February 26, 2019

Consider These 5 Things if You're Having Trouble with the Locks on Your Car in Houston

Lock and key technology has come a long way and on many modern Volkswagen models, you don't even need to put a physical key in a lock. Unfortunately, problems with today's automotive keys, door locks, and ignition locks still happen. We've seen just about everything in our authorized service center at Archer Volkswagen, and we want to share some of our experience about car keys and locks in the following five things to consider. If you have any questions, please reach out to our authorized service center where we proudly serve Stafford, TX and beyond.

5. Problems with Car Locks

Whether it's the lock on the exterior of your car door or the one that you turn the car on with, you shouldn't have any issues with it on modern vehicles. However, if you turn the key and it doesn't do what it's supposed to, there's a chance that the physical lock has been damaged by corrosion or something like an attempted theft. If the lock is damaged, it will need to be replaced. However, sometimes the grooves on a key simply wear down and cause the key not to work as well. That simply means it's time to have a new key cut.

4. Is the Car Key the Problem?

This can be difficult to determine in many cases. Of course, in the rare event that a key gets broken off in the lock, both will need to be replaced. But what if the key just doesn't insert or turn as it should. If it's an early morning and you've not gotten to the coffee just yet, it could be something simple like trying to use the key to your spouse's vehicle on your own ride. Or, it could be that something is wrong, which means it's likely time to have the experts take a look.

3. The Key Fob Isn't Operating the Power Locks

This is a much more common problem. Often, the solution is to simply replace the small battery inside the key fob. However, there are some things to consider for this seemingly easy task. You see, the vehicle must be paired to the specific key. If the key fob is without power, there's a chance that it will need to again be paired to the car. If you're still having problems with a key fob after the battery was replaced, stop by an authorized service center where they can get everything working as it should for a reasonable price.

2. Perhaps the Fuse for the Door Locks Blew

We probably see more customers with issues related to #3, but a blown fuse for the door locks can be maddening. After all, the key fob won't work no matter what you do if the power locks have a blown fuse. You should be able to find which fuse this is and where to find it in your owner's manual, or swing by our service center where expert technicians can get to the bottom of any car key or lock problems you may encounter.

1. Remember, Keys are an Important Part of Automotive Security

Today's advanced technology has made it harder than ever for thieves to access your vehicle, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful and take precautions. If you ever lose a car key, we strongly recommend having the locks changed to ensure that if the missing key fell into the wrong hands, it would be useless. Be careful who you lend your keys to, as it's easy to have a key copied, and never leave your car running unattended unless you have factory remote start that's designed for this purpose.