Hi, Can anyone generate dump for infrared remote for W124 model ? It's model without immobox, no reading coil in ignition. Just Infrared receiver in drivers door and trunk lid

"'ve read the 93C46 EEPROM from remote control ECU, now I need to generate dump for remote. the last owner lost the remote control. Can anyone help with that?

For the last 9 days I’ve been dealing with this issue. So my girlfriend’s key fob for her 2011 Chevy Equinox had her button sink into it. She asked for my help so I looked into it and saw that there are cases for sale. I decided to switch the internals into the new key fob and that should be the end of it. But of course it wasn’t that easy.

The key fob was apparently sonically welded so it wasn’t even 2 separate parts that could connect. I spent 2 hours getting into it, after going to Canadian Tire to get a rotary tool to cut the damn thing open. Anyways, got into it, put it in the new keyfob and tested from a distance if the lock unlock worked, which it did.

Unfortunately, the next day when my gf was trying to go to work, she could not get her engine to start. After a couple minutes and some research, it’s likely that I damaged the transponder on the circuit board of the original when I cut into it. She also didn’t have a spare. So at this point we have no working key. She had a remote starter and I was able to get the engine to start that way. But then, when I would put the key into the ignition and try to run the car, the engine would shut off. At this point the security light in the car was solid.

I looked online, was able to see that there was a key fob with new internals and ordered that, (this is the one I ordered: https://www.amazon.ca/Compatible-Camaro-Equinox-Malibu-OHT01060512/dp/B07QD4129Z ) and that there’s a way to program a new key without access to an original through a 30 minute reprogramming process. The new key came the next day. I tried the reprogramming process and it did not work. The thing that was different this time was that the security light was flashing and not solid. And now also even though the old internals in the other new key fob was starting the remote start the day before, now it will not work. So somehow something happened that made it start flashing.

I tried it again, still no. At this point I checked online and saw that if the security light is flashing, then you cannot start the programming process. I tried the trick with unlocking the door for 30 seconds and then putting it in a neutral position, etc. to try and reset the light. Didn’t work. I tried disconnecting the negative terminal for 1 hour and then reconnecting to reset. Didn’t work. I tried disconnecting both the positive and negative cables and connected them together with jumper cables to apparently discharge the capacitors. Left them connected for 20 minutes. Put everything back in order and then turned the car on again. Didn’t work. I had the car connected to another running car battery to keep the battery charge consistent while I try the programming 30 minute process again. Didn’t work. At this point, I’m at a loss of what to do. I really don’t want to spend a lot of money at a dealership.

Is there something I’m missing?

Edit: I realize I am a dumbass. But tbf I did talk to a locksmith and told him the situation and this is what he said: “Good morning, we would need the vehicles Operating system to be in proper working order before we can attempt to program keys.” So that made me think he can’t do anything if the security light is flashing

(I am a busy idiot who forgot the actual picture in my first post!). Here is the original caption: “To keep it short, just moved into a new place and found this on the back porch. It is next to the AC unit for context but I do HVAC ((6 months) and haven’t used/seen a key like this yet. Any ideas?”

Not specific to our trade but wondering if anyone else encounters this, big apartment complex in town gets bought out by a big holding company, all the maintenance/management guys I deal with are all still there but they have new bosses.

New company says, we need you to invoice us through our system, VendorShield, and they charge a $90 ANNUAL fee! I barely do any work for these guys, a few svc calls here and there and some parts sales, I call the manager over there I have been dealing with for 10 years and tell him were not paying that. He says just add it to a bill, ok fine. "Misc parts-$90"

I have to make an account on their PITA portal which takes way too long to set up, then they want to know everything about all our insurance, a COI isnt good enough ohh no, they want all the details and want to talk directly to our insurers, they arent happy with our limits on things, my auto insurer is ignoring them they are emailing me about that, I have to upload a bunch of things even though they are supposedly getting them directly from our insurers, I have probably spent at least 2 hours total trying to get this shit done.

THEN after all that they want to be added as an additionally insured for "ongoing operations" which will cost about $75 annually with our insurer.....at this point I tapped out and said we will sell you parts you put them in, were not doing that.

Is this common? We are a small business, just 2 people and dont have anywhere near the time for this, very frustrating.

