Mitsubishi Key Replacement

How Mitsubishi keys and immobilizers work

Mitsubishi's US key history splits into a handful of eras, and the model year usually tells us which one we're dealing with. Around 2000, the larger models got Texas Instruments transponders: the Diamante, Montero and Montero Sport on the MIT1 key, and the Eclipse and Galant on the MIT6 key, with the chip moving from 4D60 to 4D61 around the middle of 2001. Small cars such as the Mirage and the 2002-2007 Lancer generally kept plain cut keys, although the Lancer Evolution did not. Philips ID46 chips appeared on the redesigned 2004 Galant, remote-head keys followed in 2006, and the blade changed from the straight MIT6 to the shouldered MIT3 during the 2007 model year. The 2007 Outlander and 2008 Lancer introduced FAST-key, Mitsubishi's keyless operation system, which carried on through the Lancer Evolution X and the Outlander Sport. Later Mirage, Eclipse Cross and Outlander Sport smart keys are newer designs that need their own tool coverage, and the Nissan-based 2022-on Outlander uses an AES-encrypted fob. The Dodge Dakota-based Raider pickup follows Chrysler's Sentry Key rules instead.

Mitsubishi key programming

Most Mitsubishi transponder keys and FAST-key fobs are registered through the OBD-II port with a programmer that supplies the vehicle's security PIN, which professional tools can often retrieve and dealers release by VIN to verified owners. On many models the registration routine clears every stored key and relearns only the ones present, so bring all the keys you want to keep. Separate keyless remotes from the early 2000s can usually be paired on board with a jumper across pins 1 and 4 of the diagnostic connector, but remote-head keys and smart fobs from 2006 onward need a programmer. Used Mitsubishi remotes lock to the first car they learn, so a secondhand one has to be unlocked or renewed before it will pair, and some newer fobs can't be reused at all. The 2022-and-later Outlander and Outlander PHEV follow Nissan-style procedures that may need a gateway bypass or a dealer step. We check your ID and registration before any of this.

All Mitsubishi keys lost

If every key to your Mitsubishi is gone, the first job is a working blade. We decode the driver's door lock or cut from a key code the dealer releases by VIN with proof of ownership. Then the immobilizer PIN is obtained and new keys are registered at the car, at least two, which also drops the lost keys from memory. FAST-key and newer smart-key cars need a new fob plus its emergency insert, and remote-head keys need the blade cut and the buttons paired. Most turn-key and older FAST-key models are handled where they sit. Newer smart keys on some Mirage, Eclipse Cross and Outlander Sport builds, plus the 2022-and-later Outlander and Outlander PHEV, may need a dealer PIN or a dealer visit, and we tell you before you commit. Expect to show ID first.

