1998 Nissan Maxima
Key Replacement - Save vs Dealer in Ventura County

Q: Do I need to tow my 1998 Maxima to the dealer to get a new key?

No. Dealers will often default to telling you to tow the car in, and for some newer vehicles with complex electronic systems that makes sense. For a 1998 Maxima, it does not. This key is cut to the vehicle's lock. I can work from the key code or decode the lock at your car, right where it sits.

Q: What do I need to prove I own the vehicle before you cut a key?

A valid photo ID and your vehicle registration or title. I also confirm the VIN from the dashboard plate or the door jamb sticker to make sure the key I cut matches your specific car. Same standard a dealer would hold you to, just done on site in a few minutes rather than at a service counter.

Q: My key is worn down and sometimes does not turn the ignition cleanly. Do I need a new lock or just a new key?

Usually just a new key. After twenty-plus years, the cuts on the original wear down and stop reading the wafers in the cylinder cleanly. The lock itself is often fine. I can decode the lock or pull the code from records and cut a fresh key to the original spec. Most of the time that clears up the sticky ignition entirely. If the lock is worn too, I can tell you on site, but that is the less common outcome.

Q: Can a locksmith make a key if the original is completely gone and I have nothing to copy?

Yes. Two ways to do it. First option is the key code, which is tied to your VIN and can be looked up through locksmith data services. Second option is decoding the lock directly, which I do at the car using the ignition or door lock cylinder. Either path gets you a properly cut key without needing an original to duplicate. You do not need anything in hand before you call.

Same-Day Service | No Towing Required

Available

Metal Key

Need your key replaced today? We offer same-day mobile service with an average arrival time of 20-30 minutes. Most keys are cut and programmed in under 45 minutes.

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1998 Nissan Maxima key replacement info - no tow needed - EZ Car Keyz Santa Barbara CA

Fast Response

Average arrival time: 15-25 minutes

Same-Day Service

Call now, get your key today - no waiting days

Done in Under 1 Hour

Key cut and programmed in 20-45 minutes

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10% OFFCODE:EZ-805-2026

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1998 Nissan Maxima
Key Options

Dealer-grade key for a fair, honest price

Metal Key

Nissan Maxima Key: Same-Day vs Days of Waiting

Same-day vs days of waiting - the choice is clear

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

Done in minutes, not days

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1998 Nissan Maxima Metal Key Replacement - Fast, Affordable & Professional

She was parked on Upper State Street, a block or so up from the shops, and she had been standing next to her 1998 Maxima for about twenty minutes before she called me. The key had snapped. Half of it was still in her hand, and the other half was somewhere in the ignition cylinder.

That changes the job a little. Extraction first, then cutting a replacement. I carry the tools for both.

I got the broken piece out of the cylinder without damage to the lock, which is the part people worry about. Once that was clear, I decoded the existing cuts from the lock itself and cut a new key to match. Turned it in the ignition. Turned it in the door. Done.

She mentioned she had called the dealer first. They told her to have the car towed in and that it would be at least a day turnaround, maybe two. She saved a good chunk just by calling a mobile locksmith instead, and she did not have to arrange a tow or a ride home.

Save vs the Dealer on Your Nissan Maxima Key

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

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Also serving: Downtown Santa Barbara · Eastside · Funk Zone · Hope Ranch

Nissan Maxima Rapid Response, Done Right

Rapid response in the field

1998 Nissan Maxima

Metal Key | Done in Minutes

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Santa Barbara

Rapid Service Zone

805 Area

Same-Day Keys (805) 790-8162

Nissan Customers Love Our Fast Service

Same-day service, five-star results

G

Gabriel V.

Jul 2023

★★★★★

“I just had my Nissan Sentra fob programmed for a very reasonable price, I would definitely come back for my Locksmith needs!”

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V

Vallery C.

Jul 2026

★★★★★

“Amazing service Marco was fast and made a key for out Nissan rouge in no time also gave us a great deal in Camarillo. Thanks”

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N

Nick R.

Mar 2023

★★★★★

“Came out very quickly, very professional, 10/10 highly recommend for all your lock out needs !”

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Locksmith came to me for 1998 Nissan Maxima key - EZ Car Keyz Santa Barbara CA review

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

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Nissan Maxima Mobile Service FAQ

Real costs, no dealer surprises

I am locked out with no spare. Can you come to me on Upper State Street?▼

Yes. That is exactly the kind of call I handle. If your 1998 Maxima is parked anywhere along Upper State Street or nearby in Santa Barbara, I come to you. No tow truck, no dealer appointment. I can decode the lock or use the key code on file to cut a replacement right there on the spot. One call and you are back in the car.