If you’d like to rekey a car lock, chances are that eventually, you’ll need the services of an experienced locksmith. We will provide details on what is entailed in the process so that you can make educated decisions about when it’s prudent to enlist professional help and how much it may cost once all is said and done. Though your expenses depend solely upon how many steps of the procedure you are able to carry out yourself.
To ensure the most helpfulness, we will keep this information as general and concise as possible. Although each vehicle may have distinct procedures to follow, these are the essential facts you need to know in order to rekey a car door lock or an ignition system. The process may vary slightly across different models; however, it is fundamentally similar for all cars.
Rekeying car locks is a procedure that alters the internal structure of a lock cylinder (including its wafers, sliders, and disks) to fit with an entirely new key. It serves as an alternative to replacing your vehicle’s door locks but doesn’t resolve any issues caused by mechanical damage.
Rekeying a keyed car door lock cylinder is achievable with the right knowledge and tools. Firstly, you’ll need to open your vehicle’s door in order to remove its paneling for access. Once that is done, change or rearrange the internal components of the cylinder before constructing a new key specifically tailored for it. You’ll soon be ready to go with this simple process.
The Rekeying Process
Understanding the intricate automotive locks is essential when it comes to rekeying a car. The internal components for such tasks are not universal, unlike those used in residential door rekeying—wafers, sliders, and disk detainers come in different sizes specific to each manufacturer.
To update your components and ensure the lock cylinder is secure, you’ll need new parts that are compatible. However, a simple solution can be to reorganize the current pieces- even just changing where one wafer’s placed in comparison with another will prevent any old keys from being able to enter.
As opposed to replacing a lock, rekeying entails reorganizing the components within an existing cylinder without actually repairing it. This means that any wear and tear or other issues leading to stickiness or unresponsiveness will remain unaffected by this process.
Rekeying your car is not the same as basic key replacement, for it involves replacing the existing keys and constructing a wholly new key based on an alternative coding system. This fresh code therefore won’t be linked to any vehicle data that was previously provided.
To create this unique key, you will need a specialized cutting machine to craft it from its code as there is no existing key to clone. This requires the expertise of professionals with access to the proper tools and knowledge. Even if there’s minor wear on any wafers, sliders, or disks present in the lock, your newly-made key may still require customization for optimal performance.
If ever you’ve misplaced your car key and don’t have a spare, locksmiths or dealerships won’t be able to craft a replacement with just the VIN (vehicle identification number). To make another key, they’d need access to the current key code or be able to decode any rekeyed car lock.