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 to ensure that it works properly, day in and day out.
Locks and ignition chambers are key to that (pun intended!)
“Rekeying” is a common term that automobile owners may have heard from time-to-time – usually after losing, breaking or otherwise compromising their car
keys.
It’s a staple of the locksmith trade – but what exactly does the process involve?
And when should it be done?
Luckily, our auto locksmith is here to explain!
Our auto locksmith explains rekeying
While the name might sound a tad counterintuitive, the idea behind rekeying is 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 rekeying, 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.
Why opt for rekeying?
There are plenty of instances where you might have to have your car rekeyed – here are just a couple of them…
You’ve just had your car keys stolen
So you’ve lost your keys… or worse, had them 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.
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 definitely something to think about.
Should I go the DIY route?
Simple answer? No.
Thanks to the internet, rekeying kits and tutorials can be found easily. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they’ll provide you any success!
Simply put, DIY rekeying simply 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 in?
- 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!
Rekeying isn’t the only thing you should avoid DIY with – click here to learn why DIY lockpicking doesn’t work either.
On-the-spot lock and ignition rekeying from your local auto locksmith
By calling your local auto locksmith ASAP and arranging to have your locks and ignitions rekeyed, you turn any existing keys out there into little more
than paperweights.
This keeps your vehicle safe. Best of all, your auto locksmith can do all of this on-the-spot for you. Our vans are fully-equipped for all sorts of car
key problems, including rekeying jobs.
Whatever car brand or model you own, your local auto locksmith can make replacement car keys for a variety of makes and models, including:
- Mitsubishi
- Mazda
- Nissan
- BMW
- Toyota
- Ford
- Hyundai
- Honda
- Holden
- Kia
- Volkswagen
Need an auto locksmith in Melbourne?
Galmier Locksmiths has you covered!
Whether you need a lock or ignition rekeyed or have accidentally locked yourself out, your first port of call should be your local auto locksmith.
Our auto locksmiths are experienced, well-equipped and fast – we’ll solve all your lock and key problems on the spot.
Contact Galmier Locksmiths on 0407 022 234 and save our number, just in case! Alternatively, fill in this form and we will get back to you.
