But maybe you’ve experienced the downside: The cost to replace the latest key fobs can be as much as $400 depending on the brand. Then add another $20 to $130 to program it to work with your car.

If you're looking to pick up a new key fob, or repair one, you might wonder how long programming it takes and whether or not you can do it yourself.

If your key fob is wearing out, find a replacement Ford Escape key fob from these top-rated aftermarket products.

If you can sniff out the communications that are going on during the programming you should be able to build and pair your own devices with a vehicle. Wouldn’t it be nice to incorporate your ...