ARE YOU EXPERIENCING IGNITION CYLINDER PROBLEMS? HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO!

If you’re having any trouble starting your vehicle, there are a number of reasons it’s happening. One possibility is that your car’s ignition switch is malfunctioning. If so, then you should investigate. In some instances, you can find the nature of the issue yourself. A worn-out ignition can be a hazard, so don’t ignore it.

Are You Having Problems Starting Your Automobile?

When you start up the car, the ignition coil takes its power from the battery, sending it to the sparkplugs, which ignites the fuel so the car will run. If you turn the engine over too many times, it’s possible you’ll drain the battery. If so, there won’t be any power left to start it up again.

Additional Causes of Ignition Problems

An ignition often fails because it’s been faulty from the beginning. Check with the manufacturer. If your car is still under warranty, then the dealership will probably replace your ignition cylinder for free. If it’s not under warranty, then contact an automotive locksmith in Downtown Miami.

Your transponder key isn’t communicating. This could mean that the computer chip has lost its programming. You can reprogram your existing key; or, you can hire a professional locksmith to duplicate the existing cuts to program a completely new one. An accomplished professional automotive locksmith specialist will be able to provide the exacting work needed to carry out this precise service.

Is a broken key or other foreign object lodged in the lock mechanism? Don’t attempt to fix this problem unless you’re a mechanic! Instead, contact an automotive locksmith technician. Otherwise, you could cause irreparable damage. The broken key, or whatever the object is, can be removed by a professional, so you won’t have to replace the entire ignition switch.

Your car key might have sustained too much wear and tear. Over the years, a car key will gradually become ineffective, and eventually it may stop functioning. In that case, it will have to be remade, applying the factory key cutting codes, to ensure that the key is accurately cut and fully functional.

Did you mistakenly insert the incorrect key in the ignition switch? If you stuck the wrong key into the ignition, then don’t even try to get it out! You might cause irreparable damage. Instead, call a dependable automotive locksmith expert in Downtown Miami.

Your ignition’s set of wafers, which index with corresponding cuts on the car key, are worn-out, or jammed up with grime, which will cause the ignition switch to fail. Simple cleaning, or individual wafer replacement, will be effective, making a full replacement unnecessary.

Is the switch overheating? If your ignition switch is hot to the touch, then there might be a short, which means the issue originates in the electrical system. Because your ignition switch is connected to high-resistance wires, any of the terminals where these wires are connected can overheat, and may even melt the insulating base. If this occurs, your car will jerk violently and won’t start at all. 

Has a car thief attempted to steal your vehicle? An aborted theft can wreck havoc on your ignition switch and steering column. If this has happened to you, then the whole ignition assembly has to be replaced.

Watch for These Warning Signs

·         the key comes out, even while the car is running

·         the steering wheel gets stuck sometimes, or becomes immovable

·         while idling, you’re prone to stalling

·         you may observe higher auto emissions

·         you might notice increased fuel consumption

·         you’re having car battery problems

·         you can’t stick the key in the ignition at all

Check on the Ignition Status

One sure sign of a faulty ignition switch is that your instrument panel doesn’t illuminate when the key is in the second position.

When you put your key in the ignition switch and turn it, there are three standard positions:

1   The “off” status position: No power is being transmitted to the system.

2   The “on” status position: The dashboard lights turn on, but the engine stays off.

3   The “start” position: This is when you exert full key pressure; the engine fires.

Monitor Your Dashboard Lights

Regular wear and tear leads to ignition switch malfunction, especially if you own an older model. If your ignition switch begins to fail, you may not hear any clicks from the main relay. If you stall out, examine your dashboard lights. When you turn the car key to the “on” (position 2), if the brake light, oil light, charge light, and other warning lights don’t come on, then something’s wrong.

Check the Integrity of the Ignition Switch

When you put the ignition key in the “start” position (position 3), the moment you see it’s starting, let go of the key, allowing it to snap back to the “on” position. If your warning lights go off when the switch snaps back, then the switch is broken, and you’ll need to call an automotive locksmith.

DIY

If you have some automotive expertise, you could service the ignition switch yourself. Replacing an ignition switch isn’t easy, particularly in newer cars, because they usually include anti-theft devices. You’ll render your vehicle inoperable if you remove or replace your ignition switch without the proper tools, and without taking the recommended precautions! The electrical current running through your car’s system can even cause bodily harm, so keep all metallic objects away from all electrical wires. Prior to installing a new ignition switch, the process will involve disconnecting the battery cable from the battery terminal, removing the steering column, removing the wiring harness connected to the ignition switch, and so on.

