Chrysler Key Replacement in Cerritos, CA

How Chrysler keys and immobilizers work

Chrysler began fitting its Sentry Key Immobilizer System (SKIS) in the late 1990s, and by the 2001 model year most Chryslers in our range used it. The first wave of keys carried a Texas Instruments 4D64 chip in a head cut for the Y159-family keyway, sold as the Ilco Y160-PT blank. From about 2004 the chip changed to a Philips ID46, and most cars paired it with a remote-head key that put the transponder and the keyless entry buttons in one piece. For 2008 the 300 and Town & Country moved to the fobik, a blade-less remote that turns inside a wireless ignition node (WIN), with a proximity version for push-button start. The 2011 redesign of the 300 added a proximity smart key, and the Pacifica minivan, the 2015–2017 200 and the 2019–2023 300 use fobs with Hitag AES encryption. Vehicles from 2018 on also carry a secure gateway module that limits what aftermarket tools can write. Two models break the pattern: the Mitsubishi-built Sebring coupe uses a 4D61 chip and a Mitsubishi blade, and the Mercedes-based Crossfire uses an HU64 flip key with Mercedes immobilizer electronics.

Chrysler key programming

Most Chrysler key work runs through the OBD-II port and a 4-digit security PIN tied to the vehicle. Current programmers can read that PIN from the immobilizer on many older models; on others it comes from the dealer by VIN, which requires proof of ownership. Many cars through about 2010 also have an owner-level key-learn routine, but it needs two working keys already in hand, so it is no help once you are down to one or none. A remote-head key can need the chip and the buttons learned in separate steps, so a key that starts the engine may still need its remote side set up. Most 2011 and newer remotes need a programming tool. On 2018 and newer vehicles, the secure gateway module adds a bypass cable or authenticated login to every job. Before we cut or program anything we verify your ID and ownership, and we quote the whole job, including key, cutting and programming, before starting.

All Chrysler keys lost

Losing every key is usually recoverable on a Chrysler without towing it to a dealer. For bladed keys, we decode a door lock or cut by code from the VIN record after confirming you own the vehicle, then program a new transponder or remote-head key through the OBD-II port. Fobik-equipped vans and sedans need no ignition cut, so that work is mostly electronic plus a new emergency insert for the door. The harder cases are the AES-encrypted smart keys on the Pacifica, Voyager, 2015–2017 200 and 2019–2023 300, where some vehicles need the radio frequency hub handled directly or a dealer visit, and the Crossfire, whose Mercedes-derived keys are normally ordered pre-coded. We tell you which case applies before we drive out.

