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Crenshaw Lock

Transponder Key Programming in Chatsworth · 24/7 mobile

Transponder Key Programming in Chatsworth, CA

Crenshaw Lock Company provides mobile transponder key programming in Chatsworth, California, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We come to your vehicle and program chip keys to its immobilizer so it will start. Call (323) 997-8867 to talk through your make, model, and situation.

  • Mobile to your Chatsworth location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
Call (323) 997-8867or tap to call — we answer 24/7
Car key being programmed with a handheld programmer inside a car
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A modern car key is more than a cut piece of metal. Inside the plastic head is a small transponder chip that talks to the vehicle's immobilizer. If the car does not recognize that chip, the engine will not run, even when the blade turns the ignition perfectly. That is why a duplicate from a hardware counter often fails to start the car, and why a lost key can leave you stuck. Transponder key programming is the step that teaches the vehicle to accept a key.

Chatsworth is spread out, and a lot of daily life here happens in the car. People commute out Topanga Canyon Blvd or the Ronald Reagan Fwy (SR-118), drive truck and work vehicles to the industrial district, and haul trailers to horse properties near Santa Susana Pass. When a key stops working or disappears, being towed to a dealer across the Valley is a real hassle. We are fully mobile, so we bring the work to you. There is no storefront to visit.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, led by owner and lead tech David Shar. Whether you need a spare before a key goes missing or you have lost every key to the car, we will explain what your vehicle needs, what the job involves, and what affects the cost before work begins.

How it works in Chatsworth

  1. 1

    You call and describe the vehicle

    Call (323) 997-8867 any hour. Tell us the make, model, and year, where the car is parked, and how many working keys you have, if any. Those details tell us what kind of key and programming path your vehicle uses.

  2. 2

    We come to the car

    Because we are mobile, we meet you wherever the vehicle is: a driveway off Devonshire St, a lot in the business district, a barn yard, or a roadside pullout. No towing is needed in most cases.

  3. 3

    Confirm ownership and identify the key

    Before programming a key, we verify that you are the rightful owner of the vehicle. We then identify the correct chip and key type for the car, so the key we use is compatible.

  4. 4

    Cut and prepare the key

    If the key needs a blade, we cut it to match the vehicle's locks. Where the car allows, we can generate a key even when no working key remains, which is the situation known as all keys lost.

  5. 5

    Program the transponder to the immobilizer

    We connect programming equipment to the vehicle and register the new key so the immobilizer recognizes it. Depending on the vehicle, this may also involve adding or clearing keys in the car's memory.

  6. 6

    Test everything before we leave

    We confirm that the key turns the door and ignition, starts the engine, and that any remote functions work. We then go over how many keys are now programmed and recommend a spare if you only have one.

Need transponder key programming in Chatsworth?

24/7 Mobile Locksmith across Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County. We answer 24/7.

Call (323) 997-8867

What affects the price

  • Make, model, and year of the vehicle, since some brands use more involved immobilizer systems than others.
  • Whether you have a working key to copy or all keys are lost, which changes the amount of work required.
  • The type of key: a basic chip key, a flip key, or a proximity smart key with push-button start.
  • How many keys you want programmed in a single visit.
  • Whether the key blade also needs to be cut or a remote needs pairing.
  • Time of day and the vehicle's location, since we serve 24/7 and travel to you.

Why Chatsworth chooses us

  • Fully mobile service. We come to your vehicle instead of asking you to tow it anywhere.
  • Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which matters when a lost key strands you late at night.
  • In business since 1987, with David Shar as owner and lead technician.
  • We explain what drives the price before work starts, so you are not surprised afterward.
  • We verify vehicle ownership before programming, which protects you and your car.
  • We cover the full job: key identification, cutting, programming, and testing in one visit where the vehicle allows.

Transponder Key Programming across Chatsworth

Chatsworth sits in the northwest corner of the San Fernando Valley, backed up against the Santa Susana Mountains, and the way people use vehicles here is varied. In the Indian Hills and Santa Susana Pass area, residents often park on sloped driveways or rural-feeling lots, and trucks and trailers are common. If a key goes missing on a trail outing near Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park or at Stoney Point Park, we can come to the car rather than have you arrange a tow.

The Chatsworth industrial and business district around Canoga Ave, Prairie St, and Lassen St has a different need. Work vans, service trucks, and fleet vehicles depend on every key being accounted for. A driver who loses a chip key mid-shift, or a business that wants a spare programmed for a company vehicle, can have us meet the vehicle on site. Commuters who leave a car at the Chatsworth Metrolink/Amtrak station and return to find a key problem are another scenario we handle, whether in ZIP 91311 or 91313.

In the equestrian horsekeeping district, vehicles often live on gated properties with long driveways, and a dead key fob can be a bigger problem when the nearest dealer is a long drive away. We travel along Devonshire St, Nordhoff St, Topanga Canyon Blvd, and Santa Susana Pass Rd to reach you. Call (323) 997-8867 and tell us where the car is parked.

Locked out or need a locksmith now?

24/7 Mobile Locksmith across Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County. We answer 24/7.

Call (323) 997-8867

Other Chatsworth locksmith services

See all of our Chatsworth services, or our citywide transponder key programming page.

Transponder Key Programming in Chatsworth — FAQs

What is transponder key programming?
It is the process of registering a key's embedded chip with your vehicle's immobilizer so the engine will start. Without that match, the car will usually turn over briefly or not at all, even if the key physically fits.
Can you program a key if I lost all my keys in Chatsworth?
In many cases, yes. Whether it is possible depends on the make, model, and year. Call (323) 997-8867 with your vehicle details and we will tell you what to expect.
Do I need to tow my car to you?
Usually not. We are fully mobile and come to the vehicle, whether it is at home, at work, or elsewhere in Chatsworth. We do not have a storefront for you to visit.
Are you available at night or on weekends?
Yes. We serve 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are stranded after dark, call (323) 997-8867.
Why did my copied key turn in the lock but not start the car?
The blade can be cut correctly while the chip inside has not been programmed to your vehicle. The door may open, but the immobilizer will not recognize the key until it is programmed.
What affects the cost of programming a transponder key?
The main factors are the vehicle make and year, the key type, whether you have a working key, how many keys you need, and whether cutting or remote pairing is also involved. We go over these with you before starting.
Do you need proof that the car is mine?
Yes. We verify ownership before programming a key to a vehicle. This protects you from someone else gaining access to your car.
Should I get a spare key programmed now?
If you only have one key, a spare is a smart idea. Adding a key while you still have a working one is generally simpler than starting from all keys lost. Call (323) 997-8867 to set it up.
DS

Reviewed by David Shar — Owner & Lead Technician

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County since 1987.

Last updated 2026-10-12.

Call (323) 997-8867 · Open 24/7