With millions of people working two jobs to make ends meet, it isn’t surprising that many individuals prefer to DIY a problem than pay a professional. About 44% of Americans say they would rather save money and fix a problem than call a plumber or locksmith.
However, many problems are made worse through poor DIY work. And some tasks are simply too dangerous to be tackled by amateurs.
One survey indicated that about 16,000 people lock themselves out of their vehicles every day. Being locked out is frustrating. It will be very tempting to force entry. While trying to break into a car using DIY methods isn’t in itself dangerous, there are risks involved.
What services do automotive locksmiths perform?
The most common reason for calling an automotive locksmith is to gain entry to a vehicle. Being locked out of a car is extremely common, and probably a locksmith’s most popular service. Yet, automotive locksmiths actually carry out a range of other services. A visit to Locksmith Plus Inc. revealed a range of emergency automotive locksmithing services.
Some of the services automotive locksmiths provide include these:
- Broken key extraction
- Ignition repair
- Lock-out service
- Fob reprogramming
- Security advice
- Lock repair
- Key replacements
It is clear that many of these services would be beyond the average car owner. Nevertheless, many people think it’s easy to pop a lock and so they try to do it themselves.
Why is it important to call an automotive locksmith?
A professional automotive locksmith Las Vegas is going to be licensed where applicable, insured, and will provide quality-guaranteed work.
But, automotive locksmiths will also provide advice on security. You could benefit from asking how to make your garage securer. Or, which anti-theft devices work the best and are recommended?
Trying to gain entry to a locked vehicle may be successful. Yet, there are a number of pitfalls that you may not have considered.
What are the dangers of performing DIY automotive locksmithing?
There are plenty of reasons why automotive locksmiths are called. Extracting broken car keys can be tricky. And replacing ignition switches or barrels requires knowledge that most people don’t have.
However, it is the hidden dangers of DIY automotive locksmithing that are rarely mentioned. Trying to break into a car might result in far more expense than just calling a locksmith in the first place would incur.
Here then are ten reasons for calling a professional, and some of the potential dangers of trying to DIY your way into a car.
1 You don’t have the proper tools
The classic way of breaking into a car – at least on TV – is to use a coat hanger. Automotive locksmiths have professional long-reach tools to open locks without damaging the vehicle. Using the wrong tools or trying to improvise may achieve nothing except frustration, and potential damage.
2 You could cause damage to the vehicle
The damage mentioned above is very possible. Automotive locksmiths use special flat tools to slide between the car window and the door to reach the lock. Using the wrong tools could potentially break the window, scratch paintwork, or damage the lock.
3 You might leave your car unsecurable
Even if you gain access, the damage caused by doing so may render your car unlockable. Damaging a lock might mean that you cannot secure the car properly.
Car crime is on the rise. The FBI’s figures show that 721,885 vehicles were stolen in 2019. However, this figure rose by 25.1% between then and last year. In 2022, 1,001,967 vehicles were stolen. That is the equivalent of 1.9 car thefts every minute.
4 You might injure yourself
The most common tools for trying to force locks include screwdrivers and crowbars. The danger here is that you might physically harm yourself while trying to force a car door open.
Automotive locksmiths are trained to use the tools they have. And those tools are purpose designed for the job. Cars are made to be secure so theft isn’t easy. It might seem a good idea to force a car lock with a screwdriver, but the potential for injury is there.
5 You aren’t insured to carry out automotive locksmith services
Automotive locksmiths are insured. They will attempt to gain access to your car without causing any damage, and most likely they will succeed. Using professional tools, the locksmith will open the car without damaging it.
If a locksmith caused accidental damage they would be covered. But, you would have to pay for any damage you caused yourself.
6 Your warranty could be impaired
New vehicles come with warranties to protect the owner from expensive repairs that are no fault of their own. An understanding of car warranties means following the manufacturer’s guidelines and carrying out regular servicing. If you attempt any DIY automotive locksmithing, you may invalidate your warranty.
7 You might not spot serious problems
One of the benefits of using a professional to fix any problem is that they often notice other work that needs doing. For example, a roofer may be called out to fix some loose tiles and notice that there is more damage than initially believed. Spotting problems in this way often saves money in the long run.
In this case, perhaps you have successfully gotten into your car without damaging anything. Everything seems fine but actually, the locking system has been damaged. A locksmith will inspect and test that everything is okay before finishing up.
8 You could disable your alarm system by accident
Speaking of not noticing problems. Your DIY locksmith tools may end up disabling the security system. Obviously, disabling a car alarm will make the vehicle more vulnerable.
One key way to prevent your car from being stolen at home is to activate the alarm. Forcing entry into your car may have the opposite effect and instead deactivate the security system.
9 You could make the problem worse
This is the biggest risk of any DIY work. Trying to save money through DIY is often effective, but you also run the risk of creating a bigger problem. For instance, trying to extract a broken key might result in the lock sustaining damage that wasn’t there. Now, you will need an automotive locksmith to not only extract the key but to replace the lock too.
10 You might attract unwanted attention
Being locked out of a car is frustrating no doubt. People are often locked out of vehicles in car parks or in public. If you are reported for trying to break into a car the police may attend. Any frustration you felt at being locked out will be nothing compared to explaining yourself to the police.
Summary
Trying to use DIY methods to break into a car may leave you injured or with a bigger bill for repairs than expected. Cars are getting harder to break into as technology advances, and DIY locksmithing might not be enough. Even if you do gain access to the car, a lock might still need replacing, and you may have caused further damage.
Automotive locksmiths have tools to reprogram transponder keys. They can replace stolen keys, and they can extract broken ones too. Sometimes the benefits of DIY work are outweighed by the potential dangers of not using professional help.
