Frequently Asked Questions

A mobile auto locksmith is a specialist who travels to your vehicle to resolve car key, lockout and key programming issues on-site. Unlike a traditional locksmith with a shop or workshop, the mobile service comes to wherever your vehicle is — so you do not need to arrange a recovery truck or a workshop visit. Bearded Car Keys operates as a fully mobile service across Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon.

We specialise exclusively in automotive key and lock services for vehicles — car key programming, transponder coding, remote key replacement, EEPROM programming, vehicle lockouts, lost car keys, key fob programming, spare key cutting and immobiliser resets. We do not cover domestic or commercial properties, only vehicles.

Stay calm and call us — we will take your location and vehicle details and come to you. Do not attempt to force entry yourself, as this risks damaging the door seal, window rubber or locking mechanism. Our mobile team can open most vehicles without causing any damage.

Yes — we use professional non-destructive entry tools designed for the specific vehicle type. The aim is always to open the car without damage to seals, trim or mechanisms. If there is any unusual complexity, we will explain it before proceeding.

A transponder key has a small electronic chip in the plastic head. When inserted into the ignition, the car sends a radio signal to the chip; the chip responds with a unique code, and only if it matches the immobiliser will the engine start. A replacement key cut without a programmed chip will crank the engine but not allow it to fire.

EEPROM stands for Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory — the chip in a vehicle's immobiliser or ECU that stores key security codes. EEPROM programming involves reading and writing to this chip directly, used in all-keys-lost situations where standard OBD programming is not available for the vehicle.

Yes — an all-keys-lost situation requires specialist equipment to read your vehicle's immobiliser data and generate a new key. Call us with your make, model and year and we will confirm whether we can assist and give you a clear quote before attending.

The most common causes are a flat fob battery, lost programming (which can happen after a battery disconnection on some makes), or physical damage to the fob circuitry. A battery swap is worth trying first. If the remote has lost its programming, a specialist can reprogram it to the vehicle.

Yes — a spare key arranged proactively is far less costly and stressful than an emergency replacement. If your only key is lost or damaged, you are immediately without transport. We recommend arranging a spare whenever any key work is carried out.

An immobiliser reset clears all stored key codes from your vehicle's security system and allows new keys to be programmed from scratch. Commonly needed after keys are lost or stolen, when the immobiliser triggers incorrectly, or when securing a used vehicle to remove access from previous keys.

We cover PL and TQ postcodes across Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon — including Plymouth, Plympton, Saltash, Tavistock, Torquay, Paignton, Brixham, Newton Abbot, Totnes, Dartmouth and many surrounding towns. Call to confirm your specific location.

Pricing varies by service and vehicle make and model — contact us for a free, no-obligation quote. We give you a clear figure before any work begins, with no hidden charges. Call 07749056417 or 01752 936317, or email thebeardedlocksmith99@gmail.com.