The days are long gone when a locksmith could easily duplicate your lost or stolen car keys
By Judy Lin - Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, September 17, 2006
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A3
Bob Danelz uses a multivehicle programmer to access a car's computer to obtain the security code to program a key. If signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senate Bill 1542 would allow a vehicle owner, through a licensed locksmith, to access the key codes necessary to replace lost or damaged keys. Sacramento Bee/Brian Baer
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When Lilia Tenes lost her spare car keys, no locksmith she contacted could help get her Mercury Marquis operating and out of the driveway.
Without an alternative, Tenes had her car towed more than 30 miles from San Jose to her dealership in Gilroy -- an eight-hour ordeal that cost her $500 for new keys, towing and labor.
"If there was some way we could get the code, I could have had a locksmith do it," the 73-year-old retired church administrator said about her experience earlier this year.
A bill on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk would do just that: grant registered locksmiths access to key codes so they can cut and program a working key for most vehicles.
If signed, Senate Bill 1542 would allow a vehicle owner, through a licensed locksmith, to access the key codes necessary to replace lost or damaged keys.
Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, calls her bill a consumer protection measure that will help vehicle owners regain control of their cars in a timely manner.
The auto manufacturing industry, however, fears that the bill -- believed to be the first of its kind -- would push the state into uncharted waters that could compromise anti-theft security measures.
"California is already a car thief's paradise and we're concerned that SB 1542 would give the keys to the kingdom," said Bill George, a spokesman for the Alliance of Car Manufacturers.
The measure also is opposed by the California Motor Car Dealers Association.
Gone are the days when locksmiths could just replicate a metal key and put a driver back on the road in a jiffy. As security technology grows more sophisticated, automobile clubs say more people are finding it harder to get into their own cars when they lose or damage their keys, because most of these openers have electronic chips embedded in them for communicating with receivers in the dashboard.
Such smart keys -- or transponder keys -- require electronic codes that locksmiths don't always have access to.
"(One locksmith) told me there was no way he could make the key because he didn't have the code," said Tenes, who now keeps the spare key locked up in a safe. "The only way was to take the car to the dealer."
The Automobile Club of Southern California and the California State Automobile Association -- the sponsors of the bill -- say Tenes isn't alone. The auto clubs estimate that as many as 10,000 Californians a month need locksmith service because of key-related issues.
"The intent of this bill is not only to get into the car, but also to operate it," said John Brueggeman, president of the California Locksmiths Association, which is supporting the bill.
George said advances in locks are the result of a consumer- and insurance-driven push for better security.
By giving out key codes to locksmiths, George warned, California could see an increase in car thefts.
According to a National Insurance Crime Bureau study released in May, six of the top 10 U.S. metropolitan areas for vehicle thefts were in California, including Sacramento.
The bill doesn't protect the public from unscrupulous locksmiths accessing the codes, and it could make the codes vulnerable to hackers, George said.
Sean Comey, a spokesman for the auto club, dismissed that notion, saying his organization is one of the largest auto insurers in the state.
"If we thought we were going to increase vehicle thefts, we wouldn't be for this," Comey said.
The bill has the support of law enforcement groups, insurers and locksmith associations.
Currently, the state has about 10,000 licensed locksmiths, and only a fraction carry transponder equipment capable of generating new keys.
Most refer car owners to the dealership, and even those with the equipment can't reproduce keys for all makes and models, Brueggeman said.
The locksmiths at Bode and Bode lock and safe company in midtown Sacramento try to keep up to date with the latest technology. Even then, they can't make transponder keys for all makes and models.
John Fimple, manager at Bode and Bode, said he supports the bill. Having access to key codes can cut down on the time it takes to make a key and save on towing costs.
"If a locksmith comes out, he can get the code or impression and make it work. He can figure out the problem on-site," Fimple said.
Bob Danelz of Natomas Lock & Key said he has invested $20,000 to buy secondary market equipment to be able to make transponder keys, including vehicle programmers and key blanks.
Besides saving drivers the time and expense of towing cars into dealerships, Danelz said the bill addresses safety.
"If you're talking about mom and the kids stranded out by the road, that's probably the worst-case scenario," Danelz said.
The Governor's Office says Schwarzenegger has not yet taken a position on the bill. He has until Sept. 30 to act. If signed, it would take effect Jan. 1, 2008, for most manufacturers.
The measure provides an exemption for smaller vehicle lines. Manufacturers and locksmiths would also be immune from theft liability as long as they complied with the law.
About the writer:
A multivehicle programmer, above, can access the security code in a car's computer so that a chip in a blank key, below, can be programmed. Sacramento Bee/Brian Baer
A bill that would give access to locksmiths is viewed as a security threat by some. Sacramento Bee/Brian Baer
