Find A Locksmith

Secure locks for your vehicle should be a top priority if you drive a car. Think of all the in-valuables you carry in your vehicle and how drastically they affect your life. The cost of replacing your car, and the many ways an auto theft negatively impacts your life, make auto safety a very important aspect of car ownership. But there is good news!

“The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reports that 2010 continued the trend of declining national vehicle thefts for the seventh consecutive year.” click here to read more about auto theft rates on CNN.

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What you need to know about auto lock replacements:

Nationwide car theft is on the decline. But it can happen to you!

This decline could be due to the latest increases in key technology in automobiles,  since transponder chip keys and laser cut models lock mechanisms generally are very hard to break into. But if you have a problem with your auto locks, the problem may not even be the lock — it could be the key itself that needs to be changed. It is more cost effective for most to find a reliable locksmith so you can save both time and money by hiring a professional, since most mechanics do not specialize in auto locks. You might choose to replace an auto lock yourself, but since duplicate keys need to be calibrated and the margin for error is very small, only .002, so you might be better off using a locksmith to replace your key or auto locks. In addition, automobile doors are filled with wiring and other parts that can be damaged if an unskilled person tries to force a door open or to change a lock. You will need to have some specific knowledge of the type of locking system that is being used in the lock—there are various wire systems, vacuum locks, aftermarket systems, and the attendant coils, wires and relay modules of these types of locks. Even keying a blank key can be tricky, because a car lock can be damaged if the wrong key is used. Locksmiths have the knowledge, skills, experience and tools needed to replace or repair auto locks.

Its safe to say that most people will not want to replace or repair their car door locks themselves, so the right person for the job is usually a locksmith professional that works on your brand of vehicle. Most locksmiths work on a wide range of both foreign and domestic vehicles, so most of the main brands of cars will be easy to receive service for. Specialty cars or vintage cars can be hard to service for locksmiths, as the parts can be hard to come by.

For a list of car brands that we service at US Locksmith Pros click here

If you want the top level of security possible for your car and it doesn’t have it already, an upgrade might be in order. Auto locks that can only be opened with a fingerprint are very safe. The driver programs the car to open or start only if the fingerprint being scanned matches the car’s computer memory. This personalized approach to security is more practical than other locks, since the driver is able to add and delete fingerprints to stop anyone from using the car at specific times. You can buy a fingerprint lock which cuts off the fuel supply, if an unauthorized person tries to open the door, which is an added precaution that you might need.

We would love to help you secure your car correctly, and can provide you with auto lock service in many different areas of the country. Please visit our service areas page to see if US Locksmith Pros provides locksmith service in your city or town.

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Hello and welcome to the US Locksmith Pros blog! In this first post we will discuss how and why lock cylinders on car and trucks need to be repaired or replaced. There are many different reasons that a lock cylinder on your car will need to have some maintenance performed. Some of the reasons for removing and/or replacing an automotive lock cylinder include:

• Excessive wear has damaged your lock
• Your key will not turn in the lock
• Your key begins to stick in the lock and has become hard to turn

These problems are common and are generally caused by normal wear and tear. Continual use has an effect on each and every lock and your cars’ door locks are no exception. The lock that most frequently requires work is the driver’s side door, due to it being used multiple times in one day, but all outdoor locks are constantly exposed to all types of weather, which can cause corrosion of the door locks.

Other common lock cylinder problems include broken car keys and other object (like sticks or dirt) being stuck inside the lock assembly. Attempted car theft can leave an automobile with a smashed or badly damaged lock cylinder. If this happens you should probably get your locks replaced, as they will be too hard for a locksmith to repair correctly.

To Repair or Replace… That is the Question.

In most cases if you car’s locks are damaged the common practice is to completely replace the lock assembly. This is due to the fact that cylinders are relatively inexpensive and it takes much less time to replace a lock than to mend it and reinstall it. Locks have expiration, and mending a door lock that has failed might result in a few months of working parts, but it will probably fail again sooner that you would have liked. In our professional opinion it is more sound of an idea to completely change your auto lock if it malfunctions to avoid future headaches.

In the next post we will go over how a certified locksmith will carry out an auto lock replacement.

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