Getting locked out of your car, whether because you lost your key or locked it in, is one of the biggest nightmares, whether at home, work, or school. Opening the car door yourself could damage it and take a long time, so you should look for a locksmith near me.
One major question you might ask yourself is how long the locksmith might take to open the door. Usually, an experienced local locksmith should take at most an hour. Therefore, before calling a locksmith, ensure you call one who unlocks cars as a specialty and consider their experience.
However, several factors can affect the locksmith Philadelphia speed in unlocking your car.
How Long It Takes Them To Reach You
The benefit of calling a local locksmith is that most are usually close to your location, meaning you don’t have to wait long. When you call the locksmith, ensure you send them your exact location so they can use the fastest route.
However, even when a locksmith is close, the following factors can affect how fast they get to you.
Traffic Conditions
Sometimes, especially during rush hours or if there has been an accident, there could be a traffic jam, making the locksmith take longer.
Road and Weather Conditions
The road conditions leading to your locations determine how fast the locksmith will drive. If the road has potholes, it will take longer to escape them. It also takes longer if there is fog, snow or ice.
Prior Jobs
If the locksmith had other jobs before you called them, they might take a long time because they must tend to those clients first. Therefore, before contracting one, ask whether they have commitments or if there is a free employee who can get to you immediately.
Your Car’s Lock System Type
Different car models have different lock systems, which also change depending on the car’s production year.
Manual Lock Cylinders
These are the most basic car locks, especially in old car models. They are standard locks that need a key to unlock. These are the easiest to unlock, provided the lock is intact because they don’t have many newer security features.
The locking mechanism is an in or push/pull lever system inside the door. The keys are also easier and more affordable to fix or copy than others.
Automatic Locks With Keys
Many newer car models come with electronic locks with electronic keys. Some locks require you to turn the key, while others require pressing a button. The button can make opening the doors easier, but copying the key is more difficult.
Automatic Locks With Knobs
These locks eliminate the need to use keys and have a keypad attached to the key fob or door to detect the lock. Locksmith unlocks cars door.
The Unlocking Method They Use
Locksmith who unlocks cars with different issues should be familiar with various methods of unlocking the door depending on the issue or the type and model of the car.
Slim Jim
This is the primary tool every locksmith reaches out when dealing with a car lockout in Philadelphia. They insert it between the glass and weathering support of your vehicle.
That unlocks the car without the key because it reaches down to your lock, popping it open. While it looks easy, it requires a lot of experience and skills because it can disable your airbags or ruin the car’s electrical system when done incorrectly.
Reprogramming The Keys
With many modern cars using keyless entry systems, the locksmith can unlock the door by reprogramming the key. This method works if you have lost or locked in your key, and the locksmith programs a new key chip to your car.
It is one of the best ways to open the door without causing damages. The key reprogramming can take between 2 and 30 minutes depending on the car.
Broken Key Extractor
If you break your car key in the lock, a locksmith can use a key extractor to remove it. After removing the stuck portion, the locksmith will duplicate it and use it to unlock your vehicle. The locksmith can also use your car door handle removal clip removal tool to remove the retainer clip that locks the door handle to the door.
J and L Tools
These tools are effective when opening older cars with switched locks plus unlock buttons on the door’s inner panel. The J locksmith passes the J tool through the window’s top, then manipulates it to lift the unlock button.
The L tool works almost similarly but has a different shape and works on more specific car designs and models.
Re Flashing Immobilizer
Some vehicles come with an immobilizer, a theft deterrent, preventing the car from starting when somebody tries to steal it. This immobilizer might malfunction, preventing you from starting your car.
Experienced automotive locksmiths will get into your car and get your car moving as fast as possible. Locksmith unlocks cars door.
Key Analyzers And Mechanical Code Key Cutting
Modern vehicles come with keyless entry locks, which can make it more challenging to open the door. However, a locksmith who unlocks cars will often get it unlocked with no time using a key analyzer or VATs passkey decoder.
That helps to determine the vehicle’s electrical resistance values. That allows the locksmith to make an exact key using a mechanical code key cutter without the original key.
The Customer’s Attitude
While monitoring what your locksmith is doing is essential, it can sometimes be an issue and affect their speed. Dealing with a car lockout in Philadelphia can be scary, making you uneasy, and you might want to keep asking questions.
However, if you keep nagging the locksmith, they will become distracted and take a lot of time answering your questions instead of opening the door. Therefore, ensure you give your locksmith space and time to do their work and watch them from a distance.
The Locksmith’s Experience
The longer the locksmith has been unlocking cars, the faster they will be. Therefore, when looking for a locksmith near me, look for one who has been dealing with cars for a long time.
It would help if you also looked for customer reviews and ratings on their website and sites like Yelp, Google, and BBB.
