Why Is My Car Keys Not Working?

“Boy am I late!”

You think to yourself as you rush out, jump behind the wheel and slide the key in the ignition. Unfortunately, the universe has other plans for you. Once you turn the key, you are surprised to see that nothing happens. You turn it again, nothing happens. The car or the engine wouldn’t respond.

You start panicking and automatically assume that something’s wrong with the engine or the wiring. However, that’s not always the case. The problem might be with your key.

It might have stopped working. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons you might face this problem:

Damaged Key

Sometimes your key stops working simply because it’s damaged. When people think of a damaged key, they automatically imagine a key broken into pieces. However, that’s not always the case.

Like all other items, car keys wear down after some time and need to be replaced. As a result, the grooves in the key might not correspond with the lock mechanism and the ignition.

With proper care and maintenance, you can counter this problem. In case, the key stops working altogether, you will have to get in touch with professional locksmiths who can make a replacement.

Problem with Ignition Cylinder

Your car locks open but the engine doesn’t turn on? This is not a sign of key damage. It’s actually a sign of a bigger issue.

The issue might be with the ignition cylinder. Due to the years of wear and tear, the cylinder breaks down and stops working.

Drained Key Fob Batteries

Cars nowadays use key fobs. These allow you to lock or unlock the vehicle from a distance. They send signals, which are received by transponder chips.

However, if the batteries are drained, the fob might not work the way it’s expected to. It’s not just the batteries though.

Sometimes the fault lies with the internal wiring as well. Something as simple as dropping the fob might damage its components and prevent the key from working properly.

Key Isn’t Programmed

Transponder keys are programmed with specific vehicles. Therefore, in case of a problem with the key coding, it might stop working properly. This is a common problem when you get your car remotes replaced.

You Aren’t Using the Original Key

Vehicle owners often get duplicates made. It gives them peace of mind to know that they have a replacement available in case they lose the key. However, every time you get a duplicate made, the original key loses its integrity.

As a result, the duplicate might not have the same grooves and wouldn’t function properly.

In case you are facing problems with your car keys, get in touch with car locksmiths. We can help. We offer automobile locksmith services in New York City. We also offer services to residential and commercial property owners.