A Beginner’s Guide to the Different Types of Car Keys

Everyone thinks they know how car keys work. This isn’t at all surprising as most people understand that car keys help you start your car and unlock your doors. Now, things start becoming a little more complicated when you lose your keys and need to get into your car. While things may seem hopeless, all you’ll really need to do is to replace them. Before anything else, it’s crucial that you understand what type of keys you have. To help you out with this, we thought it would be useful to put together a brief article on this subject. If this is something that you’re interested in learning more about, read on for a beginner’s guide to car keys.

If you have a car that’s on the older side, it likely comes with a basic metal key. This key is machine-cut to ensure precision. These keys are used to turn the ignition as well as lock and unlock the car doors. While they may seem basic, these keys come with a few features including the ability to program a key for distance locking and using an alarm system. The most common type of basic keys are switchblades, wherein you press a button and the key pops out of the case.

This may be the most common type of car key today. Transponder keys are named after the transmitter and responder technology that’s used to operate them. These keys are common in vehicles that are from the mid-90s. These keys come with chips that are assigned to one specific car with the corresponding sensor. This makes them far more secure than basic car keys.

Technology has completely transformed car security. Modern keys are created using new technology to program them with advanced features. Smart keys allow the owner to unlock a car door remotely, for example. They usually utilize rolling codes, which makes it difficult for thieves to break in and steal cars. Keys are essential in starting a car, which is why you should look into getting a replacement if you lose them.

We hope this article proves to be useful when it comes to helping you gain a better understanding of the different types of car keys. As you can see, keys can be quite different from one another depending on what type you have. If you end up losing basic keys, they are rather easy to duplicate and replace. Now, things become a little more complicated with more complex keys. For transponder and smart keys, you will need to reach out to locksmiths and professionals that specialize in working with these types of keys. Smart keys, in particular, are incredibly difficult to replace. To add to this, they will also be rather costly so we suggest that you take good care of your smart keys. Be sure to keep everything you’ve learned here in mind so that you can make the most informed decisions for your vehicle.

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