Hire a Professional

Unless you know what you’re doing, it’s much better to hire a reputable professional. If you’re anywhere in Downtown Miami, Florida, it’s a smart idea to hire an expert automotive locksmith, such as a mobile automotive locksmith specialist on staff at Reliable Locksmith & Safe, who will know just what to do to get you back on the road again soon.

Lock and Key Types

There are hundreds of different lock and key types. There’s a good reason for that; they work! Locks and locking mechanisms have been successfully used for thousands of years. Bronze Age civilizations used locks to keep unwanted intruders, burglars and the religious uninitiated out of temples, palaces, tombs and treasure buildings. Ancient Romans used to lock their shops at night and on holidays much like shop keepers today. Even children today know that locks are for protecting our valuables. Reading this post from our Reliable Locksmith & Safe staff won’t make you an expert but it will increase your appreciation for these needed and ever valuable tools that we use to secure our own treasures.

Auto locks and keys

We learn at from an early age that our cars, trucks, and SUVs can lock and keep out those that shouldn’t be using them. Auto locks can secure our ignitions, trunks, doors; even our glove compartments. We use the keys to gain entrance and also to make the car engine turn on and off. Older cars use the traditional car key while cars made after 1995 mainly use transponder chip keys to prevent car theft. Many cars use keyless entry locks and systems to open, lock and even drive the car.

Pin tumbler locks

Think of the work “key” and the image you most likely see in your mind is the traditional key with one end larger (for holding) while the main body of the key is the blade which has a series of grooves in it. Keys like this are used in modern day traditional locks. The grooves in the key blade engage the pins in the lock so that if they key matches, they cause the lock to open. Keys and locks like these can be used in a huge variety of ways and you literally see them everywhere. You can have duplicate keys made just about anywhere. You don’t need a locksmith in Downtown Miami, FL to have one cut; you can easily go to any mail center, home improvement store, gas station or even convenience store and have it done for a very small charge.

Tubular locks and keys 

Read our Reliable Locksmith & Safe description and you’ll instantly recognize these all over the place! They are also known as radial locks and circle pin tumbler locks. These are round locks with round keys. Inside the lock are 6 to 8 pins arranged in a circular pattern. That’s why the key that is inserted is tubular or circular in shape. You often see these unusual locks on elevators, bicycle locks, coin operated washing machines, vending machines and even on slot machines in Las Vegas!

Keyless entry systems

We briefly touched on these earlier. Just like the name says; keyless entry systems allow us to access vehicles, ignitions, buildings and other property without the use of keys, per se. The user simply enters a series of numbers into a keypad in order to open the lock. This system is perfect for cutting down on theft as no one can simply steal your key or have a copy made and then drive off with your car. Even your auto remote can be used to alarm, start and even turn off your car. A built-in mechanism shuts down the process and even sounds an alarm if someone was to enter too many number sequences in an effort to “guess” the right combination.

Master key systems

This is a very practical method of rekeying locks so that they fit one key. Using a master key, you can access several locks without having to use multiple keys. It isn’t useful in most everyday situations like at home or for your car. It IS useful in places like schools, universities, hospitals, apartment complexes, office buildings and so forth where multiple rooms, closets, storage facilities and offices all have a different key (for the users) but can be accessed by one master key that the owner or manager has access to. We’ve all seen that poor janitor that has the very ponderous key ring with dozens of jangling keys hanging from it. Master key conversions are useful in many situations and here at Reliable Locksmith & Safe we can help you decide if it’s also right for you.

Transponder keys

Post 1995 most cars use the transponder key system. These specialty keys have drastically cut down on car theft. That’s the good part. What’s the bad? They can be (usually) expensive to duplicate or program if they are lost, broken or stolen. Transponder keys have an embedded chip located in the head or handle of the key. When you insert this key into the ignition and turn it, a signal is sent from this chip to your car’s computer. If the signal matches; presto – your car starts! Car theft is cut down by not being able to copy these keys at your local convenience store.

Key cards

These handy cards are becoming more and more prevalent as they are so easy to implement and track. These key cards are made of plastic and look much like credit cards. They even have a magnetic strip down the back. This strip is encoded with numbers and characters. When the card is swiped, the internal reader in the lock either recognizes the sequence or it doesn’t. Key cards can be used in residential applications like luxury apartments as well as in commercial uses like high end hotels, office buildings, hospital rooms, retirement homes, retail stores and even institutional uses.

Find out more!

Do you need something that needs to be locked? It could be anything from a bedroom trunk to a new commercial building. Different locks do different tasks. Some are low security like the tiny lock on a diary and others can involve more advanced measures like video surveillance and or high security locks. For best results, check with your favorite Downtown Miami locksmith shop or call Reliable Locksmith & Safe for free consultations and no-cost, no-obligation additional details!