Locksmith, Locksmith. Do you have my car keys?

“There was a Door to which I found no Key
There was a Veil past which I could not see
Some little Talk awhile of ME and THEE
There seemed--and then no more of THEE and ME.”

The legendry Omar Khayyam was ahead of his times- this adage is the proof. Maybe he had the vision of cars operating without keys, people talking through intercoms, all the high-end security stuff that has taken over the market now.

Security features in a car have been evolving over time with special emphasis on keys. To err is human after all and losing car keys or misplacing them is the most common of them.

SpotPal has found that an average American spends 10 minutes per day or roughly 2.5 days a year to search misplaced items. you would not have estimated that a whopping $2.7 billion are spent for replacement and repairing costs.

So, you need to keep your car locksmith’s number on speed dial. If you do not have a trustworthy car locksmith in Seattle, maybe https://blueskylocksmith.com/ can help you.

With this, it is also smart to understand the functioning of the locks and keys in your car. So let us begin.

Story of a Key!

A key is as fascinating as the mythologies. It is an emotion that resonates with the key-holder. For some, it may be a tool to access something, but for some, it may be an insignia of nostalgia. You would be astonished to know that car earlier used door keys. Among these, a car key serves many purposes, like:-

• It helps you to open your car
• It helps you to start it
• It unlocks the trunk, steering, glove box and other things.

Valet Key It is an extra key that is provided by car manufacturing units to ensure the safety and privacy of the owners from valets. Generally, it starts the ignition and driver’s door. It does not have access to other parts like the glove box and trunk of the car. Many car manufacturers give the feature of limiting the engine output for high-end vehicles to prevent unauthorized use of car or Joyriding.

Old-School Standard Key- Internal Cut Some car manufactures are still providing cars that are accessed through traditional keys. These keys are not very secure and automatic systems were installed in the cars to prevent theft in which the alarm starting to blare if it was touched by an object.

It is relatively easy and cheaper to replace. Chrysler introduced the first car lock and key in 1949. After that, these evolved and key manufacturers started making Flip Keys, Crest Keys, Logo Blanks, etc.

Transponder Keys or Chip keys

They are much more sophisticated than the standard keys. It works on radio signals. When the key is turned into the ignition, the chip installed in the key sends a coded radio signal to the car’s computer. If it sends a wrong signal, the ignition will not start the engine.

Sometimes, the car will go immobile if a wrong key is inserted. So, the theft is avoided as the ignition cannot force start and these chips are not easy to duplicate.

Daimler-Benz was the first car manufacturer to hold the patent of a Transponder key. The key tries to reach the car’s computer through an infrared beam which rolls out an exclusive code identifiable by the computer. However, it costs a lot to replace it as it can only be done by an experienced car locksmith with advanced tools.

Resister Key

Resister Key was made by General Motors in the year 1986 after meticulously studying the patterns employed by thieves to break a car. VATS or Vehicle Anti Theft System utilizes a resistor or an electrical code that is embedded in the key. There is a mechanical code also. The electrical code that reads the code from the resistor is embedded in a place that cannot be easily overpowered.

Electronic Key or Remote Key

Electronic keys can be used to open the car and the rest of the things can be done through push buttons. It is hard to open a car without them. It contains a radio transmitter that can work when the car is in the range of five to twenty meters from the key.

This technology was first used by Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln in which a keypad was installed above the door handle of the car. A remote keyless system was first used by French Renault in 1982.

Smart Key

It was developed by Siemens Automotive for Mercedes Benz in 1997. The key incorporated plastic in place of traditional metal key system. It is then inserted in the key fob and the ignition starts to read its code. It can be used as a traditional key.

Smart key comes with a Keyless Go function in which the user can access the trunk and start the car with the key in his pocket.

Display Key

Display key comes with a touch panel that can lock, unlock and start a car. The user can command the car to park itself through display key. It was developed by BMW. It can work for three weeks when fully charged. It can be charged through a USB port or BMW wireless console.

How can a car locksmith help you?

Thieves are also devising new ways to take away what is rightfully yours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, approximately 6.4 billion dollars’ worth of automobiles were stolen in the year 2019. 2020 witnessed a rise in auto thefts by 9.2 %.

Car’s accessories have also been a target. Logos, catalytic converters, tires of high-end vehicles have been escalating. Catalytic converters are used for turning poisonous gases emitted by the car to less harmful gas. 14,443 catalytic converters were reported stolen in 2020 alone.

