Automotive Locksmith Key Cutting & Programming Flashcards

When using a code cutter to cut a high-security laser-cut (internal) key, what is the primary difference from cutting a standard edge-cut key?

Answer: The cuts are made in a groove down the center of the key blade rather than on the edge

Laser-cut (also called internal-cut or sidewinder) keys have cuts machined into a central groove running along the blade rather than along the edge.

A customer's 2018 Ford F-150 requires a new transponder key. After cutting the key mechanically, what additional step is mandatory before the key will start the vehicle?

Answer: Programming the transponder chip to the vehicle's immobilizer ECU

Transponder keys contain an RFID chip that must be programmed to match the vehicle's immobilizer system or the engine will not start.

Which key-cutting method uses an original key as a physical template to guide the cutter along its profile?

Answer: Trace (copy) cutting

Trace or copy cutting clamps an original key as a tracer template while a matching cutter simultaneously reproduces the profile on a new key blank.

What does the term 'key bitting' refer to in automotive locksmithing?

Answer: The specific combination of cut depths and positions that operate a particular lock

Key bitting is the pattern of cut depths at specified positions along the blade that aligns the lock's tumblers to the shear line, allowing rotation.

When programming a proximity (smart) key fob for a 2020 Toyota Camry, a locksmith finds the vehicle will not enter programming mode. The most likely first diagnostic step is to:

Answer: Verify the correct OBDII programmer software version and vehicle PIN are being used

Incorrect software version or wrong PIN/access code is the most common reason programming mode fails, and should be verified before other steps.

A depth-and-space (D&S) specification chart for a Ford key series shows Position 1 as the bow-nearest cut. If you are cutting by code and the code reads 3-1-4-2, what does '1' in Position 2 indicate?

Answer: The second cut is the shallowest depth in that manufacturer's depth series

In a D&S code, each number corresponds to a depth level defined by the manufacturer, with '1' typically representing the shallowest cut.

Which of the following best describes the 'maximum adjacent cut specification' (MACS) rule in key cutting?

Answer: The largest allowable depth difference between any two adjacent cuts on a key

MACS defines the greatest permitted depth difference between neighboring cuts; exceeding it can cause the key to bind or break in the lock.