No 1-800 #'s and no call centers in some other state.

When you call our phone number you will be talking directly to a MOBILE LOCKSMITH in your local area.

We are a locally owned and operated Locksmith serving the Jefferson county, Blount county and Walker county area in Alabama since 1994.

Ford Focus Ignition switch failure.

The bad news first is that nearly all Ford Focus ignition switches will fail. These switches were very poorly designed. Ford is well aware of this problem. But don't expect them to issue a recall, because this problem will not injure or kill anybody.

The good news is that if you oil the lock every 6 months or so using wd-40 or other silicone lubricant you can extend the length of time before it fails. Also if you are using a jiggle key-STOP!- because using a key that you have to jiggle to make it work will speed up the failure.
If using a jiggle key, get a code key made and use that. I explain this in my ' Car ign. lifespan post'.

The other good news is that my company can repair this ignition switch so that it won't fail again.
The cost ranges from $120.00 to $200.00, based on how worn down your key is.

When I repair the switch, it should out last the vehicle. I have been repairing these switches for over 5 years now, and have never had to repair one a second time.

No charge!

If we can't fix your problem, or we can't do or complete the job, there is no charge and we will try to recommend someone who can help you.
No other Lock company does this, PERIOD!
When I say no charge, I mean nothing, not even a service call for coming out.
No lock company or locksmith knows everything or can fix everything, but I am probably the only one who admits it.
So I repeat, if we can't help you, there is no charge it won't cost you a penny and we will try to recommend someone who can help you.

Car ignition lifespan.

Most car ignitions will last at least 80,000 miles even under heavy abuse and neglect. Although you can make them last the life of the car by doing a couple of little things.
1. lubricate the keyhole with liquid lubricant such as wd-40 or graphite at least once a year. NOTE - If you live in a warm climate it is recommend that you use a liquid lube because using graphite in a warm humid climate, it turns into a thick mud that can cause the pins in the lock to stick. But if you live in a climate where the temperature can get into the negative numbers then you will fair better with graphite because wd-40 and other liquid lubes can get so thick as to cause the pins to stick inside the lock. Whenever using graphite always use very little because if you use too much it can clump in the lock and jam the pins and springs that are inside the lock. Using too much wd-40 won't cause any problems other than making a mess.
2. Don't let your key get worn out and keep using it. Here is how you avoid this problem. Make sure you have 1 new key and never use it. Keep it and make duplicates from it and use the duplicates until they get worn, then you still have the new key to get another duplicate made that is not worn.
NOTE - getting a duplicate does NOT make the key new again. New key means, new from the factory when you buy the car new or by getting a code key cut by a locksmith. The reason for this is because the action of inserting and removing the key from the lock causes the key to wear down over time, and getting a copy after extensive use will result in you getting a worn out copy. So I repeat again,

Myth: Having multiple key chains will ruin your ignition.
Having a lot of key chains on your key will NOT ruin your ignition. Let me explain this, when you insert the key into the switch, you are supporting the weight of the keyring, once you turn the switch the lock casing, (which is thicker metal than a coat hook), is supporting the weight. Now there is a risk with having a lot of key rings on your key, the biggest one is the possibility of the weight causing a crack in the key that could cause it to break.
The act of using too much force or pressure while inserting or turning the key or using a worn out key is what ruins ignition switches. If you are jiggling the key to make it work, your key is most likely worn out. GET A NEW ONE! Before it ruins your switch.

What are transponder keys

Well the short answer is, a key with a computer chip embedded in the plastic head of the key. For a more detailed answer CLICK HERE. Almost all cars on the road today that have been made since the year 2000 have these types of keys. These keys are expensive, so guard them with your life. The equipment to program these keys is also expensive costing upwards of $4000.00. So needless to say even a duplicate of these keys can cost as much as $50.00 up to and beyond $150.00 on some models. YES my company can make these keys to most cars, either from scratch if all keys are lost or spares if you already have a key. Keep in mind if you need a spare and only have "1" key, it will cost more than if you have "2" keys and want a spare.

There are couple of ways that you can use most times to tell if your car has these types of keys or not. If your key was all metal "no plastic" and would start and run the car then it is not a transponder key. But if you look on the dash instrument panel and there is an orange light flashing that says either "theft" or "security" or a small round red light flashing either on top of the dash or in the dash near the instruments and your key had a plastic or rubber head, then more than likely your car does use a transponder key.

