When Do I Need A Locksmith For My Vehicle?

When Do I Need A Locksmith For My Vehicle?

A common question people ask themselves is if they really need a locksmith or can handle it themselves. Here are some good rules to follow on if you will need help from Elmer’s Lock and Safe.

Do I need to go to a car dealer to fix my key issue?

Going to a car dealer is essentially an extra, and unnecessary step. Usually, dealerships call services like ours when all keys are lost, and outsource the copying labor for us – while continuing to charge customers a premium. By working with us directly, you eliminate the middleman, save yourself tow truck charges, and a great deal of money.

Your key has broken in your door lock

If you break your key off in your ignition or door lock and you have the pieces you should keep them as it will be easier to make a new key if you bring those parts to an auto key locksmith, lowering your costs. If the key pieces are still in the lock, do not try to extract the key yourself – it may cause damage the lock cylinder which is a more expensive fix. Contact us to remove the piece safely without creating additional damage and cost.

I can’t find my car keys, and the car is unlocked – should I lock it to be safe?

This matters if your car is in a locked space or not. If your car is secure in an area – like a garage – that is not accessible to the general public, it may be alright to leave it unlocked for the time being. However, if your car is exposed, the cost of getting new keys made is much cheaper than the potential theft cost. If your car is on the street or easily accessible to the public, it may be smart to lock it.

My car immobilizer and transponder are not working

The immobilizer system of modern vehicles searches for a unique electronic signature that’s transmitted from a device inside the key head – the transponder trip. If an incorrect code from the transponder – or no code – is recognized by the car immobilizer, the vehicle will not start. Transponder keys need to be programmed to recognize the specific digital signature of the car immobilizer.