Keys Locked in Car or Truck

Locked your keys in the car or truck.  Saw a cool you tube video that uses a tennis ball, some string, a screwdriver, etc.  Please consider what you are doing carefully before you attempt to unlock your own vehicle.  I have yest to see a scenario where these trick work in real life, but I have seen countless times where a door, window, or weatherstripping was damaged due to these attempts.  Vehicle doors are meant to be hard to unlock when they are locked.  Call a locksmith.  A proper locksmith should have the proper tools and experience to unlock a car or truck damage free.

 

Car or Truck key broke off in door or ignition.

Is your key broken off in your door or ignition?  This can happen for many reasons, worn key, binding locks, weak key or key cuts, bumping into a key that is sticking out of a lock.

Don't drill, pry, or dig on that key!  Often this will trap the broken key half behind wafers, pins, or dust covers.  Don't panic, call a locksmith.  We have specialized tools that can reach in and around the broken key and pull it out without any additional damage to the lock.  This can often be done without disassembling the door or lock.

Have to jiggle keys to make them work.

To use the key in the lock do you have to jiggle the key while turning?  Do you have to pull the key out while turning to work it in the lock?  these are signs of a worn key.  Keys are often made of brass which will eventually wear down over time.  A tell tale sign of a worn key is that the key looks like subtle waves, instead of nice clean angled cuts.  When this happens often people will go get copies made.  This typically will not solve the problem, and may only make it worse.

However, do not worry, there is often a simple fix for this that does not require extensive repairs or costs.  Often  a locksmith can decode what the original key would have been, and then cut a new key back to the original cuts.  This will often bring the lock back to smooth working conditions.

 

Strike Alignment

Strike alignment issues can be terrible for the security of your door.  Missing strikes, misaligned strikes, and improper strike depth can all greatly reduce the security of your door.  Solid Lock can review, re-align, and strengthen the alignment.