WWYD-Lost Car Key in the US Mail

[tinytink]

Ok, we just purchased a new minivan but I dealer could not find our second key and when they did the sales guy mailed it an a regular envelope through the USPS so when it arrived a week later there was huge rip/hole in the envelope and it was placed in plastic baggie saying sometimes the machine get stuck...hope this didn't inconvenience you.

Well here is my dilemma, someone now has my car key and my home address. I called the sales manager and he has yet to get back to me. Do I make the dealer re-key my whole car or give me a new one. I've only had the car a 10 days.

 

[java]

I'm confused- So the bag was ripped was there no key inside? If so yes they should be rekeying the car. And I would report it to the Postmaster General in your state.

 

[My2BabiesLexis&Dill]

Most likely, when the letter went thru the letter machine it was too thick and it was tore open by the machine. The key is likely in the trash. JMHO.

 

[tinytink]

The envelope was ripped so the post office put the ripped envelope in a clear plastic baggie that has the blurb about the machine...sorry to inconvenience you printed right on the outside of the plastic baggie.

Thanks for the suggestion of reporting it to the PMG, I'll do that now.

 

[java]

So no key?

 

[tinytink]

sorry, there was no key just an empty envelope.

 

[java]

sorry, there was no key just an empty envelope.

Oh yes definately report. It might be a simple mistake like it going through the machine- but if it was a letter from a car dealership(return address) and then the key gone I would be worried. Thicker envelopes don't go through the machine(I think?) because I've gotten thicker items in padded envelopes no problem.

This is the dealers problem too imho! Enjoy the new car!

 

[tinkarooni]

More than likely I would think that you will be fine, that if you got the envelope back with the address on it, probably the key is in the garbage somewhere. However I personally would demand the dealer re-key the car. It is not that expensive to do and it was their error any way you look at it. Not having your key available in the first place, than mailing a key in an envelope..., why didn't they at least put it in a cardboard mailer, you can get them for free at the post office. Honestly.

Sorry for your trouble.....enjoy the new car smell.

 

[tinytink]

Thank you, that is my point. The dealer sent me the second key in a regular white envelope through the USPS with $.44 postage, no insurance, signature or anything. How smart can you be to send a pointy key in a flimsy envelope through the mail. I can understand if I were going there in person to pick it up and it was in a regular white envie but in the USPS, really?

The funny thing is I got sent some paperwork that I already signed via FED-EX!!!!!! WTH

 

[CowboyCO]

Sounds like the key was lost going through a machine at the post office. What remained of the envelope was delivered to you, so the address is not with the key. The key is just an anonymous key somewhere in the world and likely not in the hands of a thief. It's probably in the garbage or in a box with hundreds of unidentifiable items at the USPS. A key is no different than a check, or even cash that goes in the mail. It is unlikely that a postal employee would pocket the key and copy your address to steal your car (or from it), any more than they would steal cash or checks from mail accidentally ripped up by postal machines.

If the dealer agrees to send you a replacement key, great! But, since they sent it, and the USPS lost it, I don't think they are obligated to replace it (although I do think it would be good customer service on their part). Getting your entire car re-keyed would likely cost the dealer over $1,000 (and maybe over $2k). It's more than just two doors and the trunk. It's also the matching ignition key system and the computer chipped security that ties into it. That would be an extreme solution to a key lost by someone else and they will likely not be willing to go to that extreme.

 

[tinkarooni]

Getting your entire car re-keyed would likely cost the dealer over $1,000 (and maybe over $2k). It's more than just two doors and the trunk. It's also the matching ignition key system and the computer chipped security that ties into it. That would be an extreme solution to a key lost by someone else and they will likely not be willing to go to that extreme.

All the more reason why the dealer should have taken more care with someone else's property. As a big worrywart I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my days with this car worried someone will show up and drive it right out of the driveway....while true someone could steal OP keys and the car another way, why should she be put in this position of worrying about it from the start when they just made a poor judgement by putting a key in a regular envelope.

OP let us know what happens, I'm curious what they will say.

 

[Sal]

USPS employee here. Previous posters have mentioned that mailing a key in a regular envelope is a bad idea. Letter mail goes through automation and needs to be thin enough and flexible enough to make turns along the belt system. If the key is identifiable, you should let your local Postmaster know.
Those processing centers do keep items found like that. If it is just a plain key with no numbers or other ID, you might be out of luck. A customer of mine lost a diamond ring at a casino. An employee found it and mailed it to her just like this key was, in a plain letter envelope. Envelope came, no ring. She was devastated. I called the processing center and the clerk got out her "box of rings" and found it. Seems it is not that uncommon to have people put rings in envelopes!

IMO the dealer owes you a replacement key. They should have used reasonable care when sending the key to you and the least they should have done was use a padded mailer.

Sal

 

[CowboyCO]

All the more reason why the dealer should have taken more care with someone else's property. As a big worrywart I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my days with this car worried someone will show up and drive it right out of the driveway....while true someone could steal OP keys and the car another way, why should she be put in this position of worrying about it from the start when they just made a poor judgement by putting a key in a regular envelope.

OP let us know what happens, I'm curious what they will say.

