I recently received a call from a lady who found herself in a tricky situation at another locksmith's parking lot. She had gone there to have a spare key duplicated for her 2006 Chevy Equinox. However, after trying the new key, her ignition got stuck, and neither the duplicate key nor her original key worked. The locksmith attempted multiple times to fix the issue, but nothing worked. He then concluded that the ignition needed to be replaced. Instead of taking responsibility for his mistake (which I’ll discuss in a bit), he quoted her a rather high price to replace the stuck ignition.
Smartly, the lady decided to get a second opinion and called around for more quotes, which is when I got involved. I was available and nearby, so after hearing her situation, I picked up a replacement ignition, just in case, and quickly headed over.
When I arrived and assessed the situation, I discovered that one of the wafers in the ignition was stuck. Despite trying various methods, including lubricating and tapping, it became clear that the only solution was replacing the stuck ignition. Fortunately, I had the necessary part on hand and was able to get her back on the road that same evening. To prevent any future issues, I made her a set of spare keys and ensured everything was functioning smoothly.
Now, about the previous locksmith—I was quite disappointed with how he handled things. Not only did he produce a faulty duplicate key that likely caused the ignition problem, but he also refused to take responsibility for it. Instead, he quoted her an inflated price to fix an issue that was arguably his fault. It’s possible that he didn’t properly deburr the duplicate key, which might have led to the ignition getting stuck in the first place. A simple cleaning and proper deburring could have prevented the entire situation.
This experience underscores the importance of correctly deburring keys, accurately duplicating keys, and choosing a locksmith who stands by their work. Failing to do so could result in a stuck ignition and a costly replacement!
Comments