Mitsubishi models we cover

• Outlander (2003–2026). Mitsubishi's compact-to-midsize crossover arrived in the US for 2003 and has run through four generations, skipping the 2021 model year before the Nissan-based fourth generation arrived as a 2022 model. Its keys trace the brand's whole history: a cut key and separate remote at first, remote-head keys and the first FAST-key fobs from 2007, push-button smart keys on upper trims from 2014, and a Nissan-style smart key on every trim from 2022. The plug-in hybrid has its own page, since its fobs differ.
• Outlander Sport (2011–2026). The Outlander Sport, a smaller crossover sold elsewhere as the ASX or RVR, arrived for 2011 and is still in the lineup, with a single US generation refreshed several times. Base trims start with a turn key, while upper trims got FAST-key. Supplier fitment for the FAST-key fobs shared with the Outlander and Lancer ends with the 2021 model year, and later cars use a newer smart key. That split matters more than the trim badge when you need a replacement, so the model year is the first thing we ask.
• Outlander PHEV (2018–2026). The plug-in hybrid Outlander reached US showrooms for 2018 and has run on two platforms: the third-generation Outlander body through 2022 and the Nissan-shared fourth generation from 2023. Every PHEV has push-button start and a smart key, so there is no turn-key version to fall back on. On the earlier model the fobs differ from the gasoline Outlander's by adding a charging-timer button, while the later model appears to share its fob with the gas truck. Bring every fob you have when we program a new one.
• Eclipse Cross (2018–2026). The Eclipse Cross is a compact crossover that went on sale for 2018, skipped the 2021 model year in the US, and returned for 2022 with a facelift that it still wears. The entry ES trim starts with a turn key, while better-equipped trims use a smart key and push-button start. Its smart key is a newer design than the FAST-key fobs of the Lancer era, so older Mitsubishi fobs will not substitute, and the PIN steps matter most when every key has been lost.
• Mirage (2000–2024). The Mirage name covers two very different cars in the US. The fifth-generation coupe and sedan ran through 2002 with plain cut keys. After a long gap, the Mirage returned for 2014 as a subcompact hatchback, skipped the 2016 model year, and was facelifted for 2017 before US sales ended with the 2024 models. The later car comes with either a remote-head turn key or a FAST-key smart key depending on trim, and its smart key changed partway through 2014 production.
• Mirage G4 (2017–2024). The Mirage G4 is the four-door sedan version of the sixth-generation Mirage, sold in the US from 2017 through 2024. It shares its remote-head turn key with the hatchback, and its smart key adds a trunk button. Upper trims got FAST-key with push-button start. Because the sedan arrived after the hatchback's 2014 fob change, that early-2014 mix-up never applies to it, but its smart key was updated during the production run.
• Lancer (2002–2017). The Lancer replaced the Mirage sedan for 2002 and ran through 2017 across two generations, including the Ralliart and the Sportback wagon and hatchback versions. Early cars generally used plain cut keys with a separate remote. The 2008 redesign brought a remote-head key with a Philips ID46 chip on most trims, and FAST-key with a twist ignition knob on better-equipped cars. The high-performance Lancer Evolution has its own page, because its keys and trims differ.
• Lancer Evolution (2003–2015). The Lancer Evolution was the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive version of the Lancer, sold in the US as the Evolution VIII and IX from 2003 to 2006 and as the Evolution X from 2008 to 2015, with no 2007 US model. Unlike the regular early Lancer, the VIII and IX used a Texas 4D61 chip key. The Evolution X shared the regular Lancer's key hardware: a remote-head key or a FAST-key fob, depending on trim and options.
• Eclipse (2000–2012). The Eclipse sport coupe and its Spyder convertible ran through two generations in this period: the third generation from 2000 to 2005 and the fourth from 2006 to 2012, with no Spyder for 2006. The earlier car used a Texas chip key on the MIT6 blade with a separate remote. The later car moved to a remote-head key with a Philips ID46 chip, and its blade changed from a straight MIT6 to a shouldered MIT3 during 2007 production. No Eclipse had a smart key.
• Galant (2000–2012). The Galant was Mitsubishi's midsize sedan, sold in the US as the eighth generation through 2003 and the ninth generation from 2004 until its final 2012 model year. Keys moved from Texas 4D60 and 4D61 chips on the MIT6 blade, to a Philips ID46 key with a separate remote for 2004 and 2005, and then to remote-head keys whose blade changed from the straight MIT6 to shouldered MIT3 during 2007.
• Endeavor (2004–2011). The Endeavor was a midsize SUV built in Normal, Illinois, and sold for the 2004 through 2011 model years. Its keys changed twice: a transponder key with a separate remote for 2004 and 2005, a remote-head key on the straight MIT6 blade for 2006 and early 2007, and a remote-head key on the shouldered MIT3 blade after that. Supplier references list a Texas 4D61 chip for 2004 and Philips ID46 from 2006, so we read the chip on 2005 trucks before cutting.
• Diamante (2000–2005). The Diamante was Mitsubishi's flagship V6 sedan, sold in its second generation in the US through the 2005 model year by EPA listings. It uses a transponder key on the MIT1 blade, the same profile as the Montero and Montero Sport, with a Texas 4D60 chip on 2000 cars and a 4D61 chip from 2001. Keyless entry came as a separate four-button remote with trunk release. On cars this old, worn keys are common, so cutting to the factory code gives the cleanest result.
• Montero (2000–2006). The full-size Montero was Mitsubishi's flagship SUV in the US through 2006. The 2000 model was the last year of the second generation, which can carry either a plain metal key or a Texas 4D60 transponder key, while the 2001-2006 third generation brought a Texas 4D61 transponder key on the MIT1 blade. Both generations used the same separate three-button keyless remote. On a truck this old, a copy of a worn key often turns poorly, so we prefer cutting to the factory code.
• Montero Sport (2000–2004). The Montero Sport was the midsize, truck-based SUV below the Montero, sold in the US through the 2004 model year. In this period it used a transponder key on the MIT1 blade, with a Texas 4D60 chip on 2000 trucks and a 4D61 chip afterward, plus a separate keyless remote. The Outlander, which arrived for 2003, effectively took over its place in the lineup once it was gone.
• Raider (2006–2010). The Raider was a midsize pickup that Chrysler built on the Dodge Dakota platform and sold for the 2006 through 2009 model years, with EPA also listing a handful of 2010 trucks, though production ended in mid-2009. Its keys are Chrysler parts rather than Mitsubishi ones: a Sentry Key transponder with a Philips ID46 chip, often as a remote-head key. Programming follows Chrysler's PIN procedure, and supplier listings show a Dakota-style remote-head key fitting the Raider.
• i-MiEV (2012–2017). The i-MiEV was Mitsubishi's small battery-electric hatchback, sold in the US for the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 model years, with no 2015 model. Despite being an EV, it starts with a conventional turn key, with keyless entry from a separate remote on early cars and from buttons in the key head on later ones. Mitsubishi confirmed in 2017 that it had ended US sales, so most cars on the road now are well out of warranty.

