Gone are when you couldn't start your car's engine without a physical key. Modern vehicles today come with key fobs that are more useful than just starting your car and locking and unlocking its doors ...

Key fobs are a generally pretty mundane and overlooked piece of automotive paraphernalia. A few decades ago, drivers didn't have a way to remotely unlock their cars, and now it's taken for granted.

Dealerships have turned key fob programming into a quiet profit center, folding a few minutes of work into triple‑digit service bills. For many drivers, that fee is avoidable, because a surprising ...

And what you can actually do about it. Drop your phone, and your day’s ruined. Lose your car key, and your month might be. In 2025, replacing a modern key fob can cost more than buying a new iPhone.