Ignition Lock Issues

What to Do If Your Vehicle’s Ignition Lock Is Having Issues

Imagine this scenario: you’re headed out for an important meeting or a long-awaited road trip, and when you insert the key into your car’s ignition, it just won’t turn. Perhaps the key gets stuck, or maybe it won’t go in at all. Ignition lock issues can be frustrating and stressful, but fear not! In this article, we will explore some steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve ignition lock problems.

  1. Check the Key. Before assuming an issue with the ignition lock, inspect your key. Over time, keys can become worn or damaged, leading to difficulties when inserting or turning them in the ignition. Examine your key for signs of wear, such as bent or jagged edges. If you notice any damage, it might be time to get a new key cut or contact your car dealer for a replacement.
  2. Lubricate the Lock. Another common cause of ignition lock issues is a lack of lubrication. Over time, dirt, debris, or lack of use can cause the lock cylinder to become dry, making it difficult for the key to turn smoothly. Applying a graphite-based lubricant to the lock can help improve its functionality. Be cautious not to use any liquid-based lubricants as they can attract dirt and create more problems.
  3. Wiggle the Steering Wheel. Sometimes, the ignition lock can get stuck due to a tension lock mechanism tied to the steering wheel. If you find that your key won’t turn, try gently wiggling the steering wheel left and right while attempting to turn the key at the same time. This action may release the tension and allow the key to turn freely.
  4. Utilize a Spare Key. If you have access to a spare key for your vehicle, give it a try. In some cases, a specific key may have worn down more than another, causing issues in turning the lock. Switching to a different key might solve the problem.
  5. Seek Professional Assistance. If you’ve tried all these steps and your vehicle’s ignition lock still refuses to cooperate, it’s time to call in the professionals. An experienced mobile locksmith can quickly diagnose and fix the issue, ensuring

At Discount Locksmith, we pride ourselves in providing professional emergency locksmith service day & night to help in your time of need. Not only can our technicians repair broken ignition locks, but they can also replace broken car keys on the spot!

To request service, call (855) 766-8899

locked out of car

The Top 5 Ways to Open a Locked Vehicle… as recommended by the AI chat bot, ChatGPT

I asked ChatGPT, an AI chat bot, "What are the top 5 ways to open a locked vehicle?" and below is the response (along with my response to each recommendation!)

ChatGPT: If you find yourself in a situation where you've locked your keys in your car, you may be feeling frustrated and helpless. Fortunately, there are several ways you can try to open a locked vehicle, ranging from simple tricks to more complex methods. Here are the top five ways to open a locked vehicle:

  1. Use a coat hanger: This classic method involves using a wire coat hanger to unlock your car door. First, straighten out the hanger and create a hook at one end. Then, insert the hook into the top of the car door, near the lock, and try to catch the lock mechanism. Once you've caught it, wiggle the hanger around until the lock pops open.Should you use a coathanger to unlock a car door? We'll first of all, do you even have a wire coathanger available? Sure this method may work if you but with the style of moden vehicle locks and anti-theft features this method is not as easy as it may have been with the old style door locks.
  2. Use a wedge: If you have a door wedge, you can use it to create a gap between the car door and the frame. This will allow you to insert a tool, such as a flathead screwdriver, to manipulate the lock mechanism. To use a wedge, simply slide it between the door and the frame until it creates a wide enough gap.Using a wedget to create a cap in your door frame may enable you to reach a tool into the vehicle to unlock the door (not sure about using a flathead screwdriver though!) But you do need to be carful to not damage the door, the weather sealing, scratch the vehicle or break a window.
  3. Use a slim jim: A slim jim is a specialized tool that is designed to unlock car doors. It consists of a thin, flat piece of metal with a hooked end. To use a slim jim, you'll need to insert it into the gap between the window and the door, and then use the hooked end to catch the lock mechanism. This method can be tricky, so it's best to practice on a similar car before attempting it on your own.I do not recommend using a slimjim to unlock the door on any modern style vehicle. It won't work on may and you may damage elecrical components or vehcile saftey features such as the air bag in the door!
  4. Use a shoestring: If you don't have a coat hanger or a slim jim on hand, you may be able to use a shoestring to unlock your car. To do this, tie a simple knot in the shoestring, and then insert it into the lock mechanism through the keyhole. Next, gently pull on the string to try to unlock the door.A shoestring through the keyhole? LOL! If you have a keyhole in your car door lock, go for it! But even through a crack in the window I dobt you'll have much luck unlocking the door unless you're able to hook and pull a door handle.
  5. Call a locksmith: If none of the above methods work, your best option may be to call a professional locksmith. A locksmith will have the tools and expertise to unlock your car without damaging it, and can often arrive quickly to help you out. Just be prepared to pay a fee for their services.Being a locksmith company of course I'm going to agree with #5...ha! But if you are looking for the best option to unlocking a vehcile and getting back in without damaging the vehilce then yes, call us! We not only have the tools and experience to quickly open locked doors but we can also provide additional services suce as repairing locks and ignitions and making replacement car keys if needed.