Chrysler models we cover

• 200 (2011–2017). The Chrysler 200 replaced the Sebring for 2011 and lasted through the 2017 model year in two very different forms. The first 200 (2011–2014) was a heavily reworked Sebring sedan and convertible that kept a conventional turn key with the remote built into the head. The second 200 (2015–2017) moved to a new platform with push-button start and a smart fob, which changes how replacement keys are made and programmed. Knowing which half of the run your car belongs to tells us most of what we need about its key.
• 300 (2005–2023). The Chrysler 300 returned for 2005 on the rear-drive LX platform and ran through the 2023 model year, with a major redesign (LD) for 2011. Over those years the key went from a remote-head transponder key, to the twist-in fobik of 2008–2010, to a proximity smart key from 2011 on, and the smart key's chip changed again for 2019. The 300C, SRT8 and later SRT versions follow the same key pattern as other 300s of their year, which is why we always ask for the exact model year first.
• 300M (2000–2004). The 300M was Chrysler's sport-luxury LH sedan for the 1999–2004 model years, built in Brampton, Ontario, alongside the Concorde and Dodge Intrepid. Its ignition uses Chrysler's Sentry Key system, which reads a Texas Instruments 4D64 chip in the key head, and most cars also have a separate keyless entry fob. Keys and remotes are shared widely with the Concorde and LHS, so parts remain easy to find even though the car has been out of production for two decades.
• Aspen (2007–2009). The Aspen was Chrysler's only body-on-frame SUV, a three-row model built alongside the Dodge Durango for the 2007–2009 model years, with a two-mode hybrid version added for 2009. It uses a remote-head turn key with a Philips ID46 transponder rather than the fobik that Chrysler's cars and minivans adopted in 2008. That keeps Aspen keys simpler to replace than many newer Chrysler models, and the parts overlap heavily with the Durango and Dakota of the same period.
• Cirrus (2000–2000). The Cirrus was Chrysler's midsize sedan from 1995 through the 2000 model year, built in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and replaced by the Sebring sedan for 2001. Only the 2000 model year falls in our coverage. By then the Cirrus is listed with Chrysler's Sentry Key immobilizer and a 4D64 chip in the key head, so a working copy needs both a correctly cut blade and electronic programming, not just a hardware-store duplicate.
• Concorde (2000–2004). The second-generation Concorde (1998–2004) was Chrysler's full-size front-drive sedan on the LH platform, sharing its body structure with the 300M, LHS and Dodge Intrepid. Across our 2000–2004 coverage, every car uses a turn key with Chrysler's 4D64 Sentry Key chip, and most have a separate keyless entry fob. Keys, transponders and remotes cross over with those sister cars, which keeps replacements simple to source.
• Crossfire (2004–2008). The Crossfire was a two-seat coupe (2004–2008) and roadster (2005–2008) built for Chrysler by Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany, on the Mercedes-Benz R170 SLK platform. That heritage carries through to the key: it is a Mercedes-style flip key with an HU64 blade and Mercedes-derived immobilizer electronics, not a Chrysler Sentry Key. Replacement keys follow a Mercedes process rather than the usual Chrysler PIN routine, which limits what any mobile locksmith can do on site.
• LHS (2000–2001). The second-generation LHS (1999–2001) was Chrysler's long-wheelbase luxury sedan on the LH platform, a close relative of the 300M with a more formal roofline and a softer ride. Our coverage includes the 2000 and 2001 model years. Both use Chrysler's Sentry Key immobilizer with a 4D64 chip and a separate keyless entry fob, and the keys are the same type used across the 300M and Concorde, so parts are still common.
• Pacifica (2004–2026). Chrysler has used the Pacifica name twice. The first was a three-row crossover sold for the 2004–2008 model years with a four-button remote-head key. The name returned for 2017 on the minivan that replaced the Town & Country, offered in gasoline and plug-in hybrid versions and refreshed for 2021 with available all-wheel drive. The two share nothing in their key systems, so we treat a 2006 Pacifica and a 2022 Pacifica as entirely different jobs.
• Prowler (2001–2002). Plymouth's retro hot rod became the Chrysler Prowler for its final 2001 and 2002 model years after the Plymouth brand was retired, and the last car was built on February 15, 2002. Its aluminum-intensive body and small production run make it a collector car today, so owners tend to want a careful, by-the-book key job. Keyless entry used a separate Chrysler fob, and the ignition key uses a Chrysler-profile blade.
• PT Cruiser (2001–2010). The PT Cruiser was sold for the 2001–2010 model years as a tall-roof wagon, with a two-door convertible added for 2005–2008. It stayed on one platform the whole time, but the key changed partway through: early cars use a 4D64 Sentry Key with a separate fob, while 2006 and later cars moved to a remote-head key, and supplier listings show the chip switching to ID46. Matching the year to the right key avoids a wasted trip and a wasted blank.
• Sebring (2000–2010). The Sebring name covered Chrysler's midsize convertible from 1996 and its midsize sedan from 2001, through the 2010 model year when the 200 took over. This page covers the sedan and convertible; the Mitsubishi-built Sebring coupe has its own page because its keys are completely different. Within the sedan and convertible run, the key moved from a 4D64 transponder key with a separate fob to an ID46 remote-head key with the 2007 redesign.
• Sebring Coupe (2000–2005). The Sebring coupe shared only its name with the Sebring sedan and convertible. Both generations in our range were built by Mitsubishi in Normal, Illinois: the 2000 car on the platform shared with the Dodge Avenger, and the 2001–2005 car alongside the Dodge Stratus coupe. Its keys follow Mitsubishi patterns too, with a Mitsubishi-profile blade and, from 2001, a Texas Instruments 4D61 transponder instead of Chrysler's 4D64.
• Town & Country (2000–2016). The Town & Country was Chrysler's minivan through the 2016 model year, when the Pacifica minivan replaced it. Our 2000–2016 coverage spans three generations and four distinct key systems: a plain cut key on the 2000 vans, a 4D64 Sentry Key on early fourth-generation vans, an ID46 remote-head key from 2004, and the twist-in fobik that arrived with the 2008 redesign. Both the year and the number of buttons on your fob matter when ordering parts.
• Voyager (2000–2026). The Voyager name has had two lives at Chrysler. It arrived for 2000 as a Chrysler-badged twin of the Plymouth Voyager and carried on alone through 2003 as a lower-priced minivan, with a long-wheelbase Grand Voyager listed for 2000 only. The name returned for 2020 as a value-oriented version of the Pacifica minivan, sold to fleets only for 2022–2024 and back at retail for 2025 and 2026. Keys differ completely between the two eras, so the model year decides everything.

