IGNITION CYLINDER PROBLEMS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO!

You don’t have to be a mechanic to know that you are having ignition cylinder problems. After all, you put in the ignition key and nothing happened! Either you couldn’t turn the key at all, or you did and the car didn’t start. So what do you do? If you are like most; you start to panic. You have plans, or else why were you in the car in the first place? Maybe you were on the way to pick up your child from practice? Or, you might have had a dinner date. Notice we said “had” - that’s because you are going nowhere unless you get your ignition cylinder problem sorted out and solved. At Ahwatukee Locksmith AZ we often get calls for ignition cylinder service. Many folks panic and call us right away. Others do so after trying numerous remedies which didn’t work. Here, we offer some pointers that may just save yourself a service call, and get you back on the road running errands like before!

The good ole days!

Originally ignition cylinders were strictly for starting your engine. In more modern times, ignitions also help supply power to your power windows, car radio, GPS system, power seats, headlights, windshield wipers, air conditioning system, heater, and lots more! You know what they say – “The more parts, the more that can go wrong!” That really holds true in this case as ignition cylinder problems can occur more easily and with greater frequency now. Since we aren’t ever going back to simpler times, it’s smart thinking to know what to do when you next experience that frustrating feeling of not having a working auto ignition.

Maybe it’s not your ignition cylinder after all!

What else could it be? You can’t turn on the car so it must be the ignition, right? Actually, there are other factors that often get confused with ignition cylinder issues. For instance, take your gear shift. Which one are you in? You need to be in PARK and nothing else! Your engine won’t turn over, in fact the transponder key won’t even turn if you are in NEUTRAL, DRIVE or anything else but PARK! As a matter of fact, you can’t even be in-between gears. Not only will your car not start, but it may even roll forward or backward so be extra careful when checking. Many people have been injured or even killed by getting out of their cars and having the vehicle move and pin them against something. While checking your gears, always be sure to have the parking brake on – better safe than sorry!

Next check – locked steering wheel

Were you in PARK? Great; now let’s move on to the next possible culprit – your steering wheel. It’s not a well-known fact, but steering wheels do lock up sometimes. If this happens, you won’t be able to turn the transponder key and start your engine. Just remain calm and apply a little pressure on the wheel so that it moves again. Don’t worry – you won’t break it so keep pushing and your wheel will unlock. Once it does, you can turn the ignition key again and get results.

Battery check!

Callers of our Ahwatukee, AZ locksmith shop often overlook another possible problem area; their battery. This might seem obvious to some, but many call for locksmith help first without checking their car battery to see if it is working or drained. Again, put on your parking brake. Then, proceed to turn on your headlights, dashboard lights, car radio, or power windows. The goal is to see if you have battery power or not. If your battery is dead or nearly drained, there won’t be sufficient electrical power to work your engine and your ignition simply won’t work. Now, if your battery is fine and you hear a series of rapid clicking sounds, it is your starter that is the problem; again, not the ignition!

Is your key stuck?

Sometimes, local Ahwatukee, AZ residents find that their ignition key is stuck. Naturally, the ignition cylinder is blamed but often, it turns out that the wrong key was used! Wait; how can the wrong key even go in the ignition? The truth of the matter is that it can and it often does! Some households have more than one car and many transponder keys look similar. During our hustle and bustle of going here and there, it is actually easy to mistake the keys and insert the wrong one in the ignition. Yes, they do go in and yes, they often get lodged in the ignition switch. Here’s where you need to be careful; too much pressure on the key right now can break it and then you have broken key extraction to worry about. Lightly tap the key and see if it comes loose. Apply some pressure, but not too much. You may have to use a hard surface to do the jarring and not just your hand but again; use caution!

Beware friends and family!

That warning may offend some but we mean this in the best way. Relatives and acquaintances are often well-meaning and sometimes have experience with mechanical things. If you call them, always bear in mind that any damage caused is still your responsibility to fix as it is your car; not theirs.

Is it time for locksmith help?

Have you exhausted your options? Here’s what you do. Make a call to your local Ahwatukee, AZ lock and key shop. You are always welcome to call ours but if you have one that you’ve worked with before and trust, by all means, use them. Look for certain traits in your locksmith shop of choice. They should be licensed, bonded and insured, as well as available to you 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Ignition lockups can happen any time; not just during working hours! Of course, it always helps if your locksmith is fast responding, affordable and expert in all manner of automotive lock and key services!

ARE YOU HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH YOUR TRANSPONDER KEY? HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO!

How transponder keys work

Nowadays, transponder keys are standard for most new cars. They make it harder for your car to be stolen. Even though it’s more costly than a regular key, a transponder key is worth the peace of mind it affords you.

