When most cars are sold new, there is a tag with the code numbers that is attached to the keys.  If the salesperson is not in too big of a hurry to take your money and move you out of there, they'll write the code number down in the owner's manual along with the rest of the purchasing information.  That used to be standard operational procedure when dealerships stressed service to their customers.  Too bad that courteousy has been dropped, probably due to the extreme amount of time it takes to write down a four to six digit number.  I bet they figure you don't know they used to do it, so why should they now.

    But there are alternatives.  General Motors Corporation has a 24 hour roadside service that will release key codes to a locksmith or a dealership for cars up to several years old.  Pontiac even goes back to 1973 and Caddilac to 1980.  Most of the rest of the General Motors divisions only go back seven or eight years.  An exception is Saturn who won't release codes at all.  The owner of the car needs the VIN (vehicle identification number) which is the long number and letters that can be seen through the bottom of the windshield on the driver's side.  The VIN is also located on your insurance card and car title which you will need as proof of ownership for the dealership or locksmith.  Once you have your VIN, you have to call one of General Motors Roadside 800 numbers and tell them which dealership or locksmith you want the codes released to.  All you have to do then is arrange for getting the keys from whomever you had the codes released to.

    Ford and Chrysler do not release codes yet, but you can call your local dealership and sometimes they will make the keys for you.  Also some of the foreign car dealerships such as Toyota will make keys for you.  If you lose keys for a rental car, the rental agency will not have extra keys, but will be able to get the codes for you.

    Most foreign and some American made cars have key codes located on them somewhere.  Some are easy to get to and some are not.  Click here for a list of cars with the locations of their codes.

    If all else fails, almost all foreign cars have a code number stamped on the passenger door lock.  It'll require taking the door apart to get to the code, but a little work can save a lot of money.  Of course a little work for me can be a big job for someone not experienced or mechanically inclined.  Even a high security transponder key is cheaper if you have the code number for the mechanical portion of it.  Most dealerships have to call a locksmith to make the mechanical part of the key before they can program the car's computer to accept the new transponder code.