BMW Car Key Replacement in San Antonio

What Are Your Options When You Need a BMW Key Replacement?

Have you bought a used BMW and it only came with one key or key fob? Have you gone to the beach and at the end of the day realized you couldn’t find your car keys? A car key isn’t something you get at the hardware store any longer. Most BMW’s built in the last 20 years have some type of electronics built into the key. That means a BMW replacement key requires a trip to the auto dealership… or does it? A better option is to contact Immediate Response Locks and Keys, a full-service locksmith. Immediate Response Locks and Keys can make a BMW key replacement San Antonio and program it to your car for a lot less money than an auto dealership. But you might be wondering if you should trust your BMW to a locksmith instead of the auto dealership. You should consider that Immediate Response Locks and Keys has licensed, bonded and highly qualified locksmith technicians. Also, an auto dealership provides many services while Immediate Response Locks and Keys only deals with locks and keys. Our technicians are highly experienced since we deal with replacement keys regularly. Our technicians can produce a BMW car key replacement for laser cut keys, PATS, VAT, transponders, and other high-security type keys. You paid good money for your BMW and you want a quality job done right the first time.

What If You Find Yourself Locked Out of Your Car?

This is one of the most frustrating things that can happen and you can be assured it will never happen at a good time. Sometimes it can be a minor inconvenience, while at other times it can put you in a dangerous situation. In the old days, with a coat hanger, a little time and a little luck, you could get back into your car. If you tried that today you would trigger the alarm and possibly disable the car’s ignition system. Car door locks are more complex and have sophisticated electronic security systems tied into their operations. If you happen to be so unlucky as to have locked your keys in the trunk then the process is even more difficult. Car trunks are designed to be even more secure than the passenger compartment. You could call the dealership if they are open when it happens, and they will send a tow truck. The towing company will send a truck when they can.  This will be very costly and very time-consuming. Instead, you can make just one phone call and in a very short period of time, a locksmith technician from Immediate Response Locksmith will come to where you are and unlock your car for a fraction of the cost. We can unlock your car without triggering the alarm and causing more problems. This is an emergency 24-hour service, which means we will answer and be ready to help you when you need it the most.

What If Your Ignition Lock Breaks?

You put your key in the ignition, but the key won’t turn all the way. You try several times and now the key is completely stuck. Your ignition lock is broken and your car is paralyzed. Most people would assume that the only way to fix the car is to have it towed to the auto dealership and rent a car until the parts arrive and your car is repaired. That may have been the case years ago but today you have another option, a better one. You can call Locksmith San Antonio and we can repair or replace your ignition lock cylinder. Although this sounds very simple, be careful if you are thinking of attempting this on your own. All BMWs produced from January 1995 have various versions of the EWS security system.  This system has a codes chip in the ignition key and a receiver antenna around the key lock cylinder.  The code in the key’s chip is transmitted to the EWS control module.  If the code is not recognized, or there is no code, (such as when using the wrong key or a key with a bad chip, or when someone is trying to steal the car and forcing the ignition), the EWS will not allow the engine to start. The replacement parts must be properly coded to the vehicle’s VIN, in order for the EWS system to work. All of our certified lock technicians have the required sophisticated equipment to carry out this replacement.

Why is BMW Key Replacement So Expensive?

Car keys were very basic until about the mid-1990s. You had a metal shank that was cut with a pattern that allowed you to turn your ignition key or unlock your door. The problem was if someone wanted to steal your car, they only had to break into your car and then force the ignition to turn, and off they went with your vehicle. To make it harder to steal your car, auto manufacturers, such as BMW, added security systems that used a chip embedded in the key that had to match a code on the computer. If you simply forced the ignition, the car wouldn’t start since the codes wouldn’t match. Newer keys are also laser cut and have a distinctive winding cut on the shank. The machines needed to cut these keys are significantly more expensive and are not as likely to be found at every locksmith. Laser-cut keys also have built-in transponder chips that need to be programmed by a special machine. These keys are often found in a switchblade configuration. Modern keys are expensive, but they do provide a higher degree of security and convenience. What can you do to minimize your cost when it comes to losing your keys? It’s better to get a BMW replacement key in San Antonio as a spare now than to deal with a stressful situation and spend much more money in what will most likely be (Murphy’s Law) an emergency. Call Immediate Response Locksmith today and see just how inexpensive that extra key is.