What does an automotive locksmith do in El Segundo?
An automotive locksmith works on the locks, keys and ignition systems of vehicles, and not only passenger cars. At Wilshire Lock & Key that means cars, pickups and other trucks, motorcycles, RVs, and the work vehicles that businesses run as fleets. The job might be getting you into a locked vehicle, cutting or programming a replacement key, repairing a worn ignition, or pulling a broken key out of a door or ignition cylinder.
We have been doing this work since 1987, and vehicles have changed a great deal in that time. Plain metal keys gave way to keys with transponder chips, and then to remote fobs and push-button starts. A good car locksmith has to understand every one of those generations. Just as important, a good one tells you plainly when a particular vehicle is beyond what a locksmith can do and the dealer is the only route.
Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, and our mobile locksmith vans come to you in El Segundo, which is about 14 miles from our base. The phone at (213) 577-1366 is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, so an emergency car locksmith call at 2 a.m. reaches the same company as a daytime call.
When do El Segundo drivers call an auto locksmith?
Vehicle key trouble rarely happens at a convenient moment. Most calls we take fall into a handful of situations, and knowing which one you are in helps us bring the right tools and blanks.
Here is how those situations usually break down:
- Keys locked inside the vehicle. This is the most common call, and it is covered in more detail on our car lockout page.
- You lost the only key and there is no spare. This calls for a new key to be cut and programmed to your vehicle, which we cover under lost car key replacement.
- The remote fob stopped working, the buttons wore out, or the case broke apart. Often the fob itself can be replaced or reprogrammed; see key fob replacement.
- The key will not turn in the ignition, or it turns but the engine does not respond. That can point to a worn ignition cylinder or a key that has worn down, which falls under ignition repair.
- A key snapped off in a door lock, trunk lock or ignition.
- A door or trunk lock that has gone stiff, gritty or unreliable.
- You still have a working key and want a spare made before you are stuck.
- A business needs keys, re-keyed locks or spare sets for several work vehicles.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How does a mobile automotive locksmith job work?
Every vehicle is a little different, but the sequence of a call is consistent. Here is what to expect when you phone us about your car, truck, motorcycle or RV.
- You call (213) 577-1366 and a person answers, whatever the hour. We ask for the make, model and year, your exact location, and what has happened. If a child or a pet is locked inside and in distress, call 911 first. That is always the right move before anything else.
- We ask you to confirm the vehicle is yours or that you are authorized to be in it. Expect to show photo ID and something that ties you to the vehicle, such as a registration or insurance card. This protects you as much as it protects us.
- A mobile van comes to you, whether you are in a driveway, on a street, in a parking structure or in a work lot.
- The technician looks at the vehicle and explains the work before starting. For a lockout, that means choosing an entry method that will not scratch paint, tear weatherstripping or disturb wiring inside the door.
- For a key job, we identify the correct key type and cut the blank. We then handle the electronic side, covered under transponder key programming, and confirm by VIN what the vehicle requires.
- We test everything: the door locks, trunk or storage lock, ignition, remote functions and any spare key. You should not sign off until you have watched it all work.
- We go over what was done and what the cost covered, and we suggest a spare if you are down to a single key.
What about trucks, motorcycles, RVs and fleets?
Cars get most of the attention, but the other vehicle types come with their own wrinkles. We cover them because the people who own them are often the most stuck when a key goes missing.
Trucks: pickups and work trucks can have separate keys or locks for the cab, a tailgate, a toolbox or a camper shell. Part of the job is working out which lock is actually the problem before cutting anything. A truck locksmith visit often turns into checking all of them at once.
Motorcycles: a motorcycle locksmith deals with ignition switches, steering locks, and seat or storage compartment locks. Newer bikes may use chipped keys, and the details vary by manufacturer and model year. We confirm what a specific motorcycle needs by VIN or in person instead of guessing over the phone.
RVs: an RV locksmith usually faces several locks on one vehicle. The cab doors and ignition follow the vehicle's key system, while the entry door and outside storage bays are often separate locks with their own keys. Sorting out which key goes with which lock is a big part of the work.
Fleets: a fleet locksmith job is about order as much as keys. A business with several vehicles needs a clear record of which key belongs to which vehicle, spares kept somewhere sensible, and one company to call when a driver loses a key. If the same business also needs building-side work, such as doors and access hardware, that is handled through our commercial locksmith service so you deal with a single company.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What affects the cost of automotive locksmith service?
We do not publish flat numbers for vehicle work because the range between a simple lockout and a full all-keys-lost job on a newer vehicle is wide. What we can do is show you exactly what moves the cost, so a quote makes sense when you hear it.
- The vehicle itself: make, model and year decide what key hardware and what programming procedure it uses.
- The type of key: a basic metal key, a transponder key, a remote-head key and a smart or proximity key are very different jobs.
- Whether you have a working key. Copying or cloning from a key that works is usually the more economical route compared with creating a new key when every key is gone. That is the lighter-cost option, and a good reason to make a spare now.
- Lockout versus key work: getting into a vehicle is a different job than cutting and programming a key.
- How many keys or fobs you need made in one visit.
- Condition of the lock or ignition. A worn or damaged cylinder may need repair or replacement before a new key will work properly.
