What does an automotive locksmith do in Hawthorne?
An automotive locksmith works on the parts of a vehicle that control who gets in and who can start it: door locks, trunk and tailgate locks, ignition cylinders, transponder keys, remote fobs, and the electronics that tie them together. It is a different trade from house work. A good share of it is closer to working with a vehicle's security system than turning a pick in a cylinder, and the right tools depend on the vehicle in front of us.
Wilshire Lock & Key has been doing this work since 1987 out of our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, and our mobile vans bring it to you in Hawthorne. Hawthorne is about 15 miles from our base, and we serve it the same way we serve the other 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties: one company, our own vans, and no dispatch broker passing your call along to a stranger.
This page covers cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs, and fleet vehicles. Where a job is really its own topic, such as a plain lockout, a lost-key replacement, or a fob, we point you to the dedicated page so you get the full detail there.
Which vehicle problems do people in Hawthorne call us about?
Vehicle calls rarely come at a convenient time. They come after a late shift, in a parking lot, with a child's seat in the back, or twenty minutes before you are due at work. We treat them that way: calmly, and with plain facts about what your vehicle actually needs.
These are the situations we handle most often:
- Keys locked inside the vehicle, which has its own page on car lockout service.
- The only key lost, with no spare at home. See lost car key replacement for how that process works.
- A key that broke off in a door lock or ignition, or a key that is badly worn and starting to stick.
- A remote or smart fob that has stopped working, or one you want a spare for: key fob replacement.
- A new or spare key that has to be cut and paired to the vehicle, covered under transponder key programming.
- An ignition that is hard to turn, will not release the key, or has been damaged, which is a job for ignition repair.
- Door, trunk, or tailgate locks that are jammed, or that were damaged in an attempted break-in.
- Truck, motorcycle, and RV lock problems, and key management for business fleets.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How does an automotive locksmith call work, step by step?
Every vehicle is a little different, but the shape of a call is the same. Here is what you can expect from us.
- You call (213) 577-1366. A person answers, any hour, any day. We ask for the make, model, and year, where the vehicle is parked, and what exactly is wrong.
- We tell you what the job involves and what will drive the cost, and whether it can be done where the vehicle sits or whether it needs to come to us. We talk through the cost before work begins, not after.
- A mobile van comes to your location in Hawthorne. Before we make or program anything, we confirm you are the owner or an authorized driver, usually with ID and registration that match the vehicle.
- We choose the least invasive method that works. For a lockout that means non-damaging entry. For keys it means cutting and programming on site where the vehicle allows it.
- We test everything before we leave: every key, each remote button, the door locks, and starting the engine more than once.
- We explain what we did, hand over the keys, and, if you are down to one key, tell you honestly why a spare is worth making now.
Can a locksmith make chip keys and fobs, or do I need the dealer?
Often a locksmith can, but it depends on the make, model, year, and sometimes the trim level. Some vehicles are straightforward. Some need specific equipment and access to the right data. A few are dealer-only, meaning the manufacturer restricts the key, the code, or the programming so that only an authorized dealer can complete the job.
We will not guess from the driveway or promise on the phone what we cannot confirm. We confirm by VIN and in person. If your vehicle turns out to be a dealer-only case for the job you need, we say so plainly, so you do not pay for a van visit that cannot finish the work. If it is something we can do, we do it on site.
A few rules of thumb we stand behind. Be wary of anyone who says every key can be made in your driveway. Be equally wary of anyone who says it can only be done at a dealer without ever looking up your VIN. The honest answer is usually somewhere in between, and it is specific to your vehicle.
What about trucks, motorcycles, RVs, and fleets?
Cars are the bulk of the work, but they are not all of it.
Trucks and work trucks: a pickup or a larger work truck can carry more than one lock type, from cab doors to a tailgate, a toolbox, or a camper shell. We look at what your truck actually has, then work out which locks need attention and whether they are keyed alike.
Motorcycles: the lock work is smaller but still precise: the ignition switch, the steering lock, the seat lock, and sometimes a helmet lock. Some newer bikes use electronic keys, so we check by VIN before promising anything.
RVs: an RV often has several separate locks, including cab doors, an entry door, and storage compartments, and they may not all share one key. Bring every key you have when we come out, because it helps us sort out which lock is which.
Fleets: a fleet is many keys and many drivers, and the real trouble is keeping track of which key belongs to which vehicle. We can cut and program spares, replace lost keys, and help a business set up a simple, orderly approach to its vehicle keys. If the same business also has doors, gates, or a storefront to look after, our commercial locksmith service covers the building side.
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 work?
We do not post prices on this page because two vehicles that look alike can be very different jobs. What we can do is tell you honestly what moves the cost, so the number you hear on the phone makes sense.
The main factors:
- The vehicle: make, model, and year decide what kind of key it uses and what equipment the job needs.
- The type of key: a basic metal key, a transponder key, a remote key, and a smart proximity fob are all different levels of work.
- Whether you still have a working key: copying from one is generally simpler than starting from nothing when every key is lost.
- How many keys you need cut or programmed in one visit.
- The condition of the locks and ignition. Worn or damaged parts may need repair or replacement on top of the key work.
- Whether the job is dealer-only, which changes who can do it and what it involves.
- Time of day and where you are. A 3 a.m. call to a distant location is a different job from a daytime visit nearby.
- Mobile versus in-shop: some work is easier to do at our Westwood storefront, and we will tell you when that is the lighter-cost route.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for your vehicle?
