer, or do I need OEM?

Accepted Answer

This is one of those vehicles where aftermarket is a gamble I've seen go wrong more than once. Mitsubishi's immobilizer and body control module tend to be particular about what they accept during the registration sequence. Lancer owners on forums have documented cases where a cheap fob shell or a generic replacement would partially program, meaning the car would start, but the remote functions misfired or the alarm behavior was off. One account described the key starting the car reliably but triggering the alarm on lock. That is a miserable outcome for something you bought to save money.

I carry fobs that are verified to spec for the 2013 Lancer smart key setup. It costs a little more than the $15 shells floating around online, but you're not sitting on the side of the road in Old Town Goleta wondering why your "programmed" key is setting off your own alarm.

Question 4

The door handle touch sensor stopped unlocking the car but my fob buttons still work. Is the key failing?

Accepted Answer

Probably not the key. On the 2013 Lancer smart key system, the touch-unlock function at the door handle is separate from the fob button commands. If the buttons lock and unlock fine but the handle sensor has gone dead or intermittent, the issue is almost always on the door side: the capacitive sensor in the handle, the wiring to it, or how the body control module is reading that input. A quick test is to check whether the problem is isolated to one door or both. One dead handle with a working fob points to that door's hardware. Both handles dead with a working fob is a different conversation. Either way, don't replace the fob before someone checks the handle sensors first.

Question 5

I bought a used 2013 Lancer and I only got one key. Should I be worried about keys a previous owner still has?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is worth taking seriously. The 2013 Lancer smart key system stores registered fob IDs in the body control module. A fob that was registered by a previous owner and never erased can still operate the locks and, depending on how the system was configured, potentially the ignition. A full key memory reset wipes all previously registered fobs and lets you start clean with only the keys you control. It's a standard part of what I do on a used-vehicle key job. If you got one key with the car and the seller said "that's all there is," a reset and fresh registration gives you actual peace of mind instead of just their word for it.

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