- Time and place: a middle-of-the-night call, or a location that is harder to reach, can affect the price.
- Whether the vehicle can be handled by a locksmith at all, or is a dealer-only case.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for your vehicle?
Plenty of companies list a phone number and send whoever is closest. Here is what is different about how we operate:
- In business since 1987, so the older vehicles and the newer ones are both familiar ground.
- A real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd plus mobile service vans. You can reach a physical address, and the work can come to you.
- One company, no dispatch middlemen. The person who answers the phone works for the company that sends the van, so what you are told is what happens.
- David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work, and you are not dealing with an anonymous call center.
- Phone answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round at (213) 577-1366.
Automotive locksmith service in El Segundo and ZIP 90245
El Segundo is compact, and everything in ZIP 90245 fits in a small area, but it splits into two quite different halves. That shapes what kinds of vehicle calls come from where. For the rest of what we do here, see our El Segundo locksmith overview.
On the residential west side, the westside residential grid of bungalows, Spanish-style homes and low-rise apartments sits close to the beach. The marine layer and salt air are hard on exterior metal there, and the local data points to corrosion on locks, hinges and gate hardware on homes nearest the coast. A vehicle that lives outdoors in that same air is not immune, so a door lock that feels gritty or a key that has gotten stiff is worth dealing with early, before it fails at the worst moment. Apartment dwellers in the westside grid sometimes end up locked out of both a unit and a car when keys share a ring, and we can handle the vehicle side of that call.
Downtown El Segundo around Main Street, and the retail district at Plaza El Segundo and The Point, are places where a set of keys left on a seat or in a shopping bag is an easy mistake. A car lockout in a retail lot or on Main Street is the sort of call we reach by mobile van.
On the east side, Continental Park's office district, Campus El Segundo and Smoky Hollow are mostly aerospace, media and office space with very little housing. That matters for vehicle work in two ways. Employees lose keys during the workday and need help in a lot, and businesses may run work vehicles that need coordinated keying. Campuses can have their own rules for vehicle access, so mention where you are parked when you call. Commercial lock and access-hardware needs on those campuses are a separate service from vehicle work, and we can talk through both on one call.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366When is the dealer the only option?
Honesty matters here. Not every vehicle can be handled by a locksmith. Some makes, models and years keep their key programming behind manufacturer-controlled systems, and on those a locksmith cannot complete the job no matter how good the equipment is. The information on what works for which vehicle also changes and is not always consistent, so we do not guess from a phone call.
What we do is confirm by VIN, and in person where needed, before you spend anything on key work. If your vehicle turns out to be a dealer-only case, we tell you plainly so you can go straight there instead of paying for an attempt that cannot succeed. If it can be done, you will hear what the work involves and what drives the cost before we begin.
It is also worth knowing that California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license. Ask any locksmith you are considering to show you their license number before they touch your vehicle. That is a reasonable request and an honest company will not mind it.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get into my locked car in El Segundo without damaging it?
In most cases, yes. We use entry methods meant to avoid scratching paint, tearing weatherstripping or disturbing wiring in the door. Every vehicle is different, and some are more difficult than others, so the technician looks it over and tells you what the approach is. If anyone or any pet is locked inside and in distress, call 911 first, then call us at (213) 577-1366.
I lost my only car key. Can you make a new one without the original?
Often, yes. We identify the correct key type for your vehicle, cut the blank and program it. The work is more involved than copying a key that still works, which is why cost is higher when every key is gone. Whether your specific vehicle can be handled by a locksmith is something we confirm by VIN before you commit.
Do you work on motorcycles and RVs, or just cars?
We handle cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs and fleet vehicles. Motorcycles and RVs have quirks, such as separate storage locks or chipped keys on newer bikes, and the details depend on the make, model and year. Tell us what you have when you call and we will confirm what is involved by VIN or in person.
How much does car key replacement cost?
It depends on the vehicle, the type of key, how many you need, whether a working key exists to copy, and the time and place of the call. A basic key is a very different job from a smart key on a newer vehicle. We explain the factors and give you the cost for your vehicle before work starts, and a spare made now is usually the more economical route.
How long will you take to reach me in El Segundo?
We do not quote a number we cannot stand behind, because traffic and where our vans are at the moment change it. Call (213) 577-1366, tell us where you are, and we will give you an honest picture of when we can be there. Our phone is answered 24 hours a day, so you will reach a person right away.
Do I need to prove the car is mine?
Yes, and any reputable locksmith will ask. Expect to show photo ID and something linking you to the vehicle, such as a registration or insurance card. It is a basic safeguard that keeps someone else from getting a key to your car.
Can you handle keys for my business's work vehicles?
Yes. We work with fleets on spare keys, replacing lost ones, and keeping track of which key goes with which vehicle. If you also need work on the building side, such as doors or access hardware on an east-side office campus, we can cover that through our commercial service so you only need one company to call.
Will I have to go to the dealer instead?
Sometimes, but not often enough to send everyone there. Some vehicles keep key programming restricted to the manufacturer. We confirm by VIN before you pay for anything, and if yours is dealer-only we tell you plainly so you do not spend money on something that cannot work.
More locksmith help in El Segundo
Automotive Locksmith near El Segundo
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.