A car locksmith can weave a veneer of protection on your vehicle other than just making or breaking a key. Let us take a look at how can he exploit the technology at hand to avoid any unwarranted access to your vehicle.

A locksmith can make you understand the correct use of three security devices that are divided into:-

• Deterrent devices
• Anti-theft devices
• Tracking devices

Install Alarm System

An auto alarm is installed to discourage thieves and notifies the owner and whoever is in the vicinity of the theft. If the car is parked at a place where it is highly improbable for anyone to hear the blaring siren or see the flashing lights as a sign of distress, the alarm would have no effect on the thief.

These systems prove their worth in crowded places where anyone can turn their attention towards the car. Here, we need to check that the alarm should be distinct. Some car manufacturers insert a panic button in the OEM remote key, owners press it all the times.

To overcome this, a car locksmith in Seattle may advice you to add one more layer to security alarm on the vehicle. They come with additional features and unique sound. They come with their remotes thus eliminating the possibility of pressing them accidently. A car alarm must be installed after considering the places where the car can be parked.

Alarms may be active or passive. For example, if an Original Equipment Manufacturer’s device is optimized to alert when opened with a duplicate key, it will stop only after the car is opened with the remote key. Active alarms can be optimised by the drivers according to their vehicle’s specifications.

Anti-theft Locks

They are designed to prevent a theft from happening. These locks may be present in the ignition, steering, tires, brake pedals, Gear console, etc. Anti-theft locks can prove to be a boon for vehicles that are parked frequently in remote or deserted areas.

Tire locks

Tire locks are recommended and preferred to be used when the car is going to get parked for a long time. Tire locks are heavy and require some mechanical effort to install. It is difficult to carry them and since they are installed in tires, the likelihood of clothes getting soiled is highly probable.

Lock that Steering

They are visible from the outside like tire locks, thus acts as a deterrent for a thief trying to steal. Steering wheel locks can function in two ways:-

• The first type of lock can jam the steering and not let it move.
• The second time may latch itself with the steering and the pedal.

These locks are durable and hard. They are designed with steel that cannot be easily hammered down or cut or drilled to pieces. Initially, they were cumbersome to handle.

Now, hybrid steering wheel locks come with dual latch mechanism and push-button locking system that makes it easy to apply and remove with minimum effort. However, it can spoil the interior of the car if it is not handled with care and caution.

Brakes will get locked! This lock with not allow the thief to access the brake of the car. It is not visible from the outside and should be used as a secondary shield after an alarm because the thief has to open your car to come to this lock.

No Gear, No Fear! It is also a secondary layer of the security as a thief has to get into the car to face this. So, it is recommended to use another security shield that deters the thief to enter the vehicle. It jams the shift lever and restricts the movement that car can make.

Make the car immobile!

The nature of the car is mobile. But desperate problems need desperate measures. Immobilising hardware is a preventive measure. They prevent the car and its components to function properly. They are installed out of sight permanently. They can be activated through a remote and the owner need not fuss about storing them when not using them. They are easy to handle if compared to other security measures.

Don’t let the oil out!

Kill switches are installed in the bonnet so that it can interfere with the battery and flow of charge. This feature can deter the car from getting started as an interruption in charge flow would culminate in ignition not getting the command to start the car.

Other styles of kill switches like fuel disablers can cut-off the fuel supply to the engine. They are installed in the interior of the car and can be accessed remotely.

Car locksmith is going to recommend these

Instead of installing a kill switch, your car locksmith can recommend tools that are installed to dismantle and interfere either with the fuel supply or battery cable. They are cheaper then kill switches because the owner may have to get his hands dirty to disable them.

These valves are installed under the bonnet and can only be disarmed through human efforts. They are suitable for owners that have to park their cars for longer durations. These valves are not suitable for daily use.

The fuse is to be removed after parking the vehicle which will prevent it from starting. But, a thief will not take a long time since the owner also removed the fuse mechanically. Therefore, it is recommended to use kill switches that are installed away from prying eyes.

These windows are not going to break Some high-priced vehicles come with glass laminations and strong glass that is hard to break. You may install them in your car at the price that car locksmith provides. The lamination or the glass may break but the adhesive keeps everything in place and makes it difficult for a thief to puncture it. It is important as without this covering, it takes 3 minutes to break a car window glass.

Several other tracking devices like GPS, RFID, etc can be used to locate the position of the vehicle. That comes in the picture after the car has been stolen. Still, a car locksmith should be contacted for assessing the security features and to know if your vehicle wants some additional cover too.