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Crenshaw Lock

Transponder Key Programming in San Marino · 24/7 mobile

Transponder Key Programming in San Marino, California

Crenshaw Lock Company provides mobile transponder key programming in San Marino, California, 24/7. We come to your home, work or parking spot and program chip keys to your vehicle's immobilizer, including replacements after a lost key. Call (323) 997-8867 to talk with a technician.

  • Mobile to your San Marino 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 cut metal. Inside the plastic head sits a small transponder chip that exchanges a coded signal with the vehicle's immobilizer. If the code does not match, the engine will not start, even when the blade turns the ignition. That is why a copy from a hardware store often opens the door but never starts the car, and why programming matters as much as cutting.

In San Marino, vehicles tend to be well kept and often late-model, and many households run several cars at once, parked in long driveways behind gates and hedges. When a key is lost, a spare never existed, or a fob stops working, the last thing anyone wants is a tow to a dealership across the San Gabriel Valley. We are fully mobile, so the work comes to you. There is no storefront to visit.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, led by owner David Shar. We are available around the clock, and we explain what your vehicle needs before any work begins, so you know what is being done and why.

How it works in San Marino

  1. 1

    Call and describe the vehicle

    Call (323) 997-8867 and tell us the make, model and year, and whether you still have any working key. This tells us whether you need a simple added spare or a full all-keys-lost situation, which are handled differently.

  2. 2

    We come to your location

    Because we are mobile, we meet you wherever the car is, whether that is a home driveway off Huntington Drive, a street near Lacy Park or a lot near the Crowell Public Library. We will ask for proof of ownership and identification before we begin.

  3. 3

    Confirm the correct key and chip

    Different vehicles use different chip types and key styles. We verify what your car requires and confirm the key blank is compatible, so we are not guessing at the driveway.

  4. 4

    Cut the key if needed

    If the key has a physical blade, we cut it to match your lock. For lost-key situations, we can generate a cut from the vehicle itself, without needing an original in hand.

  5. 5

    Program to the immobilizer

    We pair the new transponder with your vehicle's immobilizer using professional programming equipment. Depending on the vehicle, existing keys may need to be re-registered during the process.

  6. 6

    Test everything before we leave

    We test the door lock, ignition and any remote functions with you present, and make sure every key you intend to use starts the car. You leave knowing it all works.

Need transponder key programming in San Marino?

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 manufacturers use more involved immobilizer systems than others.
  • Whether you have a working key to copy or all keys are lost, which changes the programming steps required.
  • Type of key: a basic transponder key, a remote head key or a smart proximity key each involve different hardware and effort.
  • How many keys you need programmed in the same visit.
  • Whether the key also needs to be cut or the ignition or lock has a problem that must be addressed.
  • Time of day and location, since we serve customers 24/7 and travel to you.

Why San Marino chooses us

  • Fully mobile service, so your car never has to be towed to a shop to get a working key.
  • Operating since 1987 under owner and lead technician David Shar, with long experience across automotive and residential lock work.
  • Available 24/7, which matters when a key goes missing late at night or before an early commute.
  • We explain what your vehicle requires before starting, rather than surprising you partway through.
  • We also handle the home side of the story, such as rekeying and high-security cylinders, so a lost key set can be dealt with comprehensively.
  • We require proof of ownership for key programming, which protects you as the owner.

Transponder Key Programming across San Marino

San Marino is a quiet, almost entirely residential city, and many of its homes are large 1920s and 1930s period-revival estates on generous lots. Cars often sit in long driveways or behind gates, which makes mobile programming a natural fit. Whether you live in the Huntington Library district near The Huntington, in the Lacy Park neighborhood, or close to the Mission District along Huntington Drive, we can come to your door and do the work on the spot.

Our technicians travel the roads you use every day, including Huntington Drive, Sierra Madre Boulevard, San Gabriel Boulevard, Del Mar Avenue and Los Robles Avenue. If a key fails while you are at Lacy Park, visiting El Molino Viejo, or running errands in the Huntington Drive and Mission Street commercial area, call us and we will come to wherever the car is parked within ZIP code 91108.

A lost car key is often connected to a larger security question, especially when house keys travel on the same ring. Many San Marino owners have invested in high-security cylinders and quality hardware, and we can rekey exterior doors and gates at the same visit, re-pinning everything to a single key, while preserving original brass hardware on older homes.

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 San Marino locksmith services

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

Transponder Key Programming in San Marino — FAQs

What is a transponder key?
It is a car key with a small chip inside the head. The chip sends a coded signal to your vehicle's immobilizer, and the engine will start only if the code matches. Call (323) 997-8867 to ask whether your car uses one.
Can you program a key if I have lost all of mine?
In many cases, yes. All-keys-lost situations take more steps than adding a spare, but a mobile technician can usually handle them at your vehicle. Call (323) 997-8867 with your vehicle details.
Do I need to tow my car to you?
No. We are fully mobile and come to your home, workplace or parking spot in San Marino. We do not have a storefront to visit.
Is a spare key from a hardware store enough?
A hardware store copy may open the door, but without a programmed chip it often will not start the car. A programmed transponder key is needed for the immobilizer to recognize it.
Are you available at night and on weekends?
Yes, we operate 24/7. Call (323) 997-8867 any time and we will talk through your situation.
What do you need from me before programming a key?
We ask for identification and proof of ownership, such as registration, and details about the vehicle. This protects you as the owner and is a normal part of our process.
How is the price determined?
It depends on the vehicle, the type of key, whether you have a working key, and how many keys you need. We explain what applies to your car before starting.
Can you also rekey my house if my keys were lost together?
Yes. We can rekey exterior doors and gates, and upgrade cylinders where appropriate, including on older homes with original hardware that should be preserved.
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