I'm Leo. I cut and program GM keys at your vehicle — Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Equinox, Traverse, Trax, Trailblazer, Malibu, Camaro; GMC Sierra, Yukon, Acadia, Terrain, Canyon; Buick Encore, Enclave, Envision. The three brands share their platforms — which means they share their keys. A Silverado 1500 key is the same as a Sierra 1500 key. So I'm working from one box of blanks for the whole GM truck-and-SUV lineup, with dealer-level access across the PassLock + modern Smart Key eras.
Shared-platform pairings
Same chassis, same keys, same price tier.
Silverado 1500 ≡ Sierra 1500
Half-ton trucks. Identical key family by generation.
Tahoe / Suburban ≡ Yukon / Yukon XL
Full-size SUVs. High Country + Denali same key family.
Equinox ≡ Terrain
Compact SUVs. Same chassis, same Smart Key.
Traverse ≡ Acadia ≡ Enclave
Mid-size 3-row SUVs. All three brands, one key family per gen.
GM anti-theft, in plain English
GM's anti-theft system has stepped through four distinct eras since the 1990s. The PassLock generation is the one a lot of locksmiths quietly stop taking calls on — it's the trickiest GM era to work on. I still take those calls. Here's the shape of GM's lineage.
Era 1 · 1986 – 1995
Vehicle Anti-Theft System
Original GM anti-theft — a resistor pellet in the key blade that the ignition lock has to read correctly to fire. Camaro, Corvette, Firebird, Cadillac, older trucks. Mostly retirees in the call log now, but every once in a while a beautifully kept C4 Corvette or 4th-gen Camaro comes through and needs a VATS-compatible blank. Cheap and quick.
Era 2 · 1996 – 2007
Hall-effect sensor in lock
Big departure: no chip in the key — instead, a magnetic Hall-effect sensor inside the ignition lock cylinder reads the lock's signature. Silverado, Sierra, Tahoe, Suburban, Trailblazer, S-10, Cavalier, Cobalt, Impala, Malibu. PassLock is famously fussy: the security light flashes, the truck won't start, you do the 10-minute key-in-run relearn three times, sometimes it works, sometimes you need a new lock cylinder. I take the calls a lot of mobile locksmiths shy away from.
Era 3 · 2007 – 2013
Chip in key, CAN-based
GM finally moved to a proper transponder chip in the key head, with a separate fob for remote lock / unlock / trunk. CAN-based programming. Silverado / Sierra GMT900 (2007–2013), Tahoe / Yukon, Suburban, Camaro 5th gen, Cruze, Equinox 1st gen, Traverse 1st gen, Buick Enclave 1st gen. Mainstream, well-supported.
Era 4 · 2014 +
Proximity push-button start
Proximity Smart Key with push-button start arrives on GM trucks at the K2XX generation (Silverado 2014, Sierra 2014, Tahoe / Yukon / Suburban 2015) starting at the higher trims and rolling down. Standard across the T1XX trucks (Silverado 2019+, Sierra 2019+). All current GM EVs (Blazer EV, Equinox EV, Silverado EV, Hummer EV) share this architecture. Dealer-level access required for AKL on these — that's what I have.
The GM job mix
Of every GM call I take in Winnipeg, the lion's share is full-size trucks and SUVs. Silverado + Sierra + Tahoe + Yukon + Suburban + Yukon XL. They all sit on shared GM platforms — GMT900 (2007–2014), K2XX (2014–2019), T1XX (2019+). Within a generation, the keys are interchangeable by chassis. That makes the work efficient and the pricing predictable.
High Country, Denali, Denali Ultimate, AT4, AT4X, ZR2, ZR2 Bison — all share the same key family as the LT or SLE base trims of their generation. Premium badges, regular keys.
GM truck platform timeline
2007 – 2014
Silverado 1500/2500/3500, Sierra 1500/2500/3500, Tahoe, Yukon, Yukon XL, Suburban, Cadillac Escalade. Era 3 transponder + remote fob. Common AKL job today — these are 12–20 years old.
2014 – 2019
Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, Tahoe (2015+), Yukon, Suburban (2015+). Smart Key debuted on top trims like LTZ, High Country, and Denali; transponder + remote on base trims. The mid-platform that has half its trims one way and half the other.
2019 – now
Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe (2021+), Yukon (2021+), Suburban (2021+). Smart Key standard across most trims. Newest GM truck platform — dealer-level access required for AKL.
