A-Locksmith-Craig provides 24-hour emergency and non-emergency automotive services. We can get you in if you’re locked out of your vehicle, make a key to your vehicle if you have lost all your keys, or repair your vehicle’s locks. We offer a wide variety of locksmith services to get you and your loved ones back on the road. Our professional technicians provide personalized attention and custom services tailored specifically to best meet your needs and budget. We have the most current tools and our professionals are extremely knowledgeable about the most recent methods. We’ll safely and effectively get you back where you need to be.

Our expert professionals provide the highest quality of work at honest, affordable prices. We strive to provide outstanding customer service. Unable to gain access to your vehicle can be a frustrating experience, we understand this. We try to get you in and on your way as quickly as possible. We offer emergency services, whether you are stuck in a store parking lot, left your car running in your driveway, or can’t seem to locate your keys, we provide fast, efficient solutions to your dilemma. Don’t get upset over lost or stolen keys again. Simply take a deep breath, pick up the phone, and call A-Locksmith-Craig!

Types of Automotive Keys

These days there aren’t “simple” automotive keys. The following are the 4 main types of automotive keys:

Mechanical Keys:

Mechanical keys are all metal keys that do not have a chip installed in the head of the key. Traditional mechanical keys can be easily identified by the fact that there is no rubber on the head of the key. Although the head of the key was traditionally metal, some manufacturers later offered these mechanical keys with a very thin layer of rubber on the head of the key.

Transponder (Chip) Keys:

Transponder keys also known as “chip” keys, are keys that have a small computer chip imbedded in the head if the key. These keys do not have any buttons on the head of the key but have a thick rubber head on the top of the key. After the blade of the key has been cut to turn your vehicle’s ignition, the transponder has to be programmed to your vehicle to allow the vehicle to start. If the transponder has not been programmed to your vehicle, when the key is turned, the dash lights will light up and the radio can be turned on, but your vehicle will not start.

Remote Keys:

Remote keys are keys that have a key blade with cuts (teeth or bitting) on the blade of the key but also has buttons on the head of the key. In essence a remote key is a key and a remote combined into one item.

Proximity Keys:

Proximity keys are the newest in the key line. Proximity keys are called proximity keys because they work when they are in close proximity to your vehicle’s ignition. These keys are the kind of keys you can keep in your pocket or purse and start your car with the push of a button.

Proximity keys can be further divided into two types of keys. Smart keys and regular proximity keys. Both regular proximity keys and smart proximity keys have buttons in the head of the key. The difference between a smart proximity key and a regular proximity key is the smart keys are continually sending out a signal that your car can read so when you get near your vehicle, it will automatically unlock. Regular proximity keys require you to press the unlock button on the head of the key to unlock your vehicle.

Reflashing Services

Early Toyota and Lexus vehicles operated a bit different from the later systems do. There are lots of differences but the main one you will actually care about is that if you lose your last key to one of these vehicles the cost for new keys seems really high. Why is that? It’s because Toyota and Lexus (same company) in their infinite wisdom thought it would be a good idea to not give anyone access to the ECU (the part in the car that stores the chip key data) through the standard diagnostic port. That means you can’t plug-in a diagnostic machine and simply add in keys like we can on the later models.

This leaves you with 2 options.

Tow it to a dealer and pay to have the ECU replaced, synched to the car, and then to program in the brand new keys they sell. Make sure you are sitting down when you hear the price of that!
Call us. We can re-flash your current ECU and add in two keys for a fraction of the cost of a brand new part, labor to install and high programming fees.
Reflashing means that we write over the current files in the ECU and convert it back to its virgin unused state. After it’s been overwritten, we can add in new keys! Here is the list of vehicles that need to be reflashed if all keys are lost.

Acura

NSX 1997-2004

RL 1007-2002

Honda

Prelude 1996-2004

Lexus

ES300 1998 – 2003

ES330 2004

GS300 1998 – 2004

GS400 1998 – 2000

GS430 2001-2003

GX470 2003-2004

IS300 2001-2003

LS400 1998-2000

LS430 2001-2004

LX470 1998–2004

RX300 1999–2003

RX330 2004

SC300 1998–2000

SC400 1998–2000

SC430 2002-2003

Saab

93 2003-2009

Toyota

4Runner 1998–2004

Avalon 1998–2003

Camry 1998–2009

FJ Cruiser

Highlander 2001–2003

Landcruiser 1998–2004

MR2 2000–2003

RAV4 2002–2003

Sequoia 2001–2007

Sienna 1998–2003

Solara 1998–2004

Avalon – Camry – Solara

The 1998 – 1999 Toyota Avalon, 1998 Toyota Camry and the 1998 Toyota Solara have the potential of having a Delco brand engine control unit. Delco boxes are rare and require a very special reader to reset (re-flash) the unit. If your vehicle has a Delco box we CAN reset these but the cost is higher.