2018 Fiat 124 Spider Key Replacement

2018 124 Spider key specs

Every US 124 Spider starts with a button and uses a four-button smart key (lock, unlock, trunk and panic) with FCC ID WAZSKE13D01 or WAZSKE13D02 on the back. A mechanical emergency key hides inside the fob for the driver's door if the battery dies, and each car comes with a plate stamped with that key's code number. Read the FCC ID and part number on your own fob before buying, and avoid used fobs, which may already be locked to another car.

What's specific to the 2018 124 Spider

The 2018 Fiat 124 Spider is the second of 4 model years in the 124 Spider Type 348 (Mazda-built) (2017–2020), so it shares its key system with the rest of that run, which makes replacement parts easy to source. At roughly 8 years old, a 2018 Fiat 124 Spider has usually seen real wear. Fob cases crack, buttons wear through and solder joints loosen at this age, so a new shell or a replacement remote often beats repairing the old one. Many have changed hands more than once, so erasing keys you can't account for is worth doing during the visit.

Smart-key cars like the 2018 124 Spider can be targeted with relay attacks that extend the fob's signal from inside your home, so keep fobs away from exterior walls or in a signal-blocking pouch, and have any missing fob erased from the car.

Key options for the 2018 Fiat 124 Spider

• Smart proximity key (push-to-start). A smart or proximity key lets a 2018 Fiat 124 Spider open when you touch the door handle and start with a push of a button while the fob stays in your pocket or bag. Antennas in the doors and cabin send out a low-frequency wake-up signal; the fob answers on a higher radio frequency with an encrypted reply, and the car only allows a start once it confirms the fob is inside. When the fob battery is weak, that conversation fails, which is why most designs include a backup: hold the fob against the start button or set it in a designated pocket. The owner's manual shows where, and it's worth checking before you need it.

How the Fiat immobilizer works on the 124 Spider

• Mazda built the 124 Spider in Hiroshima alongside the MX-5 Miata, and its fob carries a Mazda-style FCC ID rather than a Fiat or Chrysler one.
• Its smart key runs at 315 MHz, while other US Fiat remotes of the era use the 433 MHz band.
• The fob takes a CR2025 coin cell, thinner than the CR2032 used in 500-family keys.
• The 2020 model year was the last for the 124 Spider in the US.

Programming a 2018 124 Spider key

Because Mazda supplied the keyless system, programming usually follows Mazda-style smart-key routines through the OBD-II port rather than the Fiat PIN procedure used on the 500 family. Many of these routines erase and re-learn every fob in one session, so bring all the fobs you have. Equipment coverage for the Fiat-badged car is narrower than for the MX-5, and we confirm the VIN before quoting.

Spare fobs are usually possible. All-keys-lost and tool coverage vary for this Mazda-built Fiat, so some cases go to a dealer.

Lost every key to your 124 Spider?

Losing every key is fixable on most Fiats, but it takes more than a cut blade. On the 500, 500c and 500L, we verify ownership, decode the SIP22 door lock or cut a blade from the key code, then connect to the OBD-II port, read or enter the security PIN and program a new flip key. If you kept the code card that came with a new car, it speeds up the cutting step. The 500X needs AES-capable equipment, and some push-button or late-model cars involve extra security procedures that we explain on the phone. The Mazda-built 124 Spider depends on tool coverage for its VIN, and the plate stamped with its key code number helps on the cutting side. For the 2024 and newer 500e, plan on a dealer-supplied fob. Have your ID and registration or title ready, and give us the VIN when you call so we can confirm the route before we drive out.

