A range of issues can occur with the locks in your home or vehicle, some are more serious than others, but whatever the issue may be, Milwaukee Automotive Locksmiths can help you through it. Locksmithing is our chosen craft, it’s our singular passion, so when you choose our services you know you’re getting expert attention. We provide Milwaukee car locksmith services.
Making sure your locks are functioning properly can be critical to ensuring the safety of you and your home or vehicle. Having slow, jammed, loose, or altogether broken locks are all problems that could put you and your property in dangerous situations. At Milwaukee Automotive Locksmiths, we can handle any style of lock or locking issue you might deal with. The following are just a few of the issues we can fix for you.
Residential or Commercial Locking Issues
Loose Locks
Loose locks are one of the most dangerous issues that you can have with your locks because having loose locks may defeat the purpose of using them altogether. Loose Locks can result in an easy-to-pick lock, these are the types of lock that could be susceptible to an amateur with a bobby pin.
Loose locks are mostly caused by age and rough use of the lock. Certain parts of the mechanism may break after being opened with excessive force or simply because of wear over time. If you have loose locks, your main option is to get them replaced by a locksmith, as repairing the lock would likely be more costly and time-consuming.
Slow Door Locks
Slow door locks are only a danger in the direst of situations, but when it comes to your safety, a slow door lock doesn’t exactly give you peace of mind. A slow door lock is going to prevent you from getting into your home immediately.
Slow door locks are not only a potential impediment if you want to get into your home, but they may be a sign of greater problems to come. Slow locks often turn into jammed door locks and could be a sign that the mechanism within your lock is breaking down, or that your door is slowly becoming misaligned. Either of these issues might require a professional locksmith to fix. In other cases, you might be able to fix the problem with cleaning and lubricating solutions.
Key Turns But Doesn’t Lock
If your key turns but the locking mechanism doesn’t, then your lock is broken and will likely need a professional to step in for a repair or replacement. Most likely, there are small parts of your key or locking mechanism that are broken in a way where the key is allowed to turn without engaging the knobs that ultimately lock or unlock your door.
Electric Keypad Failing
Electric keypads are common in commercial spaces and becoming even more common in the home. These locking devices add security by eliminating the need for a key but can come with more complicated issues than your traditional door lock.
The reason electric keypads can be more complicated fixes than regular locks is the added factor of electrical problems. Not only do outages affect some electric locks, but faulty wiring would be cause for professional repair or replacement. On top of electrical problems, locks with electric keypads can experience most of the mechanical defects of a traditional lock. These problems are usually beyond the grasp of a layman, so an experienced locksmith should be consulted.
Locking Issues with Your Car
Broken Power Door Lock
Broken power lock doors are one of the problems we see the most at Milwaukee Automotive Locksmiths. Power locking doors offer convenience and security that far outweighs that of older mechanisms, but a broken actuator in your power locking system can create the inconvenience of having to lock and unlock your doors manually. This can become especially tiresome when only the driver’s side door has a manual key slot.
If you’re experiencing problems with your power locking system, you may be able to fix the issue, but a misstep could cause damage that results in much more costly repairs, so it’s best to contact a professional locksmith.
Broken Keys Stuck in Ignition
If you have a key broken off in your ignition, chances are that you may be able to fix it yourself with a pair of pliers and some kind of lubrication. Most keys break off at a point where the end of the key is exposed, or very nearly so. If your key has broken off further down in the mechanism, then you’re likely to need a locksmith. If this does happen, then a professional may have the tools to repair it, but it is more likely that it will have to be replaced.
Replacing a Key Fob
As we’ve alluded to previously, power door locks and push-to-start ignitions can make life more convenient, but when they break down they become more complicated to fix. Complicated key fob systems require special equipment that only an automotive locksmith or auto mechanic is likely to have.
The less physical key involvement in your system, the more out-of-your-hands a repair job will be. The complicated programming of most modern key-fob systems makes a professional locksmith a near necessity when it comes to replacing and repairing them.
Failing Ignition Locks and Switches
One of the most important locking mechanisms in your car is maybe the least obvious. The ignition lock is a critical component that works together with your ignition switch to turn your engine on the initial crank. With a faulty ignition lock, your car may quit on you, and just like other locks, it can break down with repeated use.
There are a couple of signs that your ignition lock may be going bad before it starts to affect your ignition switch’s functioning. If the overhead and dash lights aren’t powering on when your car is in the acc position or your keys are sometimes difficult to remove or turn, then you may have an impending ignition lock replacement.
If your ignition switch is the problem, then you will have more severe issues like the car starting but stalling out immediately when taken out of the cranking position, or the car stalling out completely while the engine is operating. These problems may be avoidable if you’re able to repair the ignition lock in time. However, some ignition switch problems can occur without any damage to the ignition lock. Luckily, many automotive locksmiths will be able to fix your ignition lock as well as your ignition switch.
Trunk Lockouts
Trunk lockouts used to be fairly straightforward, either the trunk lock was broken or the owner left their keys in the trunk. These are easy problems for any locksmith, but most lockouts these days are more frustrating because of the fob system of locking. These systems offer extra security, but also give a little extra hassle because when the system breaks down there are a variety of potential causes other than the mechanics of the lock.
Problems with the battery of the key fob may exist, but if the rest of your fob buttons are functioning properly then that would mean there is a programming error that would need to be addressed by a well-informed locksmith or the dealer. It could also be an electrical malfunction where the trunk isn’t receiving the message of the key fob. In the most frustrating situations, the electric locking system may even malfunction to the point where it overrides the owner’s attempts to use the manual lock, immediately closing the lock whenever it’s opened.
Call Your Local Milwaukee Locksmiths Today
At Milwaukee Automotive Locksmiths, we’re prepared to deal with these and a host of other locking issues you might deal with at your home or business or within your car. We provide 24/7 emergency locksmith services in Milwaukee and have been in the locksmithing business for a decade and have dealt with everything from the simplest single cylinder locks to the most advanced key fob systems on the market. Contact us today for all your Milwaukee locksmithing needs!