An automobile locksmith can save your day when you forget your car keys inside the vehicle or have lost them altogether. They can replace or create new keys for you. But most of them are highly specialized and charge high fees for their services. Expect to pay a flat fee.
Depending on the locksmith you’re dealing with, they may charge an hourly rate. So, you should know when to call automobile locksmith services and when to handle the locks on your own.
When You’re Locked out of Your Vehicle
You get locked out of the car at times, irrespective of whether you’re using a keyless entry system or keyed one.
When in a hurry, people often forget to keep the keys in the pocket or their bag. When you lock the door in such cases, you essentially remain locked out. Unless you can get the duplicate keys, you should call an automobile locksmith to unlock the car door for you.
The process varies from car to car. The locksmith may apply the Slim Jim method inserted in between the glass and window’s weather stripping to unlock the key. Or, he may use the immobilizer re-flashing. In some cases, the automobile locksmith will create the keys from scratch.
Before you call a locksmith, you can apply a few tricks to unlock a car door without keys. But that could be risky, and you can end up damaging the lock.
If you’re using a keyless entry system (and you can’t get in for some reason), then it has to be reprogrammed. Once a locksmith has reprogrammed it and made the changes, you can safely unlock the door without damaging the car.
When You Want to Replace Car Keys
Car keys are often durable. But they do tear and wear off after regular use. To prevent them from breaking inside the ignition switch, you should get your keys replaced. If the car keys are not attached to the fob or any electrical component, preparing duplicate keys is easy. But if it’s attached to the fob, then it requires specialized locksmiths to work on it.
If you’re using transponder keys where an electrical chip is embedded in the head, communicate the same with the locksmith.
When Keys Break inside Ignition Switch
If you fail to replace car keys on time and it breaks inside the ignition switch, you have no other option but to seek help from an automobile locksmith. With specialized key extraction tools, the locksmith will be able to remove the broken keys. The cost and effort will depend on how deep the broken pieces are located inside the lock.
Your Car Keys Gets Stolen
Getting your car keys stolen is not uncommon. Pickpockets can target any individual at any time and steal whatever comes in their hands. Things get even more severe if they steal your driving license too. They can attack any time and take your car away. In such cases, you can contact a locksmith and ask him to prepare new keys for your car lock.
Before selecting a locksmith, research different automobile locksmith services available near you. If it’s an emergency, then contact the one located nearest to you. Depending on the distance, they can unlock the locked doors or prepare a new set of keys within an hour or two.
