Locksmith Services
Automotive
Automotive
Residential
Residential
Commercial
Commercial
Email Us
What You'll Get With
Locks By The Bay
Fast & Friendly
Locks By The Bay won't keep you waiting. We will arrive on time. When we arrive, expect to be greeted with kindness and thanked for your business.
No Surprises
We go the extra mile to provide accurate quotes over the phone. We will have the correct parts to complete the job as promised. Text messages, photos, and communication are cornerstones of success. We show up when promised, do what we say, and charge the amount agreed upon.
Professional
We are licensed security professionals, insured, and accredited with all major locksmith organizations. We are equipped with the latest technology, programming equipment, and key cutting capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answer to some of our most common questions:
There are multiple parts that all must work together to start a modern car, only one of them is the ignition cylinder. There are other computer modules that must be matched to the car. So, when unmatched components were placed in the vehicle, it now won’t crank, even though the key is turning correctly. A good automotive locksmith can match these “new” components to the car, but it is often cheaper to put the old column back in and have a locksmith make and program the key. A locksmith will determine the cuts of a key and then program this key to the car without swapping out components.
Ignition cylinders take allot of wear with each turn of the key. Worn keys, dropped and damaged keys, and large amounts of weight hanging off of the key also takes a toll. Your ignition cylinder likely either needs to be rebuilt or replaced. A qualified locksmith can do this on the spot without towing it.
Not necessarily. The remote and the transponder chip commonly found in immobilizer enabled cars are two separate systems. The transponder chip is frequently found molded into the plastic of a plastic head key.
That term, “popping” a lock, comes from the sound a car door makes when it’s opened with pressure on the lock. The pressure comes from wedges, often air wedges, that bend the door open. Doors permanently bent or paint being chipped is often the result. If you call someone to open your car door and this is their first tool of choice, that isn’t a locksmith. Popping a lock for a good locksmith is a last line of defense after picking the lock wasn’t possible or practical.
Yes. Keep in mind that getting the trunk open is sometimes not has easy as opening the door and hitting the button. Often electronic buttons are disabled when the alarm is set and are not re-enabled when the door is open.
No, for almost all cars on the road, these keys can be programmed by a qualified locksmith.
New ones can be installed, but often the deadbolt can be repaired. Repairing has the advantage of a matching finish and style, where a new one will often look different. A good locksmith can get the door unlocked without damage then repair or replace the deadbolt.
The Kwikset SmartKey locks are marketed as not being pickable, but they most certainly can be picked. There are other methods to bypass these locks as well.
A reputable locksmith should honor that stamp. They shouldn’t copy it unless they can verify ownership of the lock it unlocks. Just possessing the key does not prove you own the lock it unlocks. These stamps are often used for locks in “lockout/tagout” systems where safety is a concern and lives can be at risk.
Most often yes, it can be made. Sometimes, the hardest part is figuring out the key blank. A reputable locksmith will stock hundreds of different ones, and there are some commonly used ones. The more information you have the better, such as manufacturer, model number, and pictures.
Yes, the old key blanks are still available. It can take some time to find the blank with the correct measurements, but if the lock is functioning, a key can be made.
Our Latest Articles
Credentials and Affiliations
