Cutting Keys

Key Cutting Craftiness

By J & S in the Middle East

Our new (secondhand) car came with only one key so we made copies. But the copies didn’t work to start the car; they only opened the door because the original key had an electronic chip in it. Being our first ever ‘flash’ modern car, we were not used to this technology!

Our mechanic said if we could get him the card that came with the car’s instruction manual, he could make a cheaper copy for us than the dealership. However that card (like the spare key) had long ago been lost, so I simply took the car back to the dealership to get another key made. So I arrived at the dealership. First off, he redirected me to a different shop where they fix their cars. After having to ask someone on the street where that shop was because the directions weren’t clear, I finally found it! After talking with two different men, I found someone who was quite helpful but told me it would take four hours to program the new key.

However if I was in a hurry I could purchase the key from them, then drive to a supermarket down the road where they copy keys. Then it would only take an hour and a half as they would only need to program the chip inside the keys. Since I knew where the supermarket was, I decided to pursue that option. But after I arrived at the supermarket they told me  they had not made keys there in several years and to try yet another supermarket nearby. They also did not make keys. So I went back to the original garage and since it was getting time to pick up Sam from school, I suggested getting a copy of the key made at a shop right by our home, then returning the next morning early for them to program the chip. He said great.

But instead, our car overheated that afternoon, so we had to get that fixed. I called the man at the garage and made a replacement appointment for a few days later for me to return to get the chip programmed. Joel went instead of me, but no problem. Ok, so far so good.

After waiting an hour and a half, the man told Joel that the key which I had bought from them at that very shop just a few days before (NOT cheap), had a corrupted chip in it and it was not possible to program. It was also their last key, so we’d have to wait until they ordered and received more keys (he didn’t know how long that would be…two weeks inshallah) and come back and start all over again.

At least they did refund the money we paid them for the key. He said to Joel it was beyond his control. He said he’d call us…

This type of thing happens all. The. Time. Seemingly straight forward and simple jobs turn into long and complicated exercises in cross-cultural communication that test our patience and endurance! We have since rung the dealer again and they said, “No key yet – don’t ring us, we will ring you.” So it would be a really bad time to lose our one working car key!

J & S are involved with health care, ministry to the deaf and disabled in the Middle East.

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