ChatGPT: In conclusion, if you find yourself locked out of your car, there are several ways you can try to unlock it. From using a coat hanger or wedge to calling a locksmith, there are options for every situation. Just be sure to use caution when attempting to open your car, as you don't want to damage the lock or the door.

Discount Locksmith: In conclusion, if you find yourself locked out of your are - call us now at 855-766-8899

There are a few methods for opening a locked vehicle. Watch the video above from "Free Locksmith Training" to see a quick and simple method of unlocking a vehicle door.

Keyless Entry

Installing Keyless Door Locks

Have you considered getting a keyless lock installed in your home?
The best keyless locks depend on your needs & requirements. Lots of people in your home? Frequent guests or house cleaners that will need access? Our professional locksmith technicians can discuss your options & recommend the best lock brand with the features you require.
Call (855) 766-8899 for residential locksmith services now.

#residentiallocksmith #keylesslock #homesecurity

make car keys

Making a new key for a 2007 Bentley Flying Spur

 

Made a new key for a customer with a 2007 Bentley Flying Spur in the St. Louis, MO area which is just one of the many high end car keys done by our professional locksmith technicians. Replacement key services are Technicians Available and will come to your location with all the tools required to laser cut and program new keys for your vehicle's make and model.

We Can:

  • Make new car keys
  • High-security laser cut keys
  • Program transponder “chip” keys and FOB
  • Program key and car alarm remotes
  • Keyless keys programming and replacement

Lishi Tools and Non-Destructive Auto Locksmith

Have you locked yourself out of your car? Gaining entry to a locked vehicle sounds challenging, especially for people who don’t have any knowledge about auto locksmithing. There are, in fact, many ways on how to gain access to a vehicle, but not all of them are non-destructive.

Ways to Gain Access to a Vehicle

Some use airbags with wire levers while others use rakes in which it rubs over the wafers in the lock for them to move.

Rakes or Inner Groove picks mainly work for older vehicles with nonlaser cut keys. It rubs the wafers for them to move to the open position. This method of vehicle entry isn’t ideal because it damages the wafers. You will gain access to your locked vehicle, but you will have to replace the car’s lock as well, giving you additional costly expenses.

Using an airbag in the car’s door will create a space that is enough for a wire to fit and hook a door lock or move a handle. But you have to take note that wires can often scratch the car interior while the airbags can create a big gap and bend the car’s door in its frame. You will notice this when you are driving, and you can hear the wind getting into the car.

While those methods don’t smoothly work, Lishi tools have been manufactured to pick the lock, accurately and safely. Using Lishi tools is totally non-destructive to the door, the frame, or the locks.

Lishi Tools

There are three different types of Lishi products commonly used in auto locksmithing: Lishi Picks, Lishi Decoders, and Lishi 2-in-1 Picks/Decoder.

What’s the difference between these products? What is the benefits or advantage of each?

When you get locked out of your car, Lishi Pick is the tool to use to open the car lock. Most instances of lock-outs, people forgot their keys inside their car – this will require to gain entry to the car quickly, and with no damage. You can either use Lishi Pick or the Lishi 2-in-1 Pick/Decoder. Lishi picks work smoothly to move each wafer in the lock one at a time, leaving it with no damage. But these picks require an extent of skills and a lot of practice.

For instance, you lose your key or had them stolen; what you will need is Lishi Decoder. Auto Locksmith needs to find the code of the key from the lock and then cut a key – this is what you called Lock Decoding. Lishi Decoder is basically a tool finding every wafer in the lock and specifying the size of the wafer.

There are types of locks that need to be opened first before you can decode it. While there are other locks that you can decode even it is still locked. Here, the Auto Locksmith needs to lock decode, key cut, and then open the lock using the key he cuts. When you are hiring an Auto Locksmith to decode locks, make sure he offers a key cutting service as well.

Lishi 2-in-1 Pick/Decoders are the ideal tools of all because it is designed to open and decode a lock at the same time! It works faster, making it easy for the Auto Locksmith to do the job. In under 3 minutes, the locks can be picked open and decoded.