Lock re-keying

This is where we take the existing lock off the door and change the pins inside the lock so that the old key won't work anymore and you will get a totally new key. Then we put the lock back on the door. The only reason you would need to replace the locks is if they were worn out, or you just don't like the look of them.
Pricing - most all locksmiths price the same way and that is they charge per cylinder, or per keyhole. Both terms mean the same thing. A doorknob will have 1 cyl.- but some deadbolts have 2 cyl's. one keyhole on the inside and one on the outside. So you must count 2 cyl's for those locks that need a key to lock it from the inside, as well as the outside. Keep this in mind when adding up the number of cyl's. before calling for a price.
NOTE "You must count every keyhole inside and outside on every lock and every door that you want to have changed."

Car unlocking

Most locksmiths, but not all, will let you back in your car should you lock your keys inside. Like I said in an earlier post, the average response time is between 15 and 25 min. give or take based on traffic. When you call we will get a detailed description of the vehicle and where it is located. When our tech arrives he will first locate the vehicle, then when located and positive ID made will look inside to see if the keys are visible, "NOTE" if the keys are visible he will then open the car and remove the keys. YES even if you are not at the vehicle. The reason for this is YOUR protection, there are a lot of crooks out there that would break the window and drive away in your car. So I strongly suggest that you not leave your car unattended. If you must leave, to get to a phone, to call a locksmith then try to have someone else watch your car for you or after you call get back to your car as soon as possible or at least be in a place where you can watch your car. I can't STRESS this STRONGLY enough, HERE'S WHY - Back in 1997 I was called out to unlock a guys car, upon arrival I found the car and saw the keys in the ignition, then went into the office building to locate the owner. When the owner and I returned outside the car was gone with only a pile of glass on the ground. The car had been stolen. So now it is our policy that if the keys are visible and there is nobody around, We will unlock the car and remove the keys. Then try to locate the customer or will wait by the car until the customer returns.

Opening your house when you are locked out.

Most all locksmiths have the ability to let you back in your house when you lock yourself out. But it is required, and in some states the law, that we be able to verify that the person we are letting in has a legal right to enter that premises. There are several ways in which we do this.
1. The easiest and the first question we ask is does your drivers license have that address on it.

2. If you answer no to #1 then we use your license to verify who you are then ask if you have some sort of bill or piece of mail with your name and that address on it.

3. If you answer no to #2 then we ask if once we open the door are we going to be able to see a picture of you on the wall in the home or some sort of personal item such as a pay check stub, rental papers or other official paperwork of some kind with your name on it. we must be able to connect the dots between you and the house in some way.

4. If you are NOT the owner or renter of the property then you MUST have legal paperwork proving that you have the authority to enter the premises. Some examples include but are not limited to, Power of attorney, Executor of will papers, tax receipts where you pay taxes on the property, insurance papers with your name and that address on them, any official paperwork showing where you pay any of the bills on that property.

Those are just a few.

If you answer NO to all of the questions above you will find it near impossible for you to find a locksmith that will let you in.

Setting an appointment

On most occasions if you call before 10am on the morning you need the work done we can get to you the same day.

Response Time on LOCKOUTS

Any HONEST locksmith will tell you that the average response time for a lockout is between 15 and 25 min. On rare occasions sooner if we happen to have one of our workers in your neighborhood at that moment. Sometimes slightly longer during rush hours due to traffic and school buses when school is in session.
ALSO for those of you who are calling from anywhere on or near HWY 280, it is the most congested HWY in the state! So please you people have got to learn to have a little patience and be a little forgiving, you know how crowded that road is and how slow the traffic moves. It can take up to 20 minutes just to travel a 3 mile stretch of this hwy.

Calling us

As with most businesses our work comes in floods. So should you be so unfortunate as to call in and get our voice mail it does not necessarily mean we are closed. So please leave your NAME, PHONE#, and a brief description of the work you need. Most times we are able to return your call within 5 min. Almost always within the hour.

If your call is not returned within the hour, then yes we are probably busy and we will try to return your call by the end of the day.