In this blog entry, our expert New Orleans automotive locksmith service and 24/7 car lockout service team will detail the top reasons that car keys often stop working.
- Power Issues
If the car isn’t receiving enough power, the car key will likely not work. This often happens when there’s too many accessories plugged into your vehicle or if your car battery has died. If this is the case, remove any accessories that might be draining car battery life, and replace the car battery if it has fully broken.
- Dead Key Fob Batteries
If your key stopped working because of a dead battery, you might need to buy a brand new key instead of a new battery. Take out the key battery and use a voltmeter to see if there’s any power still inside your car battery and test if the key has voltage – if it doesn’t, purchase a new transponder key.
- Tampered Keyholes
When thieves attempt to steal your car, they sometimes try to pry open your keyhole which can easily break keys when they are inserted into it.
- Keyless Remote Damage
If keyless car remotes stop working, they likely have had internal damage. Try replacing the key battery and see if this fixes the issue. If this doesn’t work, contact a professional automotive locksmith who can repair or replace your transponder key or car remote.
- Car Computer Key Reading Issues
Sometimes car computers don’t read the transponder key data correctly. This is more of a common issue with older cars, because older cars use an analog system to read analog keys and newer car models have digital key reading systems. If your car has an analog system and the key isn’t working, try sanding off its metal so that the electromagnet inside the ignition can easier read the chip inside the key.