1. Gather your documents and the VIN. Call with the year, make, model and VIN if you can read it through the windshield, plus where the car is parked. Those details let us confirm whether your Fiat 124 Spider can be done on-site and bring the right key, so the first trip is the only trip.
2. Get into the vehicle without damage. Entry comes before key-making because we need access to the ignition, the OBD-II port and sometimes the documents in the glove box. We take care with weather stripping, door frames and paint, and we confirm the dash VIN matches your registration before going any further.
3. Originate a new key from the car. With no key to copy, the cuts come from the vehicle itself. We retrieve the key code through manufacturer channels where possible, or decode a door lock with a pick-decoder tool. Then we cut the blade on our code machine and confirm it turns the lock smoothly.
4. Program the key to the immobilizer. All-keys-lost programming often takes longer than adding a key, because the car has no trusted key to authorize the change. We follow the procedure your Fiat 124 Spider requires, then confirm the engine starts and keeps running and the remote or keyless functions respond.
5. Erase missing keys and add a spare. A lost key's metal blade can still open your doors even after its chip is erased. If the keys disappeared along with something showing where you live or park, consider rekeying the car's door lock cylinders too. We'll also recommend leaving with two working keys, not one.

Why a spare key pays for itself

• Two drivers sharing one key is a daily negotiation. A second key lets a partner, teenager or coworker use the vehicle without handing keys back and forth in parking lots, and it means one person losing their key ring doesn't leave the whole household stuck.
• A spare turns a future all-keys-lost emergency into a simple add-a-key job. With one working key in hand, programming is quicker, and the chip or fob can often be paired without decoding locks or reading modules, which keeps the cost of a lost key far lower.
• Electronics fail without warning. A fob dropped on concrete, run through the washing machine or soaked at the pool can quit for good. With a second programmed key, that's an annoyance you fix on your own schedule, not a stranded car that needs attention today.

Dealer or mobile locksmith?

Price and parts are the other half of the comparison. Dealers typically sell factory keys only and charge their posted service rates for programming. We offer factory keys where it matters and quality aftermarket alternatives where they perform well, and the quote covers cutting, programming and the trip, with nothing tacked on at the end. Timing differs too. Dealer service departments generally keep business hours, while we take automotive calls every day from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., which covers early commutes and late evenings. We're closed overnight, and we'll be upfront if your timing means the dealer or a next-day visit is the better plan. Neither option is wrong; the right one depends on your 124 Spider and your schedule.

124 Spider key battery

A fob battery rarely dies all at once. The warning signs build: you have to get closer to the car before the doors respond, the dash shows a key battery or key-not-detected message, or the push-button start only works with the fob held near the button. Inland heat speeds that decline, especially for fobs left in a hot cabin or on the dashboard. Keep a spare CR2025 at home in a cool drawer, sealed in its original package, and buy from a busy store where stock turns over quickly. A cell that sat on a shelf for years may arrive already partly spent.

How the job works

1. Identify the exact key your 124 Spider uses. Every job starts with the VIN, the trim and a look at any key you still have. From those we confirm the keyway, the transponder or smart-key chip, the remote frequency, the FCC ID and the button layout. Two Fiat 124 Spider keys that look identical can carry different electronics, so this step keeps the wrong part from ever reaching the car.
2. Verify ownership before any work. California holds licensed locksmiths responsible for knowing whose car they're making keys for. We record your name, the VIN and the plate on a work order. If you aren't the registered owner, you'll need the owner's written authorization along with your own photo ID before we begin.
3. Get the key code or decode the lock. If you still have a working key, we can read its cuts directly and check them against the factory depths for the Fiat keyway. A worn key gets corrected back to spec during this step, so the new key turns crisply instead of reproducing years of wear in a fresh piece of metal.
4. Cut the blade on-site. Our van carries a code-cutting machine that handles both traditional edge-cut blades and the laser-cut, side-milled profiles common on newer keys. The blade is cut to the code, then test-fitted in a door lock and the ignition or emergency keyhole to confirm smooth operation before any programming begins.
5. Program the chip, remote or smart key. Programming tells the car's computers that the new key belongs to the vehicle. Transponder chips are added to the immobilizer, remote buttons to the body control module, and proximity fobs to the keyless system. If a step requires dealer-only access on your 124 Spider, you'll have heard that before we arrived, not halfway through the job.
6. Test everything and clear out old keys. The last step is a short walkthrough. We show you how many keys the car now recognizes, point out the dead-fob start method for your vehicle, and hand you an itemized receipt. If a spare makes sense, it's simplest to add it during this same visit while the equipment is already connected.

