Automotive locksmiths play a vital role in the lives of car owners. Their importance may seem elusive until you are locked out of your car, and suddenly they are the most important people on earth. What makes an automotive locksmith so important is not just that they solve immediate problems, It’s how easily you can get them to resolve these problems and how quickly they actually resolve them.
Many people know the importance of automotive locksmiths, but do they know how vast of a problem solver they are? Automotive locksmiths can perform many functions beyond unlocking a car. Here, we describe eight functions an automotive locksmith can do for you.
What Does An Auto Locksmith Do?
Automotive locksmiths are like other kinds of locksmiths you know but they deal primarily with automobiles. Unlike residential locksmiths who specialize in unlocking your homes and commercial locksmiths who specialize in unlocking your offices, automotive locksmiths specialize in unlocking vehicles.
All vehicular lock problems you can think of can be resolved by automotive locksmiths. They can unlock your cars, they can repair locks, remove broken keys from locks, and perform other wide range of functions related to this area.
Despite how interrelated many mechanical and engineering activities have become, automotive locksmiths have been able to maintain that specialization that makes them a banker in resolving car locks and maintaining automobile security.
What Is A General Locksmith?
General locksmiths perform broader roles that cut across various areas of locksmithing. They can help you solve blacksmithing problems relating to your residential area and can also solve problems relating to your automobiles. They are not usually as specialized as automobile locksmiths and residential locksmiths.
General locksmiths’ lack of specialization in a particular area means they may not be as skilled as locksmiths that specialize in a particular area. For instance, an automotive locksmith may be more grounded in automobile problems than a general locksmith because of specialization.
Specializing in a particular area for a considerably long period of time makes you more skilled and more knowledgeable in that area in comparison to someone who dabbles in that area occasionally. This logic explains why specialized locksmiths may be more skilled in areas they specialized in than general locksmiths.
What Is A Forensic Locksmith?
A forensic locksmith is another form of specialized locksmithing. Just like automotive locksmiths, forensic locksmiths are specialized in a specific locksmithing area.
A forensic locksmith is someone who works with legal experts on legal cases relating to locks and keys. Their relationship with legal experts could be in the form of analyzing locks and keys in criminal and civil cases to generate exact information that can be helpful to investigators. It could also be in the form of testifying in court as an expert to verify or refute a claim.
Forensic locksmiths work for both prosecutors and defendants. They work for both criminal lawyers and commercial lawyers. Their roles are very important and they can be hired by businesses, insurance companies, law firms, and government agencies.
What Can An Automotive Locksmith Do For You?
The question should be, what can’t an automotive locksmith do for you! The options are far more than you may even imagine.
Unlocking Your Car
Unlocking vehicles is the most common function that automotive locksmiths perform. There are multiple reasons why people need automotive locksmiths to help them unlock their cars. It could be as a result of human or technological error.
Technology has improved our lives and made products much better than they used to be. One product that technology has greatly improved is the automobile. Automobiles have many modern features that are meant to enhance the experiences of users and one of those features is automatic lock.
Automatic lock feature means your car can lock itself against your will. This feature was designed to protect you but like many positive features, it can be quite disadvantageous. Your car can also get locked as a result of your mistake or the mistake of other people.
Regardless of how your car got locked, automotive locksmiths can easily unlock it. Though there are other alternatives to unlocking your car, using a professional automotive locksmith is the best approach because it is devoid of damages. There are many methods automotive locksmiths used in unlocking your car and some of them are:
- Jimmying
Jimmying is the act of unlocking a car by using slim jim or metals that are similar to slim jim. Automotive locksmiths use this by sliding it between the car window and the weather stripping and then attempt to unlock the car with the hook at the end of the tool.
Jimmying may seem easy but it is quite technical and if not properly done, it could be damaging. There are some things that need to be avoided when penetrating the tight space between a car window and the window stripping. Touching something or an area you are not supposed to touch can result in serious consequences.
- Reprogramming
Most modern vehicles now have keyless entry systems. These vehicles are activated with the use of a keyless remote. Keyless remotes are programmed and when such vehicles need to be unlocked by an automotive locksmith, reprogramming is used.
Professional locksmiths are able to reprogram the codes to the lock of your vehicles without causing any damages.
