Cars are expensive; therefore, you should protect them from theft. The cool thing is that cars come with different types of locks that provide the necessary protection. Car keys come in different types, but are divided into two main types. The old styles are the traditional metal keys that old car are installed with. The new car models have ones that are equipped with a chip which sends out a code to the car’s computer to start it. The latest models are the ones that are called electronic car keys or fobs and control the car’s ignition and doors.
Other than being very convenient, car keys make your car difficult to steal. This is because thieves can’t hack and start a car that has car key features unlike the electronic keys. Car keys are made out of brass – or so they should be – so they don’t wear your ignition and locks out. If given a steal key, motorists should be aware that both your ignition, locks and key will all wear out faster. Ignitions and locks are also made from steal and the constant friction and rubbing of them with the key will wear them both out leaving the motorists with a three-way replacement which is costly and terribly inconvenient. A brass key should always be sought to avoid this predicament.
A major misconception by motorist and new car owners is that the key starts the car. This is a fallacy as it is actually the chip located in the plastic casing of keys that starts modern cars. This chip is coded specifically to its matched car and without this precise coding, cars will not start, stop working and even stop working mid way through a trip. This can leave motorists thinking that something is wrong with their car rather than their key and can lead to unnecessary mechanical adjustments, replacements and bills.
While car alarm systems are usually handled by auto mechanics or dedicated auto alarm experts, most other services relating to auto security are handled by experienced auto locksmith technicians. Today’s market offers a wide range of car keys and lock systems yet most car keys are still manufactured using one of two production methods using either a production process wrench or a laser key cutting technique.
Mechanical cut car keys are considered the more traditional type and employ a unique cutting pattern on the edge of each key blade. This unique cut allows the key to fit into a car’s ignition switch in one direction only and creating or duplicating these type of keys is done in a similar technique to the one being used when cutting or duplicating a residential type home key. The process involves using a mechanical key cutting machine that is employed by certified locksmiths either inside their locksmith shop or on their mobile locksmith service vehicles. This key cutting method is cheaper than producing a laser cut key, yet most new car models employ a laser cut technique that offers higher security and are much harder to duplicate. That being said mechanical cut keys are still popular with some of today’s popular car makers including Ford, Chevy and General Motors.
As mentioned above, laser cut keys offer a more secured option. They can be clearly identified by their square edges and by having identical cuts on both sides of each key blade. Laser cut keys fit inside the car’s ignition switch on both sides and can be used to start a vehicle either way. Duplicating laser cut keys or creating them from scratch is a far more complicated technique and require a special laser key cutting machine. Furthermore producing these type of keys usually require additional programming via additional software that allow the locksmith to program unique electronic codes into the key as they communicate with the vehicle each time the customer attempts to open their car. Some car makers require locksmiths to contact them directly in order to obtain unique codes and additional information that is required to be programmed into the key in order for it to work properly.
Because of the complexity of laser cut key creation it is highly recommended that whenever a customer orders a new key for their vehicle, they make sure that they key actually works and opens up their vehicle to ensure that all of the steps involved in the key creation have been performed successfully and that the key actually works.
One notion that many people don’t realize is that only specialised car locksmiths have the card and chip reader and know how to use it. There are also only a minority of these specialised or trade qualified locksmiths available in most areas. By seeking these specialised businesses, you ensure the job is done right and the key works as it should for many years. If a key is made by a non trade qualified business, often they won’t work or they will work for a while and then stop. Without trade qualifications and the right card and chip reader and the knowledge of how to use it properly, keys are very often only half programmed. This in time will cause the driver more hassle and quite likely leave them very angry.