Common Mitsubishi key problems

• Remote-head keys on the 2006-2007 Eclipse, Galant and Endeavor came with either a straight MIT6 blade or a shouldered MIT3 blade depending on build date. Check which one your old key has before ordering, because the two are not interchangeable.
• Mitsubishi remotes and smart fobs lock to the first vehicle they're programmed to. A used one from a salvage yard or online seller has to be unlocked or reflashed before it will pair, and some newer fobs cannot be reused at all.
• Remote-head keys and smart fobs take different coin cells: the remote-head keys use a thin CR1620, while FAST-key and smart fobs use a CR2032. A cell of the wrong thickness may not make good contact, so read the old battery before buying.
• Key registration on many Mitsubishis wipes every stored key and relearns only the ones present. A spare left at home during the appointment stops working afterward, so gather every key you want to keep before we start.
• The 2007 Outlander used a one-year FAST-key fob, FCC ID OUCG8D-640M-KEY-N, that differs from the OUC644M-KEY-N fob used from 2008 on. Ordering by model name alone often brings the wrong part.
• Mirage hatchbacks built before about March 2014 use the same FAST-key fob as the Outlander, while later Mirage fobs are a different design. The build date on the driver's door-jamb label settles which one you need.
• Inland Empire heat drains fob batteries faster than the calendar suggests. On FAST-key cars, a key warning on the dash or a fob that only works up close usually means a weak CR2032, an easy fix before it strands you.
• Eclipse and Galant models built in 2000 and early 2001 use a Texas 4D60 key, while later 2001 cars use 4D61. A key stamped R on the blade is the early type and one stamped N is the later type, and the wrong chip will turn the locks but not start the engine.

Dealer or mobile locksmith?

The biggest difference between a dealership and a mobile locksmith is where the work happens. A dealer programs keys in its service bay, so if every key is lost, the car usually has to be towed there, and you work around the service department's schedule and the time it takes to order a key by VIN. Julian's Locksmith brings the cutting machine, key blanks and programming equipment to the car, whether it sits in your driveway, a workplace lot or a parking structure. For a Mitsubishi car we can program on-site, that means no tow and no shuttle rides back and forth. The trade-off is real, though: on vehicles where only the dealer can program keys, a tow or appointment may still be necessary, and we'll say so before you spend anything on our visit.

How the job works

1. Identify the exact key your car 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 Mitsubishi car 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 Mitsubishi 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. With the blade done, we connect to the OBD-II port and register the new key with the immobilizer. Depending on the Mitsubishi system, this may involve a security PIN, a timed waiting period, or on-board button sequences for the remote. On some vehicles we clone a working key's chip instead, when that's the more reliable path.
6. Test everything and clear out old keys. Before we leave, every function gets checked: doors, trunk or liftgate, panic button, remote range, engine start, and the emergency blade in the driver's door. If keys are missing, we delete them from the car's memory where the system allows, so a lost key can no longer start the engine.

Proof of ownership

Before we cut or program a key for any vehicle, we verify that you have the right to it. Please have two things ready: the current registration or the title, and a government-issued photo ID with a matching name. We also check that the VIN on those documents matches the VIN plate on the dashboard. If the registration is locked inside the car, that's fine; we open the vehicle first, check the paperwork in the glove box, and only then make the key. If something doesn't line up, we stop and sort it out before any key is made.