Anyone who has used a transponder key ~ also referred to as a transponder “chip” key ~ knows how much easier it is to use than an old-fashioned key. These specialized keys are ignition keys that make it effortless to enter and leave your vehicle, because you can unlock your car doors without actually sticking your key in the lock mechanism; you can remotely open the trunk; you can activate and deactivate your car alarm; additionally, with some transponder keys, you can even start your car remotely.

A transponder key has a chip inside it, which emits a distinctive signal to your car’s computer, a singular frequency aligned only to your automobile. When the signal is received, the key’s mechanical part releases your steering lock so that you can activate the ignition. Nevertheless, problems can sometimes happen. Here’s how to get out of trouble when it comes to transponder key challenges.

Was your transponder key stolen?

When you first bought your car, you should have been given two transponder keys. You can get your other transponder key from a family member who has the spare copy, and that will get you back on the road for now. But keep in mind that because your transponder key is connected only to your vehicle, a would-be car thief who finds your key could easily take your car. Thus it’s best to go ahead and get a replacement now, and then reprogram them both.

To get a transponder key duplicated, reprogrammed, or replaced, track down an automotive locksmith specialist, or go directly to your dealership. In most cases, a locksmith will charge less than the dealership will charge you. If you’re located in Ahwatukee, Arizona, then take all your questions and concerns to a reputable locksmith company. For instance, the mobile automotive locksmith specialists on staff at Ahwatukee Locksmith AZ offer free consultations and they’re available 24/7.

Have you lost your transponder key?

Losing your car key is more problematical than it was decades ago. With a traditional key, you could duplicate a spare key at almost no cost, at any local hardware store or locksmith company, or even at the dealership. But a transponder key is something else altogether. If you’ve mislaid your transponder key permanently, replacing isn’t going to be cheap. Depending on your automobile model and make, and on the complexity of the key’s design, the price for replacing your electronic fob will range from somewhat costly to exceptionally expensive. There are some dealerships that will reprogram your key fob at no charge, but most will charge you a great deal.

A switchblade key is a transponder key with a shank, but it folds into the fob, which you pop out by pressing a button. A switchblade key has either a basic cut or a laser cut. One benefit to a switchblade key is that you can purchase its components separately; but if you’ve truly lost your key, you’ll have to program both parts.

For some vehicles, the transponder key is an all-in-one unit that includes the fob. It’s also called a laser-cut key. The shank is a bit thicker, with fewer carved-out grooves. It’s also referred to as a “sidewinder” key, because of the shank’s winding-cut feature. The dealership will likely need to program a laser-cut key’s built-in chip.

A smart key actually isn’t a key at all ~ not in the usual sense. It’s just a fob, which you either insert into the dashboard, or keep in your purse or pocket. When you sit behind the wheel, then just by pressing a button, you can start and turn off the engine. A smart key gives you exceptional protection because it has rolling security codes. Continuously randomizing the right code, it stops a car thief from hacking it with a code grabber. If you have a smart key, your car dealership will be able to replace it.

Has your transponder key stopped working?

·         One common reason your transponder key isn’t functioning is that there’s a manufacturer’s defect, which has been there from the beginning. If your vehicle is under warranty, you’ll be able to get the problem corrected for free. If it’s no longer under warranty, then you’ll have to hire an automotive locksmith specialist in Ahwatukee.

·         There might be a tiny foreign object lodged in the ignition. Don’t try to remove it yourself, because you could easily do damage to the ignition. Instead, hire an experienced automotive locksmith professional, who can capably remove any foreign object from the ignition with the precision required, so you won’t have to replace the whole switch.

·         Another possibility is that your transponder key isn’t communicating with automobile’s computer because the chip has lost its programming. You can get it reprogrammed, or, you can get an entirely new transponder key with all-new programming. Whatever you choose, the car dealership or an automotive locksmith technician will be able to handle it.

Do It Yourself

If you do need to reprogram your transponder key, with some vehicles, you can take care of it yourself.

The following method below will be successful on quite a few American-made cars. But before you spend any of your hard-earned money, read the owner's manual, ask your dealership, and/or consult with a local reliable automotive locksmith to see whether this procedure will actually work on yours.

1.      Insert one of your two functioning keys. Turn the ignition to the "on" position for about 3 seconds (without firing up the car).

2.      Do the same with the second key.

3.      Insert the new third key, and turn it to the "on" position for 3 seconds. This ought to program your extra key successfully.

If you often lock your car keys in your vehicle, another thing you can do ~ which will at least give you access to your car doors and to your trunk ~ is to order just the basic key, without the transmitter, which means you’ll have a key which does everything except start your car.