The History Of Key For Mini Cooper
Car Key Replacement Tips For Your Mini Cooper
As technology advances technology, the days of turning the key to start your car are disappearing. Instead, we use remote programming options. These can also fail and require assistance from a professional. A trained mobile locksmith is your best option for fast replacement of your car key.
You can purchase a spare key from a dealer, however it must be programmed to your specific car before activation. This is only possible through a locksmith that has access to your VIN and registration or title.
Lost or Stolen Keys
The owners of Mini Cooper cars often choose Mini Coopers for their high gas mileage, low maintenance requirements and a high resale price. However, like any other vehicle keys may go missing or stop working. If this happens, a professional locksmith can assist you.
Modern vehicles are equipped with remote key fobs which can be used to unlock doors and start engines. These fobs are connected an immobiliser system that prevents the vehicle from operating if the right key isn't there. If you lose yours, replacing it is expensive.
Modern car models include an electronic chip in their key fobs which talks to the transponder within your vehicle's engine. The chip is equipped with a code that is unique to the car you own. If you need an upgrade chip, it needs to be programmed to your car through an authorized dealer or a locksmith who has the right tools.
It can be expensive to replace your keys with an auto dealer, but it is often the only choice. A professional mobile locksmith can visit you and design a new key for less, particularly if you have your car's registration or title in hand to prove you are the owner.
Unlocking Your Car
The horrible realization that you locked your keys inside your car can make your day miserable and leave you stuck waiting for an emergency tow truck or friend to unlock the door for you. There are fortunately clever strategies you can apply to save yourself time and money.
The first thing to do is find a long, thin rod. You can use a wire clothes hanger, but you can also make use of a rod made of a strong strip of plastic, or shoelace. It should be thin enough it to pass into the door's seam, and sufficient in length to reach the lock button.
Create a slip knot on the string (a sliding knot that tightens tightly when pulled). The loop of the slip knot above the lock button. Use your fingers to gently move the string around the knot that is placed over the lock button using back-and-forth movements until the knob inside the door opens.
This trick isn't suitable for all situations however it's a great alternative for a lot of cars. This method is particularly useful when the locking mechanism of your car is on the side, instead of the top. If your car has an upper knob of the door, this technique may also be able to help you if you have the right tool on hand. Be careful not to harm your vehicle during the process.
Resetting Your Key Fob
If you lose the key fob, or change the battery, you might have to reset it. Most of the time, this won't alter the functionality of your key, but if it doesn't work immediately there's a chance that you've installed the battery in the wrong manner. It's a good idea bring the new battery to the dealership to be installed, so they can ensure that it's compatible with your car.
You'll need to make sure you have another working key that you can use while trying to reset yours. Relax in a driver's seat and place the blank key somewhere nearby. Push the small silver tab on the back of your key fob to remove the key from the metal, then remove the battery from its place. Replace the battery with a fresh one, and make sure it's facing up (the negative side is on the outside of the fob).
After you have replaced the battery on your key After that, you can start the car. Press the lock and unlock buttons on your fobs to program them into your vehicle's computer. After all fobs have been programmed you can return to your car and lock it as normal. Make sure to turn off the ignition following this to stop the program since a long time between actions could cause your car to erase all its programs.
Replace the locks
Getting locked out of your vehicle is quite a problem, and it could cost a lot to replace keys. Locksmiths can charge more than $150 for keys. The dealer will charge about $150. The best way to avoid this is to always keep your spare key in a secure place, or to purchase an electronic lock for your mini cooper so that you can unlock it with your phone.
Replacing the door lock actuator could be a straightforward DIY project for the majority of people however it takes some effort and patience. The first step is to take off the old actuator by reaching inside and pulling it out. Take off the rod that's attached to the manual lock. It's a rod made of black plastic on one end. This rod goes into a clip in the actuator. This part can be tricky to locate and reinstall in place, so it's a good idea keep the window closed while you work on this.
Then, remove the battery cover and remove the old battery. Then, you can install the new battery and replace the cover. Install the actuator by making sure that the star end of the control rod fits into the fitting at the top of the actuator. You may need to use some force to move the actuator into place. You should now be able lock and unlock your doors by pressing buttons on the keyfob. If mini key battery don't, you'll require a certified locksmith or dealership for help.