I have a 1999 dodge Caravan, and i lost the key for it. How can i get a new one? will it be expensive?

 

Depends on if it has a chipped key or not. If not, bring your title and ID to your dealer and they can cut a new key for pretty cheap. If it has a chipped key, the vehicle needs to be towed to a dealer and the key would have to be programmed to the vehicle.

 

Owning only one key for a vehicle is totally nuts. Many mfrs will require you to change out all the tumblers in each door and the ignition assembly if you lose every key. If they can gain entry to your car without breaking a $300 window or damaging parts inside your door, you're lucky. This nightmare can cost over $1000. If it's a newer car with immobilizer things can be even worse.

It is so much simpler to invest in 3 dirt cheap keys for each car you own, before you lose one. Put one of them in a $5 magnetic case and hide it in the bumper. Keep the other one as a spare in your house. This way if you lose your key 100 miles from home it won't be a life-changing experience.

I hope folks reading learn from this post. Good luck getting a replacement key though!

 

Most cars now the keys can be cut by the vin. You just need proof of ownership. One key is very common now with the cost of keys, no one wants to pay for one until they have to.

 

True, but some smart folks choose to own more than one key because it's usually cheaper over the longer haul and far more convenient. I wouldn't exactly agree with "no one wants". I'd agree that procrastinators will prefer to own one key and "deal with it" when they "have to". In this sad scenario, the car is being towed because the dealership is closed for the weekend and all activities involving transportation are "cancelled". How do you get home, by the way? Are they near home? I sure hope so. If the keys are locked in the vehicle, the glass will likely be broken to retrieve them. If you have no spares, it's often your best option. Without a spare your wallet may be emptied by Dodge, a towing company, the Holiday Inn and maybe even the local police for illegal parking.

I also agree keys are expensive at the dealer, but for my van they cost even more if you own fewer than 2. My dealer wants proof of ownership and $200 for a second '08 fobik, or a replacement fobik, if you have none. Smart owners buy a new spare on ebay for $50 then get it programmed at a dealer for $30 or do it themselves. I bought two new factory '08 fobiks and programmed them for $130. This cost for two programmed fobiks is $70 less than the cost of one fobik thru the dealer. If I lose a fobik now, I will not be visiting the dealer for programming. I will buy another one for $50 and program it myself for $0 according to the simple Dodge Owners Manual Procedure stored in glovebox.

A single key is costly, a safety hazard and tremendous inconvenience. It can result in getting your car towed and walking home at 2AM thru a bad neighborhood with your cell phone sitting in the locked car. It can ruin a vacation or get you hurt. While attending a Viper and Corvette event 500 miles from home (at Watkins Glen, NY), I learned that dealers are not open 24/7 or on Sundays lol. In fact, I would rather blow a Viper GTS P/S hose than lose the key. At least I can get the special order Chrysler hose fabricated at a independent hydraulic shop. Smart racers carry spares and that goes for keys too.

I own cars made between 1964 and 2008 and none of them has only 1 key. I have the key code dog tags for my 40 year old Mustang. My spare keys have saved me money and time a bunch of times over my life. In fact, I would have missed a job interview if my dad didn't have a key buried in the bumper. I still have that job and I've earned well over a million dollars since the day I started. I'm thinking that covers the cost of the spare key. The only key tumbler I've replaced wore out at 350K mi.

Yes, I maintain my cars properly too. When my oil is low I don't stop what I'm doing to drive 20 miles round trip to the Walmart (wasting my time and $4 gas), just to buy one $4 qt of oil. This is what the procrastinator with one key would do, assuming they even bother checking it. I have a couple cases of it. I carry spare quart of oil in my minivans held to the battery with a bungie cord. I'm proactive. This 2008 minivan was a deal, but somewhat of a neglected mess when I bought it. It's seeing better treatment and will likely reach 300k mi with my diligence and your experienced technical advice. Thanks for helping everybody here and tolerating my opinion lol.