Besides your home, your car is one of your most valuable and important assets. As such, it’s only natural that you take every measure possible always to ensure that it works properly. Rekey locks and ignition chambers are key to that.
“Rekeying” is a common term that automobile owners may have heard from time-to-time usually after losing, breaking, or compromising their car keys. It’s a core of the locksmith trade, but what exactly does the process involve? And when should it be done? One of our auto locksmith at Los Angeles Car Keys is here to explain!
What is Rekeying?
While the term might sound a bit counterintuitive, the idea behind rekey is very simple. It’s the process of changing a lock or ignition chamber to accept a different key. Each lock or ignition chamber contains a series of pins and tumblers, each cut to match the grooves of your keys.
During the rekey, your auto locksmith will start by disassembling your locks or ignition chambers. Once we’ve taken it apart, we replace the wafers entirely. The result? By changing these pins and tumblers, a car locksmith can render old keys useless.
To rekey a vehicle, our expert auto locksmiths will carefully remove the lock barrels from your ignition, doors, and boot, change the pins/wafers within each lock to a new combination and cut new keys to match the new combination. This stops your lost/stolen key from being able to open your car’s doors and boot. Following this, your locksmith will then electronically access your car’s ECU. This will erase the original transponder and program a new chip to your car. This is what stops your stolen or lost key from being able to start your car. Once both these processes are complete, your original key won’t be able to open or start your car.
Why choose for rekeying?
There are plenty of instances where you might have to have your car rekeyed. Below are just a couple of them.
You’ve just had your car keys stolen.
So you’ve lost your keys or worse, had been stolen. Who knows whose hands your car keys are in, and if they know where you park your car normally, they may be able to get in freely. Contact us at anytime to rekey any lock.
You’ve just bought a second-hand car.
Another situation is if you’ve just bought a second-hand car. You don’t know how many copies of the car keys are out there – better to be safe than sorry. While the odds of running into someone who holds a copy of your second-hand car’s keys are low, it’s an uncomfortable thought. It’s a smart move to take action.
You’re worried about duplicate keys.
As we’ve written about before, many manufacturers have a finite amount of key combinations. The result is that your car keys may have a twin out there. If you’re worried about clone keys, we recommend getting your ignition and locks rekeyed. The odds are low, but it’s something to consider.
Should I go the DIY route?
Simple answer? No. Thanks to the internet, rekey kits and tutorials can be found easily. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they’ll provide you any success. Simply put, DIY rekey isn’t worth the risk, for a whole host of reasons:
- What if you’ve got the wrong tools?
- Are you 100% certain you won’t mess up and leave yourself locked out?
- Do you know how to disassemble a lock or ignition without damage?
- Can you put it back into place?
- Do you know how to cut a new key to match your rekeyed locks?
With the exceptions of qualified and licensed locksmiths, very few people will be able to pull this off as such, we don’t recommend trying your hand at rekeying.
At Los Angeles Car Keys, Locksmithing and car security are our passions, and we’re here to help everyone find the security solutions they need. We service the Greater Los Angeles area. Connect (424-345-1437) with our locksmith team in Los Angeles Car Keys for any locksmith solutions!