The Hidden Secrets Of Cut Car Key
Car Key Cutting Explained
Car key cutting is a lot more than just shaping the metal. It is a complicated process that ensures security, functionality and long-term use of keys.
It is not uncommon to lose your car keys or even have it break in the lock. You'll require an alternative car key to ensure you can drive your vehicle at all times.
Transponder Keys
Transponder chips will likely be installed in cars built in the last 20 years. These chips are tiny microchips inside the key's handle that send a signal to the vehicle's onboard computer whenever you use it. The onboard computer examines the digital serial number of the chip before it allows the car to start. This prevents car theft since thieves need to know your unique serial number in order to have a chance at hijacking it.
The microchip inside your car key transmits an low-level radio signal to the car's receiver. This radio signal activates the microchip, which transmits a code to the computer onboard of the car. The car will only begin if it recognizes this code. This prevents "hot wiring" or other methods of stealing cars.
Locksmiths who offer these services can create keys for cars with chips. They can also be purchased at certain automotive stores like AutoZone. These stores have a wide variety of keys and can assist you in choosing the appropriate one for your car. They can even assist you to programme the chip into your vehicle, which is necessary for it to function.
There are also laser cut keys that are more secure than traditional flat keys. These keys have an cylinder for locking that is much more difficult to pick, and are only duplicated using expensive laser key cutting machines or specially designed software. This technology is most common in high-end cars, but is now available on many affordable models.
Another kind of car key that's hard to duplicate is the VATS (vehicle anti-theft system) key. The keys are black with a resistor on the blade of the key that is programmed with one of 15 possible values to prevent the car from starting that it's not designed to. These keys are more expensive to buy and require a special key programming machine that is only found at a few locksmiths.
VATS Keys
Before transponder keys or vehicles with computer chips built in to control the ignition, GM used a system known as VATS (Vehicle Anti-Theft System). VATS uses a key with an embedded resistor to ensure that the correct key was used to start the car. The black VATS pellet located in the middle of a VATS key is not an electronic chip as used in modern smart keys, it is simply a block of carbon that is sized appropriately to have an electrical resistance that is specific to.
GM employed 15 different resistance values for VATS pellets and connected them to the blade of the key, so that when the key is turned on the ignition a coded signal will be transmitted to the module. If the signal matches the resistance value of the transistor in the VATS pellet the relay in the starter circuit is activated and the engine starts to run. This doesn't make a car theft proof however it can delay the theft by at least 15 to 20 minutes.
Unfortunately, after a long period of use, the VATS module in your car may begin to wear out. The two wires inside the ignition move each when the key is introduced. As time passes the wires could start to break. If enough wires are damaged the signal goes out to the module and the car will not begin.
You can solve this problem at home by decoding your VATS key. You'll require a multimeter as well as a chart to determine the resistance value of your key, but it's not difficult at all. You can determine the resistance value by placing one of the leads on the prongs made of metal on both sides of your key.
This is also a good way to test a new key to determine whether it works in your car. Remove the key from the ignition first before you test it. If not the key could have an incorrect VATS and will not function in your vehicle.
Smart Key Fobs with Smart Keys
Today's key fobs do more than just unlock or start the car. They also function as a security device and a theft deterrent, with many of them incorporating advanced features that the owners might not even know about. They can remotely lock and unlock your doors, make sounding sounds to help find your car in a parking space, or even allow you to call your vehicle by pressing the button on your phone. This is more than you'd think of from a standard keychain remote. Unfortunately, all that added capabilities also means that smart key fobs can be more expensive to replace than traditional keychain remotes. They also require programming by the dealer.
Some sellers charge as much as $100 for a single smart fob. That's a lot to pay for a device that spends a lot of its time snagging around in pockets and purses, where it can be easily dropped, damaged or exposed to moisture and extreme temperatures. Certain automakers have devised methods to protect smart key fobs from common electronic attacks, such as relay attacks. These are often combined with remote start hacks that gives thieves access to your vehicle's settings via the transmission of a fake signal from another transmitter near.
One method to safeguard the smart key fob is to keep it in an aluminum case or an RFID blocking case that prevents the transmission of these signals. The convenience of the technology is diminished if you need to remove your key fob every time you want to take it out of the protective case.
Certain policies that are more recent like auto club memberships and extended warranties can pay for replacing the fob or reimburse you if it's lost. You can also save money on dealership charges and get your fob cut at a hardware store or locksmith which offers key-fob cloning.
For most drivers, the decision to purchase an additional key fob is contingent on how crucial your car's keyless entry and push-button start functions are. You should always keep a spare fob or key on hand in the event that you misplace yours. Batteries Plus offers a large choice of replacement fobs that will fit in most vehicles and trucks. In addition, our quick and convenient service costs about 50% less than the price you would buy from the dealership.
Traditional Keys
Traditional car keys are a single length of steel that has grooves cut into it to fit in a specific lock. These keys can open your locks and begin your vehicle, provided that you don't replace them with the remote key or smart key. The only disadvantage of using the traditional car key is that you have to physically insert it into the ignition to start the engine. If your traditional key has been damaged, lost or stolen, you'll have to visit the Gainesville locksmith to get an alternative one made from the blank.
Depending on how long has passed since you last cut your keys, there are several different options to pick from when it comes time to get another copy. Certain keys are cut using mechanical machines or lasers, while others are cut with added security features.
Some of these advanced features that come with the modern keys include encryption as well as other anti-theft mechanisms. The encryption ensures that only the correct key is used to start your vehicle, making it more difficult for thieves to duplicate or pick locks. key cutting services near me are a different security feature that prevents theft. They are embedded in the key and communicate with your vehicle. This means that they only effective only when you're within a specific distance.
If you decide to use a traditional key, your locksmith can make the new key using the standard cutter machine that is available from most hardware stores. This is cheaper than a key fob or transponder, and you can still operate your locks, trunk and doors.
Another alternative is to have your traditional car key replaced with a laser cut version with a unique pattern. These keys were introduced in the 1990s and are a popular choice for those who want to safeguard their vehicles. Typically, laser cut keys have special transponder chips that are specifically programmed to work with the specific vehicle you own. If the chips aren't present in your vehicle it won't receive the signals from the key and won't start.