Common Chrysler key problems

• Worn Y159 ignition keys on older minivans, PT Cruisers and LH sedans can stop turning smoothly or bind in the cylinder. Copying a worn key copies the wear, so we cut replacements to the original code rather than tracing the old blade.
• On 2008–2016 Town & Country vans and 2008–2010 300s, a fobik that will not turn or is not recognized may be a worn fob or a failing wireless ignition node. We test with a known-good fob before anyone replaces parts.
• Remote-head keys from the 2004–2014 era often crack where the blade meets the plastic head. A new shell can save the electronics, but the transponder chip has to move with them or the car will not stay running.
• A remote that only works from a few feet away usually needs a fresh battery. Fobs from 1999–2006 use CR2016 coin cells, while most later remote-head keys, fobiks and smart keys take a single CR2032. Inland summer heat is hard on these cells, so the battery is the first check.
• Remotes bought online for 2004 and later Chryslers still have to be paired to the car. Some cars through about 2010 can learn one at home if you hold two working keys; otherwise it takes a programming tool, and used fobs must be unlocked first.
• On 2018 and newer Chryslers, the secure gateway module blocks many aftermarket scan tools. Key programming still works with a bypass cable or authenticated access, which is why a shop without that setup may tell you only the dealer can help.
• The 2018 and 2019 Chrysler 300 smart keys look identical but carry different transponder chips and different FCC IDs, M3N-40821302 versus M3M-40821302. Ordering by appearance alone leads to a fob that will not program, so match the model year and part number.
• Sebring orders get mixed up often: the sedan and convertible use Chrysler keys and fobs, while the 2001–2005 Sebring coupe uses Mitsubishi-based keys and remotes that fit none of the other Sebrings.

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 Chrysler 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. We ask a few quick questions on the phone: the year, whether the car starts with a turn key or a button, how many keys you have left, and whether the remote still works the doors. Then we check the VIN against our programming references so the van arrives with the correct blank or fob, not a close guess.
2. Verify ownership before any work. Before cutting or programming, we compare your government photo ID with the vehicle registration or title and check that the VIN on the paperwork matches the VIN on the dash. If the registration is locked inside, we open the car first, confirm the documents, and only then make the key.
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 Chrysler 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. Cutting happens right beside your car. For a smart key, that means the emergency blade hidden inside the fob; for a transponder or remote-head key, it's the main blade you'll use every day. We deburr the cuts and check the fit in each lock so nothing binds or sticks later on.
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 car, 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.

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.

Chrysler keys in Cerritos

Cerritos is about 65 miles from our San Bernardino base, roughly 66 minutes in light traffic via I-215 South through Colton and Riverside to SR-91 West. When you call, you get an arrival estimate based on where the technician is and the traffic at that moment. Traffic matters more than mileage. We check conditions on Bloomfield Avenue and its connecting routes before quoting you a time, and we don't pretend a long drive through heavy congestion is a short one.

Not open around the clock, and we say so plainly. What we do offer is a long day: from 6:30 in the morning until 11:30 at night on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Fridays and Saturdays get the same long day. That schedule covers the hours when people are usually heading out to work or getting back home.