Question 1

Do I have to go to the Mitsubishi dealer to get a replacement key for a 2005 Montero?

Accepted Answer

No. A mobile locksmith with the right equipment can cut and program a transponder key for your Montero on site, wherever the vehicle is. The dealer is not the only option.

The dealer route means scheduling an appointment, potentially waiting days or longer for availability, and paying shop labor rates for a job that, in the right hands, takes well under an hour. If you're down to one key or no keys, you may also need a tow just to get the car there, which adds cost before they even look at it. We come to you in Oxnard, handle it in the driveway or parking lot, and you drive away with a working key.

Question 2

What exactly is a transponder key and why does the 2005 Montero need one?

Accepted Answer

A transponder key has a small electronic component built into the key head. When you turn the key in the ignition, the vehicle's immobilizer reads that component. If it gets a recognized signal back, the engine is allowed to start. If it doesn't, the car either won't start at all or cranks briefly and shuts right back down.

The 2005 Montero has no fob, no remote buttons, and no battery in the key. It's a metal blade with a programmed chip inside the plastic head. Simple to hold, but it can't be replaced with a basic key blank from a hardware store. The new key has to be cut to your vehicle and programmed so the immobilizer accepts it. Both steps matter.

Question 3

How long does the dealer process actually take for a Mitsubishi key replacement?

Accepted Answer

Longer than it should. Dealers typically bill a full hour of labor for programming that takes a fraction of that time on the bench. Getting a service appointment can stretch out depending on how busy the service department is, and some owners report waiting a significant stretch of time just to get scheduled. If anything goes sideways during the visit, a second trip is not unheard of.

With EZ Car Keyz, the job is done in one visit, at your location in Wilson or anywhere else in Oxnard. No appointment backlog, no tow, no waiting room. You're usually back on the road in under an hour.

Question 4

I had a spare key made at a hardware store and the car cranks but dies right away. What's happening?

Accepted Answer

That's the immobilizer doing exactly what it's supposed to do. The blade was cut correctly, but the key head has no programmed chip in it, or it has a chip that hasn't been paired to your vehicle. The Montero cranks because the ignition cylinder reads the cut, then stalls because the immobilizer rejects the key.

A hardware store or big-box kiosk can copy the blade shape. They can't program the transponder. You need the chip matched to your specific vehicle, and that requires the right programming equipment. Bring the car and your working original key and I can get the copy sorted out on site.

Question 5

I only have one key left for my 2005 Montero. Is it worth getting a spare made now, or should I wait until there's a problem?

Accepted Answer

Get the spare now. With one key, if that key gets lost, damaged, or the chip fails, you're in an all-keys-lost situation. That job is more involved than a simple copy because there's no working key to reference, and it takes more time and equipment to complete.

Having a second working key keeps any future replacement simple. It also means you have a backup if the blade wears or the key head cracks, which happens on keys that have been on a ring for years. One visit now saves a harder job later.

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