Ignition Cylinder Rekeying

Rekeying changes the internal pins (wafers, in most automotive ignitions) so that a different key operates the lock. We remove your ignition cylinder, disassemble it, replace the wafers with ones that match your door key's cuts, reassemble, and reinstall. Your door key now starts the car.

The process requires precision. Automotive ignition wafers are smaller than residential lock pins and must be matched exactly to the key cuts. If a wafer is off by even one size, the key binds or doesn't turn at all. We verify each wafer against your key before reassembly to ensure smooth operation.

For vehicles with transponder systems, the rekeying process addresses only the physical cylinder. The transponder chip in your door key must already be programmed to your car's immobilizer. If you have a door key that unlocks but doesn't start the car due to transponder issues, that's a different service - we'd need to program the chip, not rekey the ignition.

Most ignition rekeys take 30-60 minutes depending on the vehicle. Some ignition cylinders are easy to access (older trucks and sedans), while others require removing steering column covers or other components (many modern vehicles with integrated security features).

Rekeying costs less than replacing the ignition cylinder entirely. If your ignition works smoothly and you simply want it matched to your door key, rekeying is the right choice. The cylinder stays, only the internal wafers change.

Replacement makes more sense when: the ignition is worn and binding, the key is difficult to insert or remove, the cylinder has been damaged (attempted theft, broken key extraction), or the ignition switch is failing (electrical issues, not just cylinder wear). In these cases, a new ignition cylinder solves multiple problems at once, and we'd match it to your door key during installation anyway.

We'll assess your ignition's condition before recommending an approach. If rekeying will leave you with a still-problematic ignition, we'll be honest about it. A new cylinder with matched keys costs more upfront but provides years of reliable operation.

For vehicles with multiple locks on different keys - ignition, driver door, passenger door, trunk - we can rekey everything to match one key. This often involves removing and rekeying door cylinders as well. More labor, but you end up with one key that works everything.

We come to wherever your car is parked - your driveway, your office lot, wherever is convenient. Ignition rekeying doesn't require a shop. Our mobile vans carry the wafer kits for most common vehicles and the tools to remove and reinstall ignition cylinders.

Bring all your current keys to the appointment. We need to verify which key works the doors so we can match the ignition to it. If your door key doesn't have a transponder chip programmed to your car, we'll need to address that separately - the rekeyed ignition will turn, but the car won't start without proper transponder programming.

After rekeying, we test extensively. The key should insert smoothly, turn without binding, and extract cleanly. We'll have you start the car multiple times to verify everything works. If anything doesn't feel right, we adjust on the spot.

You'll leave with one key that works your ignition and doors. The old ignition-only key becomes useless for that cylinder (though it would still work door locks if they weren't rekeyed). If you want all old keys invalidated for security, we can rekey the door locks too.