Why Dropping Your Car Key Can Break It

Dropping your car key can crack the plastic case, loosen the battery, or damage the electronics and chip inside. Modern keys are small computers, and hard floors are not kind to them.

It is not just a chunk of metal anymore

Most vehicles from 2000 and newer use a key fob or a transponder (chip) key. Inside that little case there is a circuit board, a battery, buttons and a tiny chip that talks to your car. When you drop it on concrete, tile or pavement, all of that takes the hit at once.

Sometimes the key survives a fall just fine. Other times one bad drop is all it takes. The damage is not always obvious from the outside, which is why a key can start acting up after a fall even when it looks okay.

What can go wrong after a drop

Here is what I tend to see after a key meets a hard floor:

• A cracked or split case that no longer holds together properly
• The battery knocked loose, so the fob works intermittently or not at all
• Buttons that stick, feel mushy or stop responding
• Internal solder or the chip damaged, so the car no longer recognizes the key
• A bent metal blade or emergency key that sticks in the lock

Cold weather makes it worse

In a Winnipeg winter, plastic gets brittle. A key that might have bounced in July can crack on a frozen driveway in January. Cold hands and thick gloves also mean we drop things more often, so winter is prime time for fob trouble.

What to do right after you drop it

Do not panic if your key hits the ground. A few quick checks can tell you a lot:

• Look the case over for cracks or gaps along the seam
• Open it up and make sure the battery is seated and the contacts are clean
• Try every button and see if the car responds normally
• Test the metal emergency blade if your key has one
• If anything feels off, stop relying on it as your only key

If the key stops working

If a drop has left your key cracked, dead or unreliable, you do not have to wait for it to fail in a parking lot. I am a mobile auto locksmith, so I come to you anywhere in Winnipeg and the surrounding area, including Selkirk, Lockport, West St. Paul and Stony Mountain. A spare or duplicate key starts from $160, and a full lost car key replacement starts from $200, depending on the vehicle. Those are Winnipeg prices; for towns outside the city a distance-based travel fee is folded into the all-in number you hear before I set out.

Key fob, remote and transponder work starts from $160, taxes in. Tell me your year, make and model and I will confirm what you need up front. I work on most makes and models, older cars included, I am open 8 AM to 9 PM seven days a week, and you only pay once the new key works.

Frequently asked questions

Can one drop really ruin a key fob?

It can. Inside the case is a battery, buttons, a circuit board and a chip, and a hard fall can crack the case, loosen the battery or damage the electronics. Many keys survive a drop, but sometimes one bad fall is enough.

My key still works after dropping it. Should I worry?

Check it over for cracks, a loose battery and sticky buttons, and test everything. If it all works, you are probably fine, but if the case is cracked it is worth sorting out before it fails completely.

Can you fix or replace a key that broke from a drop?

Yes. I come to you anywhere in Winnipeg and the surrounding area. Tell me your year, make and model and I will confirm the right key and a price up front. A chip key or a fob starts from $160.

Related

• Car key broke off in the lock
• Can a heavy keychain damage your key?
• Signs your car key is failing
• Dropped your fob in the lake?
• Lost car key replacement in Winnipeg
• Spare & duplicate car keys in Winnipeg
• Car lockout service in Winnipeg
• Key fob & remote programming in Winnipeg
• See my up-front pricing
• Transponder (chip) keys
• More articles on the Gaucho Keys blog