What affects the price of a 124 Spider key

• The type of key. The biggest factor is technology. A plain mechanical key is a cutting job only. A transponder key adds a chip and programming. Remote-head and flip keys add a circuit board, and a proximity fob for a push-button Fiat 124 Spider is the most involved of all, both in the part itself and in the programming.
• Factory or aftermarket parts. Factory keys and fobs carry the manufacturer's part number and usually the highest parts cost. Quality aftermarket keys use compatible electronics at a lower price and work well on many vehicles. We tell you which options we trust for your car, and where an aftermarket version has known range or fit issues, we steer you to OEM.
• Programming complexity and security access. Some immobilizers accept a new key with a few on-board steps. Others need a PIN code, a timed security wait, manufacturer online access, or removing a module to read its data. Every extra layer of security on the Fiat system adds equipment time and labor to the job.
• Blade style and cutting. Traditional edge-cut blades are quick to cut. High-security laser-cut blades, with a groove milled into the side, need a specialized machine and more care, and the blanks themselves cost more. If we have to decode a lock to find the cuts, that adds labor as well.

Call (951) 903-3193 with your VIN and the keys you still have, and we'll quote the job before any work starts.

Common Fiat key problems

• Inexpensive online Fiat flip keys often arrive locked or uncoded. Many must be pre-coded on a key programmer before the car will learn them, so a key that won't program is often the wrong blank rather than a fault in the car.
• Driver's door lock cylinders on older Fiats can stiffen from years of disuse, since owners rarely touch them until the remote fails. Cleaning and lubricating the SIP22 cylinder now beats discovering it's seized during a lockout.
• A key that turns but won't start the engine usually means the immobilizer doesn't recognize its transponder: a damaged chip, a key programmed to another car, or a spare that lost its pairing. Reprogramming fixes it; the ignition is rarely at fault.
• Remote range fades as the CR2032 battery in a Fiat flip key ages, and the battery contacts in cheap replacement shells can lose tension. If a fresh battery doesn't help, the remote may need re-syncing or the board may be cracked.

Tips from a mobile locksmith

• Never hide a spare key or fob on the outside of the car. Magnetic boxes in wheel wells and under bumpers are the first places a thief checks, and with a proximity fob, a hidden key can let anyone open the doors and drive away. Keep the spare at home or with someone you trust.
• Be careful with discount fobs from online marketplaces. A listing may match your remote's shape while using a different frequency, chip or FCC ID, and many used smart keys are locked to their original vehicle. If you already bought one, send us the listing or a photo before the visit so nobody pays for a programming attempt that can't work.
• If your vehicle has a proximity key, think about where it sleeps at night. A fob hanging by the front door can sit within range of relay equipment used to open and start cars from outside. A drawer deeper inside the house, a signal-blocking pouch, or the fob's own sleep mode reduces that risk considerably.

Proof of ownership

Making car keys is regulated work in California. Locksmiths are licensed and overseen by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services under the Locksmith Act, Business and Professions Code section 6980 and following, and Julian's Locksmith holds company license LCO7891. Verification protects you more than anyone: a locksmith who will make a key for whoever asks will also make one for someone who wants your car. We record your name, the vehicle and its VIN on a work order, and we politely decline jobs where ownership can't be established. You can look up our license at search.dca.ca.gov.

Need a 2018 Fiat 124 Spider key?

The quickest route to a working key for a 2018 Fiat 124 Spider starts with a short phone call. Dial (951) 903-3193, share the VIN and where the car is parked in Southern California, and we'll tell you whether it's an on-site job, a dealer job, or a mix of both. No pressure and no surprise charges, just a straight plan.