Need a Chevy or GMC key in Memphis? Silverado, Malibu, Equinox
Spares and lost-key jobs for Chevy and GMC cars, trucks and SUVs, made at the car. Many 2021 and newer trucks and SUVs need the dealer, and we tell you which.
No surprises
Price first, by text, before we drive.
You never pay more unless you approve a new total by text. How it works.
We text or call you back with the all-in price, before anyone drives out.
- Mobile serviceAt your car, home or business.
- A local Memphis locksmithSent from our team.
- No-damage methods firstPicks and air wedges before any drill.
Which GM key does your vehicle have?
It depends on the year: VATS and Passlock keys on older models, chip and flip keys in the 2000s and 2010s, then push-to-start fobs.
Chevrolet and GMC share keys and security systems on matching models, so a Sierra and a Silverado of the same year are handled the same way.
- Late 1980s to early 2000s, some models: VATS keys with a small resistor pellet set into the blade. The key looks plain, but the car measures the pellet. The tech reads its value and picks a matching blank.
- 1990s to mid 2000s, many models: Passlock. The key has no chip; a sensor in the ignition watches the cylinder. Trouble shows up as a security light and an engine that starts and dies.
- Mid 2000s to mid 2010s: chip keys, many truck keys with a circle-plus mark on the head, and flip keys on models such as the Cruze and Equinox.
- Mid 2010s on: push-to-start smart keys spread across cars, SUVs and upper truck trims.
- About 2021 on, many trucks and SUVs: GM's newer electrical system, covered below.
Can you program a key for a 2021 or newer GM truck?
Not for now. Many 2021 and newer GM trucks and SUVs need GM online programming tied to a dealer-level account.
That covers many full-size SUVs, such as the Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon, and the newest Silverado and Sierra pickups, which use GM's newer vehicle electronics.
If you still have one working key, you may be able to drive in and have the dealer add a spare. If none works, ask the dealer for an all-in quote including the tow.
What keys do the Silverado, Malibu and Equinox use?
Chip keys, remote-head keys, flip keys or push-to-start fobs, depending on the year. The newest Silverados fall under the GM online rule.
Silverado and Sierra
Trucks from the mid 2000s to the late 2010s are mostly chip keys or remote-head keys, done at the truck. The newest generation falls under the GM online programming rule above, so check the VIN with us first.
Malibu
Older Malibus use a chip key, often with a separate remote. Newer ones moved to push-to-start, priced as a smart key.
Equinox
Earlier Equinox models carry a flip key. Many later trims use a push-to-start fob. Both are programmed at the car on most years.
What we do on GM vehicles at the car
Most GM keys built before the newer electrical system, including all keys lost.
- Plain, VATS and Passlock-era keys, with any relearn done on site
- Chip keys and flip keys for most 2000s and 2010s models
- Push-to-start fobs for most models built before the newer system
- All keys lost on most of the above
What is a Passlock relearn?
A timed reset: the key sits in the on position while the car counts down security waits, sometimes several in a row. It often fixes a Passlock or older GM car that lost track of its key.
It takes patience more than parts, and the tech does it at the car.
If the sensor in the cylinder has failed, the cylinder or sensor is replaced and priced as ignition repair.
Send us the VIN and we tell you which GM key your vehicle takes, and its all-in price.
Questions people ask
My dash says Service Theft Deterrent System. Is it the key?
Sometimes. Try the spare key first. If both fail, it may be the key reader in the column or a relearn, and the tech can test both at the car.
Can I add a GM key myself?
Some 2000s and early 2010s GM vehicles let you add a key when you already have a working one, and the owner's manual lists the steps. With no working key, it needs a programming tool.
Do GM trucks need the dealer?
Older ones do not. Many 2021 and newer GM trucks and SUVs, such as a newer Tahoe, Yukon or Silverado, need GM online programming, so for now those go to the dealer. Send us the VIN and we confirm before you call a tow.
How much is a Silverado key?
For trucks we program at the car, a spare chip key costs least, a remote-head key more, and a push-to-start fob the most. Newer trucks under the GM online rule go to the dealer. The VIN settles which applies.
Can you program a Chevy fob at my house?
Yes. The tech programs it in your driveway or wherever the car is parked, on most models built before the newer GM system.
Is a GMC key different from a Chevy key?
On matching models, such as Sierra and Silverado or Yukon and Tahoe, they use the same keys and the same programming.
Send us your details
Tell us what happened and we'll text or call you back with the all-in price. Got a photo of the lock, key or VIN sticker? Reply to our text with it.