2022+ (EV)
Silverado EV, Sierra EV, Hummer EV (truck + SUV). Ultium battery platform, but the Smart Key architecture is closer to T1XX than to anything new. EV powertrain doesn't change the key replacement workflow.
GMC + Buick
GMC is GM's premium-truck division — Sierra, Yukon, Acadia, Terrain, Canyon. Buick is the small-car / crossover premium line — Encore, Encore GX, Envision, Enclave. Different badges, same engineering DNA, same key blanks per platform.
Sierra 1500/2500/3500 (Silverado twin). Yukon / Yukon XL (Tahoe / Suburban twin). Acadia (Traverse twin). Terrain (Equinox twin). Canyon (Colorado twin). Hummer EV (Ultium platform, GMC-badged). Denali and AT4 trims share key families with base trims of the same generation. Same dealer-level access stack covers GMC end-to-end.
Encore (discontinued 2022). Encore GX (current compact crossover). Envision (mid-size crossover). Enclave (3-row, shares Traverse / Acadia platform). Older Buicks — LeSabre, Lucerne, Park Avenue, Regal, Verano, Cascada — also in scope. Buick keys are the same chip families as the equivalent Chevy / GMC of the same year.
Every other GM model
Trucks and full-size SUVs get the deep-dive above. Here's everything else in the Chevy / GMC / Buick lineup — current and recently-discontinued.
Compact SUVs
3rd gen 2018+ on transponder + remote; Smart Key on top trims and Denali. EV variant (2024+) on Smart Key standard.
3-row mid-SUVs
Lambda (2007–2017) then C1XX (2018+). Smart Key on top trims (High Country, Denali, Avenir); transponder + remote on base. 2024 redesigns on Smart Key standard.
Subcompact SUVs
New-Trax (2024+) and Trailblazer (2021+) on Smart Key standard. Older Trax / Trailblazer pre-2020 on transponder + remote.
Mid-size trucks
2nd gen GMT700 (2015–2022). 3rd gen 32XX (2023+) on Smart Key standard. ZR2, AT4X, Denali same key as base trim of generation.
Sport / muscle
Camaro 5th gen (2010–2015) transponder + remote. 6th gen (2016–2024) Smart Key on premium trims, discontinued after 2024. Corvette C7 (2014–2019) Smart Key standard. C8 (2020+) Smart Key standard.
Sedans (mostly discontinued)
Malibu — last full year 2024. Cruze (discontinued 2019). Sonic (discontinued 2020). All on transponder + remote architectures, no Smart Key. Cheaper end of my GM bracket.
2017 – 2023 · discontinued
Older GM EV platform — not Ultium. Smart Key standard. Used examples common in Winnipeg.
2022 +
Same proximity Smart Key architecture as T1XX trucks. EV powertrain doesn't change key replacement. All in scope at the standard floor.
Not on this list? Older GM — Cobalt, HHR, Aveo, Cavalier, Impala, Monte Carlo, Pontiac G6 (closely related to Malibu), Saturn (rare now) — all still in scope, usually the bargain end of my GM range. Text the year/model and I'll confirm.
Chevy + GMC + Buick pricing
Open-ended starting prices. Older PassLock and transponder + remote trims sit at the floor; Smart Key proximity trims sit higher because the fob hardware costs more. Written quote by text before I dispatch.
Spare / extra key
$90+ transponder
$160+ remote head / flip
$180+ smart key
Cut and programmed at your vehicle. Every Chevy / GMC / Buick model, every PassLock and CAN-based era. Older transponder trims at the floor; Smart Key trims sit higher. Full breakdown on the spare key page.
Lost all keys (AKL)
$280+
A brand-new Chevrolet, GMC, or Buick key, cut and programmed on-site through dealer-level access after an ownership check. You skip the GM parts-order, the tow, and the service-bay timing. Details on the lost-keys page.
Fob programming only
$90+ you bring it
$90+ I supply
Bring a reputable aftermarket GM fob and the programming is labour-only at $90+; or I supply a basic remote — same $90+ floor. A push-button-start proximity Smart Key is a pricier part — that's the spare / AKL pricing above, not a $90 basic-fob job. Fob programming details →
Manitoba PST 7% + GST 5% = 12% added to the total. Distance fees case-by-case (typically free inside the Perimeter). Payment by e-transfer, tap, or cash — after the key works. Full pricing transparency on the pricing page. Other brand pages: Toyota · Honda + Acura · Ford + Lincoln · Jeep / Ram / Dodge / Chrysler. Full vehicle list on vehicles I service.