It was bone-headed to send the extra key regular mail, especiially if they were still sending paperwork to you. But the right hand doesn't always know what the left hand is doing.

I used to work in the car biz (6 years) and for those who are worry-warts, you may not want to hear this, but at my dealership we had extra keys from hundreds of cars that were sitting in a box in the manager's office because they could not be identified. When we had a missing key, we'd cut and program a new one. If keys showed up later and were unidentifiable - they go in the box. If they were identifiable, we'd send them (first class mail) to the buyer. The reason for USPS and not FEDEX is because we had already paid for another key - no reason to waste money now...

There is a pretty good chance, that if you bought a used car, there is another key to it somewhere in the world, whether from a previous owner, lost at a dealership, or as in this case by the USPS.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I wouldn't worry about it one bit.

Obviously, it made it to USPS in the envelope. I am 99.9% sure that it got ripped out of the envelope in the USPS processing center on the automated sorting belts. I am sure once it got to human hands, the rip in the envelope was noted, put in the appropriate plastic bag for such a situation, and continued along it's adventure.

I am pretty sure the USPS postal employees are well aware that opening your mail would be a federal offence, so I am sure at that point, they would have never in a million years known a key had once been in that envelope. For all they knew, what was meant to be inside was still there.

I am sure also that if your car dealership was hasty enough to mail KEYS in a plain old envelope, they sure didn't go to the trouble to address the keys as well as the envelope.

I am sure that, if your keys were found at USPS (because, honestly, where else would they be?), they were placed in a box with all of the other lost keys.

I would not be worrying about a postal employee stealing your mini-van. I am sure they come across much better and much easier things to steal if they wanted to. (No offense to your mini-van )

With all of that said, I would have my butt down to that dealership so fast my head would spin. I would burst in there loudly and let EVERYONE know, "I just spent $XX.XXX on a mini-van from this dealership, the general manger refuses to answer my calls, and if I don't get my spare key NOW..." Well, you get the point.

Good luck.

 

[tinytink]

It was bone-headed to send the extra key regular mail, especiially if they were still sending paperwork to you. But the right hand doesn't always know what the left hand is doing.

I used to work in the car biz (6 years) and for those who are worry-warts, you may not want to hear this, but at my dealership we had extra keys from hundreds of cars that were sitting in a box in the manager's office because they could not be identified. When we had a missing key, we'd cut and program a new one. If keys showed up later and were unidentifiable - they go in the box. If they were identifiable, we'd send them (first class mail) to the buyer. The reason for USPS and not FEDEX is because we had already paid for another key - no reason to waste money now...

There is a pretty good chance, that if you bought a used car, there is another key to it somewhere in the world, whether from a previous owner, lost at a dealership, or as in this case by the USPS.

I just got off the phone with the Sales Manager and he has offered to re-key the entire car. Thank goodness because I was really worried about having a key out there and the potential of whoever is in possession of it having my home address as well.

This van is a 2010 so no other keys unless the dealer made/has extras.

 

[StephMK]

I'm sorry that happened, I know it is not a good feeling! I used to live in NoVA too(Burke) and had a cleaning service for awhile when my kids were little. When I cancelled service, they offered to mail the house key back because I live about 20 min from their office, more if traffic. The jerk mailed it same as you, plain white envelope, no padding. Of course, it came ripped, no note from the PO and missing house key.

I nicely called & they refused to apologize or offer any assistance. I had to pay $60 to have the door re-keyed immediately. DH was headed out of town & no way was I staying home w/kids alone. When I spoke to the manager, he said they mail them padded but didn't care when I explained mine was in a plain letter and missing. It was the Cleaning Authority and I will never use them again for poor customer service.

Sorry, it still pisses me off years later. Ok, just saw your update, great job on that dealership for stepping up! Glad you got a good resolution!!!

 

[mickeymedic]

When I had a key lost in the mail a year ago I just went down to the main post office and looked through their box of keys. Apparently this happens quite a bit and they keep the keys in a box until someone comes to claim them.

 

[CowboyCO]

I just got off the phone with the Sales Manager and he has offered to re-key the entire car. Thank goodness because I was really worried about having a key out there and the potential of whoever is in possession of it having my home address as well.

This van is a 2010 so no other keys unless the dealer made/has extras.

That is great that they would do this. Very surprising. My only recommendation to you is to make an imprint of the key in some clay, or trace it carefully on paper before you bring the car back to them. They could just get your car back, keep it for a day or two, program a new replacement key or two new keys and give them back to you. You'd have no way of knowing unless you could compare the keys.

I still think that's way overboard for a key lost in a USS processing center, but if they are willing and you are okay with having the steering column, doors and rear latch taken apart and replaced, then go for it. Glad you got some resolution.

 

[tinkarooni]

I just got off the phone with the Sales Manager and he has offered to re-key the entire car. Thank goodness because I was really worried about having a key out there and the potential of whoever is in possession of it having my home address as well.

This van is a 2010 so no other keys unless the dealer made/has extras.

I'm glad that you got what you wanted. Many opinions here, all of them valid, I did think that you deserved to have the car re-keyed if that's what you wanted. Hopefully everything gets straightened out and settled.