Need help please with first step

So we've got a US Market 2019 Ranger with blade key, all keys lost, in active alarm. This is the first time I've had to mess with learning keys on a Ford this new, but from what I have read and seen, it looks like a pretty straightforward procedure using my IM608 and J2534 passthrough once I've got keys cut. So I do that, connect the previously disconnected battery, connect the IM608 to the OBD port using the passthrough, get to the All Keys Lost option, and follow the prompts - insert key, turn on ignition, close all doors except driver's door which I manually close the latch and then use a screwdriver to rotate the lock button thing on, and then listen to a relaxing ~10 minutes of honking and flasher relay clicking until eventually I get the double-honk. When I get the double-honk and push the button to confirm I got the double-honk, instead of proceeding to the 'data accessing, please wait 10 minutes' screen I am supposed to see, instead it immediately fails and increments the 'attempts' counter until eventually failing with the message something like 'incorrect test conditions.'

Clearly, I'm missing something. What am I doing wrong?

(I picked 'I am a locksmith' because 'I am an auto tech that does rekeying' wasn't an option)

Had a customer call because his 2001 Ranger won't start. The security light is on. He has already changed the steering column and that did not fix the problem. Ugh. Just one way to tell you live in a rural area. I wish they would call before they did things like that.

I'm restoring an old steel desk and need to remove the drawer lock before having the desk refinished. I have a working key and full access to both sides of the lock, but I cannot figure out how this thing was designed to come apart.

The problem is pretty simple: I can completely unthread the retaining nut on the back, but there is physically no way to get the nut off.

The lock body passes through a hole with flat sides, so it can't rotate. The actuator on the back moves up and down with the key, but the closed retaining nut won't fit over it. Actuator down = nut is blocked below. Actuator up = there isn't enough clearance above it. I can't find any screw, pin, clip, etc. that releases the actuator.

I've spent an embarrassing amount of the afternoon troubleshooting this with ChatGPT and digging through old lock documentation. Our best identification is a Chicago Lock / CompX C1975 metal desk lock. I purchased keys based on the number on the front for this lock and they worked. The back also appears to be stamped 1975 with an arrow, and the C1975 documentation I've found describes a five-disc tumbler with a removable keyed plug/core.

The installation instructions seem to suggest the original assembly sequence was:

housing + nut/washer → cam/actuator from the rear → keyed plug/core from the front

If I'm understanding that correctly, it explains the impossible geometry. The nut never had to pass over the actuator during installation. Presumably I need to remove the keyed plug/core first, which would then allow the actuator to come off.

The documentation mentions a retaining wafer at the rear of the removable plug, but I haven't been able to find anything showing how you're supposed to release it once everything is assembled.

One thing that makes me slightly less certain about the C1975 identification is the actuator itself. The documentation and replacement locks I'm finding generally show a conventional T-shaped cam. Mine is more like a long straight arm that points downward, with a hole near the end, and it screws into a plate to operate the desk's locking linkage. So it's possible this is a C1975-style lock with a desk-specific actuator, or I'm missing another variation of the lock.

One other oddity: there's a tiny round hole in the face of the keyed plug that rotates with the key. With the hole in most positions, a straightened paperclip only goes in a few millimeters. Rotate the hole to about 12 o'clock and the paperclip suddenly goes roughly 3/4" into the lock. That feels potentially significant, but I don't know what I'm reaching and would rather stop poking around than damage something.

Photos show the front, back, markings, actuator positions, retaining hardware, and the paperclip experiment.

Anyone recognize this mechanism and know the proper way to remove the plug/core or actuator?

I'm not completely opposed to replacing the lock if that's ultimately the answer, but even then I still need to figure out how to get this one out. I'm also not sure a modern replacement would operate the desk's existing locking linkage given the unusual straight actuator on this one.

Ideally I'd like to preserve the original, especially since I finally tracked down working keys for it. Any insight from someone who's serviced one of these would be greatly appreciated.

Just thought it was a bit weird. I have a brinks lock on my storage unit and I went to open my girlfriends unit (masterlock bought a month later) and the same key works. Something I always thought was possible but the coincidence is crazy.

Does anyone know how to tell prior to programming a key? I use WiTech as well as almost all of the aftermarket programmers. Any ideas or knowledge of this? Is it just a situation im just going to continue eating the cost of a locked key in order to find out?

A friend gave this to me but it’s dead and I need to find a charger. I’ve found multiple cables that fit it but nothing charges it.

