Car Key Replacement Tips For Your Mini Cooper
The days of turning the key to operate your vehicle are disappearing as technology advances. Instead, we use remote programming options. Even these can fail and require assistance from a professional. For quick car key replacement, a professional mobile locksmith is the best choice.
You can purchase a spare key from a dealer, however it must be programmed to the specific car you own prior to activation. This is only done by locksmiths who have access to your VIN and registration or title.
Keys stolen or lost
Owners of Mini Cooper cars often choose them for their great gas mileage, low maintenance needs and a high resale price. Like any other car Mini Cooper keys can be lost or not work. If this happens, a reliable locksmith will help.
Modern vehicles come with remote key fobs which can be used to open doors and start engines. The fobs come with an immobiliser system that prevents the vehicle from being driven without the right key. If you lose yours the cost of replacing it is expensive.
Newer models of cars include an electronic chip embedded in their key fobs which talks to the transponder within the engine of your car. copy contains a code that is unique to the car you own. If you purchase a replacement chip, it needs to be programmed to the specific car, which requires an authorised dealer or a locksmith with the appropriate tools.
It's costly to replace your keys with a dealer, but this is often the only choice. A professional locksmith on mobile can visit you and design keys for lower, especially if have the registration or title of your car on hand to prove that you are the owner.
Unlocking Your Car
You can ruin your day when you realize you've locked your keys inside your car. It could be that you are waiting for someone to show up and unlock the door or for a truck to arrive. There are, however, some clever tricks you can try to save time and money.
The first step is to find an extremely long, thin rod. You can make use of a clothes hanger made of wire, but you can also make use of a rod composed of a sturdy strip of plastic, or even shoelace. It should be thin enough to pass through the door seam, and long enough to reach the lock button.
Tie a slip knot in the string (a sliding knot that tightens tightly when pulled). The loop from the slip knot on the lock button. Gently wiggle back and forth the string by putting the slip knot on top of the lock-button in back-and forward motions until the knob located on the inside of the door opens.
This trick might not be effective in all situations however it's an excellent solution for a lot of cars. This technique is particularly helpful when the locking mechanism of your vehicle is on the side rather than at the top. If your car has a knob at the top of the door, this technique may also be able to assist you if you have the appropriate tool at hand. Be careful not to damage the car.
Resetting Your Key Fob
If you lose the key fob, or change the battery, you might need to reset it. This shouldn't impact the functionality of the key, but it's possible you installed the battery in a wrong way. It is recommended to take the new battery to the dealership to be installed so that they can confirm that it's a suitable one for your car.
It is essential that you have a working key to use while you're trying to reset yours. Then, you'll need to sit in the driver's seat and set your new blank key aside in a location close to the car. Press the small silver tab on the back of the fob to release the keys made from metal, and take the batteries off. Replace the battery with a new one, and ensure that it's right side up (the negative side is on the outside of the fob).
After you've replaced the key battery, turn the car on. Press the lock and unlock buttons on all of your fobs to program them using the vehicle's computer. When all the fobs have been programmed, you can return to your car and lock it as normal. Make sure you turn off the ignition to terminate the programming process, as waiting too long between actions could cause your car to wipe out all of its settings.
Replace the locks
It's a pain to be locked out of your car and it can be costly to replace keys. Locksmiths can charge more than $150 for a key fob. The dealer will charge you around $150. It is best to keep spare keys in a safe location, or purchase a smartlock for your mini cooper to unlock it with your smartphone.
Replacing the door lock actuator could be a straightforward DIY project for the majority of people However, it requires some effort and patience. The first step is to remove the old actuator. To do this, grab the inside and remove it. Take off the rod that's attached to the manual lock. It's a rod that has black plastic on one end. This rod will be an actuator's clip. This can be a challenge to find and get back to its place, which is why it's a good idea to keep the window shut while working on this.
Then, remove the cover and remove the old battery. Install the new battery and then replace the cover. Install the actuator, making sure that the slant end of your control rod fits into the fitting at the top of the actuator. This is a tight fitting and you may have to apply some force to move it into place. After doing this the doors should lock and unlock when you press the buttons on the key fob. If they don't, you'll require a certified locksmith or the dealership for help.