- J and L tools
Auto locksmiths use a J tool to unlock older vehicles with switched lock and unlock buttons near the inner panel of the doors. The J tool are inserted through the top of the window and manipulated by lifting the unlock button so that the car door can be released.
The L tool is designed in a way that is very similar to the J tool. The main distinction is that the L tool has a slightly different shape that is appropriate for working with certain car models and designs.
Copying Your Key
If you have an original car key, automotive locksmiths can help you duplicate this key. They do this by creating metal key blanks that are tailored to fit with the pins and wards in your locks. Having a copy of your key means you do not have to call a locksmith next time you are locked out of your vehicle. You can instead access it with the copy.
However, this will be different for people who use vehicles that are more modern. Many modern vehicles use transponder keys and transponder keys are a form of keyless entry systems. They send a signal to the vehicle and without this signal, the vehicle’s engine will not start. But you can still have a metal key blank that will be able to unlock the doors and trunk of the car.
Removing Broken Keys
Sometimes your key can get broken within the lock of your car and as scary as that may sound, it can be easily fixed by an automotive locksmith.
In this case, an automotive locksmith uses a broken key extractor to extract the broken key parts from the lock, after which the key is then duplicated and the vehicle unlocked.
Fixing Your Broken Fob Or Remote
What about situations where your fob is broken or have stopped working? Call an automotive locksmith. Automotive locksmiths can resolve this kind of situation with various methods.
They can test and replace your fob’s battery to make it start functioning again. They can reattach key blades and clean your fob’s circuit board without damaging it. They can also replace button pads to restore the use of previously damaged and inoperable buttons.
In situations where there isn’t a swift or inexpensive fix, an automotive locksmith will give you advice and help you make a decision to either salvage your fob or replace it.
Opening Car Trunks
Automotive locksmiths are also vital in situations where your car key is locked in your trunk and you need to open your trunk. Automotive locksmiths can access your trunk without the keys in various ways. If your car is not locked, an automotive locksmith can access your trunk from inside your car. But that is not really impressive because you could probably do that yourself.
What about a situation where your car is locked and the trunk is locked too? This is where the need for a locksmith is critical. An automotive locksmith can override the locking mechanism of your trunk without damaging it. Nevertheless, It is better to have a copy of your key, which also requires an automotive locksmith.
Repairing Locks
Automotive locksmiths can also repair and replace your locks. Locks, just like many other things, wear down and diminish. In this situation, an automotive locksmith can get you a replacement and fix it.
Also, in situations where your locks have been damaged by accident or attempted thieves, an automotive locksmith can repair it.
Fixing or Replacing A Car Ignition
Car ignitions can be repaired and replaced by auto locksmiths. Typically, if there is an issue with your car ignition, It means there is a fault with the cylinder into which the key is inserted. When dealing with more complex issues, the locksmith may be able to replace the entire ignition.
Fixing this issue may not be as quick as it is in other instances. Car ignitions are usually specific to their brands and models, therefore an automotive locksmith may have to get the necessary things needed before the problem can be fixed.
Emergency Services
Automotive locksmiths are very important in an emergency. Because they can be easily reached, and they have a fast response time, automotive locksmiths can be saviors in emergency situations. If you need to reach a place in a short period of time and you need the services of an automotive locksmith, their quickness can help you avoid lateness.
On the other hand, their ability to duplicate keys also comes in handy in an emergency situation. Imagine a situation where you need to immediately access your car but the key is locked inside the car. You can use your duplicated key to solve the problem.
Conclusion
What an automotive locksmith can do for you is beyond just unlocking a vehicle. They can create duplicates of your key that would be able to precisely open your locks. They have tools like the broken key extractor that can be used to remove the parts of a broken key from your locks. They can fix your broken remote and replace your car ignition without damaging it. They can repair your locks and get you access to your trunk.
Aside from the variety of functions that an automotive locksmith can perform, what makes them your best option is that they can be easily reached and can quickly get to you. Also, they are highly specialized and will be able to resolve any problem you may possibly have within their area of specialization.
Contact Automotive Key Solutions today and we’ll be there to help you in no time. We’re always available 24/7, so don’t hesitate to give us a call the next time you’re in a bind.
For 24/7 Emergency Key Fob Services please call (713) 703-2987 today!
English 
Spanish 
Chinese