Here is what we can honestly tell you about us. We have been in business since 1987. We run a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024, along with mobile service vans, so there is a physical place behind the phone number. We are one company: when you call (213) 577-1366, you are not routed through a dispatch middleman who sells your call to whoever picks it up. Our owner and lead technician, David, oversees the work, and the phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.
One more thing worth knowing. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, issued through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. Whoever you call for vehicle work, ask for the company's license number before anyone starts, and check it with the state. A reputable company will not mind the question, and a vague answer is a reason to hang up.
What does automotive locksmith service look like around Hawthorne?
Hawthorne is a city of about one ZIP code, 90250, and the calls we get there follow the way the city is built. In Hollyglen, Bodger Park, Moneta Gardens, and Ramona, the homes are mostly postwar single-family tracts, and a vehicle that is locked or has lost its key is typically a driveway or curbside call that a van can handle on the spot. Older streets also tend to have a lot of security screen doors, which is a house-lock topic rather than a vehicle one, but it is a reminder to keep your car key and house key tidy and separate.
Along the Hawthorne Boulevard corridor in North Hawthorne and nearby, apartment buildings are common, and for the people who live in them the car is often parked in a shared lot or on the street. That is where we see the lost-key-with-no-spare call, and a spare made ahead of time is far easier than an emergency. If it is your apartment door that is locked rather than your car, our apartment lockout page is the better fit.
ThreeSixty at South Bay is a newer gated townhome community on the west side, and drivers there are used to fobs, gate remotes, and smart hardware. Vehicle fobs are their own category, and we handle them as vehicle work, with VIN confirmation first.
Then there is the industrial district around Hawthorne Municipal Airport (Jack Northrop Field) and the SpaceX headquarters. Businesses working in that area run vehicles, vans, and trucks, and that is where fleet key work fits: spare keys, lost-key replacements, and a clear record of who holds what. Whether you are parked at Jim Thorpe Park, Eucalyptus Park, or near the Hawthorne Memorial Center, give us the cross street and we will find you. We also cover Del Aire, the adjacent unincorporated area.
On weather: Hawthorne sits a few miles inland and gets marine-layer mornings with mild temperatures all year. The effect on vehicle locks is modest, so when a key or ignition starts failing here it is far more often age and wear than climate.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What should you have ready when you call?
A little preparation makes the call quicker and the quote more accurate. Have these things on hand if you can:
- The make, model, and year of the vehicle, and the VIN if you can read it through the windshield or find it on your registration or insurance card.
- Your exact location, with the cross street or the name of the lot or park.
- Your ID and proof of ownership or authorization to drive the vehicle.
- Any keys you still have, including old or damaged ones, and any fob that still works partly.
- A note of what happened: keys locked inside, lost, broken, or a fob that quit.
- If it is urgent and you are somewhere uncomfortable, say so, and stay in a well-lit public spot while you wait. For anything wider than the car, see our emergency locksmith page.
Frequently asked questions
Can you come to me in Hawthorne at night or on a weekend?
Yes. We answer the phone at (213) 577-1366 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round, and our mobile vans serve Hawthorne from our Westwood base. We do not quote arrival times over the phone because traffic and distance change them, but we will tell you honestly what to expect when you call.
Can you make a new key if I have lost every key to my car?
In many cases yes, but it depends on the vehicle. We confirm by VIN and in person whether we can cut and program a key on site. Some vehicles are dealer-only for this kind of job, and if yours is, we tell you straight so you are not paying for a visit that cannot finish the work.
Do I need to prove I own the vehicle?
Yes. Before we make a key or open a vehicle, we ask for ID and registration or other proof that matches the vehicle. It protects you as much as anyone else, and any locksmith who skips it is a problem.
Will you damage my car getting into it?
Our aim is non-damaging entry, and we choose the least invasive method that works for your vehicle. Some vehicles are harder than others, and we will tell you before we start if there is any real risk to the door, the weatherstripping, or the lock.
Is a locksmith or the dealer better for a replacement key?
It depends on the vehicle and the key. For many vehicles a locksmith can do the job where the car sits, which can save a tow and a trip. For some, the dealer is the only option. We would rather tell you that on the phone than have you find out after we arrive.
Do you work on motorcycles and RVs?
Yes. Motorcycle work covers ignitions, steering locks, and seat locks, and RV work covers cab doors, entry doors, and storage compartments. For both, we check by VIN and look at the actual locks before promising anything, because many of them are not keyed alike.
Can you handle fleet keys for a business near the airport?
Yes, fleet vehicle keys are part of what we do: spare keys, lost-key replacement, and a sensible way of keeping track of which key belongs to which vehicle. Call us with the number and types of vehicles and we will talk through how to set it up.
How much does automotive locksmith service cost?
It depends on the vehicle, the type of key, whether you have a working key to copy, how many keys you need, the condition of the locks, and when and where you call. We talk through those factors and the cost on the phone before any work starts. In general, a spare made before you lose the last key is the more economical route.
Do you cover Del Aire and the rest of ZIP 90250?
Yes. We serve all of Hawthorne, including 90250 and neighborhoods like Hollyglen and Moneta Gardens, and we can also come to nearby Del Aire. Give us the address or cross street when you call (213) 577-1366 and we will take it from there.
More locksmith help in Hawthorne
Automotive Locksmith near Hawthorne
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.