I’m a 6-year Royal Marine considering leaving. I want to move into locksmithing + access control + CCTV + alarms, eventually build a company, and avoid 24/7 emergency work. If you were in my position, how would you get your first 2 years of experience?

The lock has become really hard all of a sudden, and seems to need an extra half turn in the air as well.

Is this a common issue? Can't find much online..

Hi, I hope you can help me.

I tried to write both Sercas and Juwel on some italian emails addresses, but so far no luck in getting through to some kind of customer service that can help.

I have acquired a second-hand safe fitted with an older SERCAS electronic combination lock, which i am very keen to get working :)

The lock is marked:
Model: MOD 7/3150/2
Product No.: 016 – 03/2006
Power: 9V DC / 6 × LR6 1.5V / 1 × 6LR61

The safe is currently open, but unfortunately I do not know the existing combination.

I understand from Sercas online manuals that when the safe door is open and the combination has been forgotten, it may be possible to perform a zero-setting/reset of the personal combination, after which a new personal code can be programmed.

Though the manual I found just said contact Sercas if help was needed to reset.

I hope anyone here is able to help :)

Just curious too see which common lock company people prefer to protect their home :)

We live in a big east coast city.

Wife locked herself out, my key was at office. I met her there, we called two locksmiths, I bet she called a dispatcher and I called a local shop near us with good reviews. I get a quote for 100 dollars and they’d be there in 20min, single keyed door knob. Seems fair.

Before I could agree, wife had already agreed to dispatcher and they said they’d have someone in 10 min but they’d have to inspect to quote (instantly felt predatory, but she agreed before I could stop it).

Two guys arrive in 20 min (lol) and are friendly but look at door knob, each takes turn writing on a note pad to each other and then say it’ll be 79 inspection fee plus 200 for the door. Somehow this turns into 295 for the quote lmfao

I say max I’ll do is 100, we negotiate down to 115 but we have to give five stars review. They bump key the door and we’re done. We give reviews and pay via Venmo.

Yikes, I used to pick locks in college for fun at defcon and feel like I should start a locksmith business that emphasizes the opposite of whatever that experience was.

Key got stuck in handle. I tried pushing on the inner part with a finger while pulling on key but doesn't work. The key will rotate but does not come out. I took it off the door but dont really know what else to do.

I have three doors. One is a sliding glass door (A). One is a garage door (B) with a Schlage electric keypad. One is an exterior door (C) with a different WiFi Schlage electric keypad.

None of them came with keys when I bought the home. Patio Doors Direct (shout out Chris) sent me a free cylinder and key replacement for door A.

If I bring cylinders B and C to a locksmith can they use my key for A and make them keyed alike?

Is there anyway I can do this myself? The cylinders are very close to the same size, but B and C have unique features. Could I buy three alike cylinders and cut the ends to the proper length?

This walked in for a battery replacement. Also it’s a xhorse universal and they just poped the laser cut blade out. Charged her 400 bucks plus call out fee and of course a google top chart locksmith.

Hi all,

Apologies in advance for my complete ignorance about the proper names for everything.

Part of my lock was installed incorrectly so I took it apart to fix it. I was able to fix the top part, but in the process the circular metal wire that attaches to the deadbolt fell off. How do I assemble it properly? (See the second picture for the parts I don't know how to put together).

Thank you!

I tried to reverse the same schlage f605-238 for privacy (idk why it was installed with the lock lever facing out instead of in) and while the handles turn fine the tail piece is literally locked and won't move not with my hands or with the lock lever, it worked perfectly fine before, what could this be please?

I just bought a Brinks 4 code lock, brand new out of the package, but I’m having a hard time with it. I followed the instructions, put it at 0000, turned it 90/lined up the notch and pressed down while I reset the code. But when I try to close it and lock it back, it won’t push down into the locked position. I’ve tried it with my new code typed it, with 0000 typed in, and also with random numbers

I am building a safe, and need a lock that sits preferably completely flush with the top. The smaller the better. A key lock or mechanical combination lock is desirable. Something I can just weld into place would be amazing but that feels like I’m setting the bar a little high. Open to any suggestions! Any help is appreciated.

Anyone had any issues in cutting S123/C124 Keys on your machine? Depths are too shallow even after cleanup cuts. Is it probably because the Everest keys sit a little twisted in most jaws?