Are you interested in becoming a locksmith or specialize in Auto Locksmithing? Train to be a certified locksmith technician at Locksmith Training School! Get started today! Call (480) 660-8558.

make new house keys

How often & when should you change your locks?

Your locks should be changed whenever you move into a new home or any time you suspect someone you don’t know/trust may have access to your home.

Unlike a forcible break-in, someone with a copy of your key can come and go undetected until you either notice missing items or, worse, discover and confront them in your home.

One way to change your locks is to have them re-keyed—changing the inside pinning so the old key no longer works and a new, differently cut key will work. Another way is to replace the locks entirely so the key for the old locks won’t fit in the keyhole.

There are options for upgrading the security level of your existing locks and brands and security levels can vary. Tell your locksmith what you want to achieve and ask for your options.

---

For more home security tips, read the full article Top Experts Answer the Most Urgent Home Security Questions on Redfin.com

Unlock antique steamer trunk with a figure 8 lock

We recently had the opportunity to assist a customer by opening the lock on an old antique steamer trunk in which the key had mistakenly been locked inside.

Steamer trunks or old travel trunks, although not used as much these days for travel, are great for decoration and storage for blankets, cloths, photo albums or any smaller items you want to store. Problem is that it's easy to lock and the misplace or lose keys that you rarely use or, due to age, the lock may stick and the key no longer work. While not always the most secure lock, simply prying open the figure 8 lock (called a figure 8 due to the way the lock looks when the latch is open) that is on many of these trucks can also damage the lock or the trunk itself. An expert locksmith may be able to open the lock for you with causing damage to the lock or trunk.

steamer trunk lock

Tips on How to Secure Your Home for Cheap

Discount Locksmith on local ABC15 Arizona news, sharing tips on how to affordably improve your home security.

On a recent local news segment, Discount Locksmith had the opportunity to offer advice and demonstrate ways in which you can easily and affordably improve your home security.

To start, just the appearance of security can help deter would be burglars. Most burglars are looking for easy targets and simple things such as alarm and security yard signs and window stickers may be enough to convince robbers to skip your home and move on to an easier target. There are also lot's of cheap upgrades you can make to help secure your home such as door security bars, window locks and door flip latches. You also want to make sure all exterior doors have reinforced frames, deadbolts, and that sliding doors have pins to prevent the door from being lifted off the tracks and a security bar to prevent the door from sliding open. Many door locks and deadbolts can be easily picked so it's recommended to install high security locks that are almost impossible to pick or bump. For more info about high security locks and keys, click the link below:

door lock repair

24/7 Home and Business Door Lock Repair and Rekey

Lost keys, broken or worn out locks that stick or won’t turn? Rather than replacing the entire door lock knob or handle, the quicker and more affordable option is to repair or rekey the existing lock. This can be done by removing and replacing the existing lock cylinder with a new one or just replacing the pins inside the lock cylinder.

Lock Cylinder Replacement

Technicians can remove the existing lock cylinder form the knob or handles and then replace it with a new cylinder. They can either make you new keys for the lock or set up the new cylinder pins to work with your existing keys.

Rekey Door Lock

Another option is rather than replacing the entire lock cylinder, technicians can remove the existing cylinder and then just replace the springs and pins within the cylinder so that it works like new. Again, the technician can either set up the repaired cylinder with new keys or rekey the cylinder to work with your existing keys.

Discount Locksmith of Tucson technicians are Technicians Available, seven days a week for emergency lockout services, locks repairs, installations or to make new replacement keys. Call now for either immediate service or to schedule an appointment.

Door Lock Rekey

Door Lock Rekey and Repair | Home – Auto – Business

Lost keys, broken or worn out locks that stick or won’t turn? Rather than replacing the entire door lock knob or handle, the quicker and more affordable option is to repair or rekey the existing lock. This can be done by removing and replacing the existing lock cylinder with a new one or just replacing the pins inside the lock cylinder.

Lock Cylinder Replacement

Technicians can remove the existing lock cylinder form the knob or handles and then replace it with a new cylinder. They can either make you new keys for the lock or set up the new cylinder pins to work with your existing keys.

Rekey Door Lock

Another option is rather than replacing the entire lock cylinder, technicians can remove the existing cylinder and then just replace the springs and pins within the cylinder so that it works like new. Again, the technician can either set up the repaired cylinder with new keys or rekey the cylinder to work with your existing keys.

Discount Locksmith locksmith technicians are Technicians Available, seven days a week for emergency lockout services, locks repairs, installations or to make new replacement keys. Call now for either immediate service or to schedule an appointment.