Nine verified Google reviews so far — early but real. Here are three.
"I was very impressed. He was on time and set up both key fobs and cut both keys for my car and it only took about an hour. He really knows his stuff and I really appreciated it."
— Glenn Buckboro · Google review
"Great service! He quickly made a copy of my car key, and it works perfectly. Friendly, professional, and fair price. Highly recommend!"
— Oleh Vashchenko · Google review
"Precise, polite and punctual."
— Dominic Ibeme · Google review
9 verified reviews · 5.0 average · all on the Google Business Profile. No padding, no buying.
These cover Chevrolet, GMC, and Buick — for general service, pricing, and how-it-works questions, see the dedicated spare, lost-keys, and fob pages, or the full FAQ page.
Yes. Chevy, GMC, and Buick are all under the same GM umbrella, share their platforms, and (more importantly for me) share their key blanks and programming flows. A Silverado 1500 LTZ key is the same key as a Sierra 1500 SLT — same blank, same programming, same price. So when you tell me what GM vehicle you've got, I'm picking from one box of GM blanks, not three. All three brands in scope at the standard floor pricing.
PassLock is GM's anti-theft system from roughly 1996 through the late 2000s — it uses a magnetic sensor in the ignition lock cylinder instead of a chip in the key. Most Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Trailblazer, S-10, Cavalier, and Impala from that era are PassLock equipped. PassLock has a few well-known quirks (the famous "security light blinks, won't start, 10-minute relearn" trick), but I keep the right hardware to read, reset, and re-key these on-site. Newer GM trucks (2014+) moved to a CAN-based immobilizer with proper chip-in-key transponder + Smart Key proximity on premium trims.
Spare or extra Silverado / Sierra key starts at $180+ if I supply, less if you bring your own reputable aftermarket fob. Lost all keys (AKL) starts at $280+. Fob programming on its own starts at $90+. Older 1500 trucks with traditional transponder + remote fobs sit at the floor; newer K2XX (2014+) and T1XX (2019+) trucks with proximity Smart Key sit higher because the proximity fob hardware costs more. High Country, Denali, AT4 trims all use the same key family as the base trim of their generation.
Classic PassLock symptom. The magnetic sensor in your ignition cylinder either failed, got knocked out of position, or the immobilizer "forgot" the lock's signature after a battery disconnect. There's a manufacturer-documented 10-minute relearn procedure (key in run position, wait, repeat three times) that solves it about half the time. If it doesn't, the lock cylinder sensor likely needs replacing — and I can do that on-site, including re-cutting your key to the new cylinder if the lock changes during the swap.
Yes. The GM Ultium-platform EVs (Blazer EV, Equinox EV, Silverado EV, GMC Hummer EV, Cadillac Lyriq if it ever comes my way) use the same proximity Smart Key architecture as the gas trucks and SUVs of the same era. The EV powertrain doesn't change the key/immobilizer side of things. Bolt EV / Bolt EUV (older platform, discontinued 2023) on the standard CAN-based Smart Key family. All in scope at the standard floor pricing.
Yes. These are PassLock-era GM compacts and they're well-supported — usually the cheaper end of my GM bracket because the keys are simpler. Cobalt SS, HHR Panel, Aveo5, all variants in scope. Watch for the same security-light quirks the trucks have — a stuck PassLock relearn is the most common reason these get tow-truck'd to the dealer when a mobile locksmith could solve it in 30 minutes.
Yes — that's the all-keys-lost (AKL) job, and across Chevrolet, GMC, and Buick it's usually the same GM key family for a given platform year. Using dealer-level access — the same information the dealership works from — I cut a fresh blade and program a new transponder or push-button Smart Key into your GM immobilizer right at your vehicle in Winnipeg, no tow required. Before I start I verify ownership — photo ID matched to your registration or proof of insurance in your name — and if your papers are locked in the car, I run the lockout first so you can grab them.
Year + brand + model + trim. PassLock-era trucks (1996–2007) flag if the security light is on. Newer T1XX / K2XX trucks — note the trim so I bring the right fob.
Quote in writing before I dispatch. PassLock-era through modern Smart Key — every GM platform in scope. Pay after the key starts the engine.
