Five Reasons Why Your Car Keys Aren't Working

Although keyless ignitions are now becoming standard and common with today's cars, vehicles still rely on a good old-fashioned key to start. And with that comes the problem of keys not working sometimes. There's nothing more annoying than finding your car keys not working as they should, especially when you're in a hurry. If you're wondering why this happens, here are some reasons why:

1. The Key Is Damaged – The most obvious reason your keys won't work as intended is that your key is already damaged. Over time, the metal in your key gets worn out every time you insert it in your ignition or car door lock. Poor key handling and maintenance can also play a role in affecting the quality of your keys.
2. The Lock Is Damaged – Sometimes, the lock is the reason people get broken car keys. If you have owned your car for quite some time now and if it can only be manually locked, the chances are the locking mechanism has already worn out. Every time you insert your keys inside the lock, it wears out the internal parts in the long run. Dirt, grime, and cold temperatures can also jam up the internal mechanism.
3. You're Using a Copy of a Duplicate Key – In some instances, your keys aren't properly working because you're using a copy of a duplicate key. This is because it isn’t always 100% accurate. Plus, the cut and design of the original key are different from the duplicate’s.
4. The Ignition Has Problems – Besides the car door lock, your key may also not work at the ignition. The ignition cylinder and chamber can also suffer from wear and tear. Worn-out ignition cylinders can jam your key and prevent you from removing or inserting it. The pins inside the ignition cylinder can get slightly out of alignment.
5. The Key 'Isn't Programmed Properly – Cars use transponder keys todays. These keys have microchips that send signals to the car's receiver. Transponder keys can provide an additional layer of security. However, if the transponder key isn't programmed correctly, it cannot connect to the receiver and turn the engine on, even if the key fits properly. Any damage to the transponder chip can also effectively disable the engine.

The only solution for these issues is to replace your broken car keys most of the time. If you need quality key replacement services, look no further than Oliphant Lock & Safe. Besides residential and commercial locksmithing, we also provide automotive locksmithing. We got you covered from replacing your keys to opening your car doors after getting locked out.