Auto Key Services0
Bought a used car, lost your keys, or had your vehicle recovered after theft? We clear old keys from its memory and programme new ones.
Previous owners’ or lost keys are cleared from the vehicle’s memory entirely.
New keys are programmed and authorised once old ones are erased.
A sensible step after buying a used vehicle, so only your keys work.
We erase old keys from your vehicle’s memory and programme a fresh set, so only your keys have access.
Every key programmed to a vehicle has its own distinct code stored in the car’s memory, even keys that look identical to each other. If you have bought a used car, lost your original keys, or had your vehicle stolen and recovered, any previous key can, in theory, still open and start it unless it is deliberately erased.
Auto Key Services has the diagnostic equipment to erase old keys from a vehicle’s memory and programme a fresh set, so that only the keys you currently hold have access. We work with domestic and imported brands alike, across cars, trucks and motorcycles, whatever key type they currently use, old or new.
The most common reason to erase old keys is buying a used vehicle. You have no way of knowing how many keys the previous owner had cut, or where they ended up, so clearing the car’s memory and programming a fresh set is a sensible, affordable precaution rather than an unnecessary expense.
The same logic applies if you have lost every key you own, or if your vehicle was stolen and later recovered. In both cases, any key that could still access the car should be treated as a security risk until it is deliberately erased from memory.
Using specialist programming tools, we can disable specific old keys, or clear the vehicle’s memory entirely and re-establish it with only your current keys authorised. This is a fast, non-destructive procedure that does not require replacing any hardware, and in most cases it can be done at your home, office or roadside.
We work with the full range of key types, from older metal keys through to transponder and high-security keys, and across domestic and imported brands including Honda, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, Lexus, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, among many others sold and serviced in Kampala.
Occasionally a vehicle will refuse to start, or stop suddenly, because its immobiliser system has been triggered rather than because of a mechanical fault. If this happens, we can diagnose whether the issue is with the key, the immobiliser module or the wiring between them, and reset or reprogramme accordingly.
If you are unsure whether your vehicle needs an immobiliser reset, a full key erase, or something else entirely, call us and describe the situation. We would rather diagnose it properly over the phone than have you pay for the wrong service.
Calls are answered 24 hours a day. Tell us the make, model and year, and we will tell you what we can do and what it will cost.
We would recommend it. You cannot know how many keys exist for a used vehicle, so erasing old ones and programming fresh keys is a straightforward way to secure it.
No. It is a standard programming procedure using the vehicle’s diagnostic port, and does not affect the vehicle’s mechanical or electrical systems in any way, so there is nothing to worry about.
It is possible. We can diagnose whether the fault lies with the key, the immobiliser module or the wiring, and advise on the fix once we have taken a proper look.
Rebuilding or replacing worn ignition housings on stiff, jammed or key-breaking ignitions.
Diagnosing and repairing faulty ignitions, from a stuck key to a car that won’t crank.
Reprogramming immobiliser keys and resolving immobiliser faults, so you avoid replacing the whole engine control unit.
