What Can an Auto Locksmith Do?

When you can't access your car or vehicle, whether you locked your keys in the car, or lost your car key, we know it's one of the worst things.  Especially when you need to be somewhere. An auto locksmith specializes in helping you get back into your car if you're locked out.

Many people think an auto locksmith just unlocks cars. But an auto locksmith can do so much more! They create new keys (key cutting), they can remove a broken key from the ignition and even replace locks on your car door and the ignition system.

The locksmith industry has become more complicated over the past 10 years because of technological advances in the security systems for cars. Auto locksmiths need special training to successfully unlock, rekey, reprogram, and replace locks on cars and ignition systems. Below we will discuss some of the nuances of what an auto locksmith can do, and some of the specialty services they offer.

So what are some of these specialty services? 

A primary specialty of an auto locksmith lie in their mobile services.  This means the locksmith will come directly to your location, and usually they arrive quickly. This can be especially helpful when you're stranded in a parking lot and need to be somewhere else fast. Fast mobile locksmith service is highly sought after by customers needing an auto locksmith when they're locked out of their car in an inconvenient location. Another locksmith specialty offered by an auto locksmith requires in-shop services which include duplicating a car key or solving a related issue.  Keep in mind that a locksmith is almost always cheaper than the dealership, which charges a premium for these auto services.

Because car keys experience natural wear they can snap of due to a sudden wrong turn. Though it is not very common, it does happen and requires an auto locksmith to extract the key from the ignition. 

A broken car key can be very difficult to remove because it typically snaps at the place where the crevices of the thin part of the key are exposed. An auto locksmiths must use key extraction tools that attach to these crevices to remove the key successfully. This kit is specially designed to be used by a locksmith, who can use the special tools to grasp both sides of the key.

We recommend that you do not try to extract the key yourself because if something goes wrong with your extraction process, you could be in for a much larger cost if you cause damage to the ignition. 

When it comes to cars, auto locksmiths work with two kinds of keys.  The first is a traditional key that is not attached to a fob or electrical piece. These keys are not complex to make and very similar to a house key- it's quite simple to get a duplicate or make a new car key from this kind of key.  

When it comes to a fob, things can be more complex. Some fobs are also what is known as a transponder key, which means that they involve a chip that is programmed uniquely to a specific car.  Many of these keys are also transponder keys — meaning that they have a chip that is programmed uniquely to that car.

A transponder key can only start the car if the ignition can read the code programmed into the chip. An auto locksmith can duplicate just the key part of the key fob. There is a growing number of transponder keys and keyless ignition fobs that do not allow you to lock your keys in the car while that particular key is in the vehicle.  Nevertheless, we recommend that you have a good duplicate key in case of an emergency. 

If you hire a skilled and experienced locksmith in Boulder, they will know how to reprogram a transponder key. Because of the increasing number of transponder keys and ignition fobs, locksmiths now have access to training in how to not only reprogram these keys, but also make an entirely new programmed key, so that you can get back in your vehicle, or have an extra key for emergencies.