2000 Nissan Maxima key

[Mike Tempel]

Anybody know if I need to go to a dealership to get a new key made for a 2000 Nissan Maxima or can I get one from a locksmith? I had heard in the past that you could only get one from the dealer but that is also what the Honda dealership told me when I bought my motorcycle last year only to find out later that I could get one made at WalMart.
Thanks in advance for any responses.
mike

[Joe Pelonio]

Anybody know if I need to go to a dealership to get a new key made for a 2000 Nissan Maxima or can I get one from a locksmith? I had heard in the past that you could only get one from the dealer but that is also what the Honda dealership told me when I bought my motorcycle last year only to find out later that I could get one made at WalMart.
Thanks in advance for any responses.
mike
Back in 2000 I don't think that the "smart keys" were standard, so you probably can get it. I can get one made for my '07 Ranger but it will only open the door, not start the engine. Those I have to get from a dealer
and they have to program the chip in it.

[Jim O'Dell]

Most new cars have a chip in the key that must be read bv the car, and be programmed in the car's computer, to start the engine. I work at a Lincoln/Mercury Service Dept. Many of the mobile locksmiths around here have the means to cut and program the cars to accept the new key. Cutting the key is not the problem, programming it to the computer is. On Fords, if you have 2 working keys, anyone can program more keys without anything but the keys. Jim.

[Travis Hirst]

Look on the bottom of the key head. If you see a little rectangle being either black or blue in color then yes it must be done at the dealer. If there is no little rectangle then you can get it anywhere. 2000 is kind of a grey area in that some had it and some did not, depening on the optoins the car came with.

Travis

[Jim O'Dell]

Travis, the chip "door" trick works on a lot of keys, but not all. Some of the Ford keys (Sable and Taurus for instance) don't have the trap door, but still have the chip inside that has to be programmed. The trap door may rule that it is a coded key, but lack of it may not be proof that it isn't one. Jim.

[Travis Hirst]

It holds true on the nissan keys. I am a nissan parts guy of 8 years. Other keys as you stated do not have the obvious signs. I also deal with VW and Chrysler for the last 13 years and they do not have the tell-tale signs of the chip other than Chrysler's chip keys up untill 06 are all grey headed keys. Any way on all Nissan keys you will see that rectangular piece on the bottom.

Travis

[Mike Tempel]

Thanks Travis, it has the blue rectangle on the bottom of the key head. I was told recently that a local locksmith could make me one up but I have my doubts. Do you know if a locksmith can do this or would I be better off just going straight to the dealer and know that I would get it done right the first time?

[Travis Hirst]

I believe that the dealer is the only one that can program that for you. The blue chip is a dead give away that it is a program chip. I would just go to the dealer and have it done right the first time.

Travis