Cut to code
Precision cutting for a key that fits.
Mobile auto locksmith · Fareham
Ignition Repair Fareham | Barrels And Steering Locks Fixed At The Car
A key that won't turn, won't come out, or a Mercedes that won't release its steering: ignition repair in Fareham is done on the driveway, the roadside or the car park, usually in one visit.
- 7 Years Of Automotive Expertise
- 450+ Reviews · Google & Checkatrade
- 12-Month Warranty
Not A National Or Middle Man
Real Local Professionals You Deal With Direct
No Inflated Middle Man Or Dealer Prices
Let’s talk keys
Get a quote.
Send your details and we’ll get back to you about your keys. For anything urgent, call us.
- Speak directly about your vehicle
- The right option for your key
- Understand the work before deciding
At the roadside
How Do We Fix An Ignition At The Roadside?
Fault diagnosed first • Common barrels in stock on the van • 12-month guarantee • Seven years' experience
We test before we touch anything. Ignition lock repair in Fareham starts by checking the key against its factory cuts and the barrel for worn wafers, because the cheapest fix depends on which one has gone.
If the barrel can be saved, it's stripped, given new wafers and recoded to your key. If it can't, ignition barrel replacement in Fareham swaps in a new unit matched to your key, or one that comes with its own keys, which we cut and program before we pack up.
The mobile workshop
Specialist equipment.
Right on your driveway.
Key cutting and programming, brought to your vehicle.
Matched to your car
Transponder and remote programming.
Careful entry
Specialist tools to protect your vehicle.
Availability
Can It Be Done Without Moving The Car?
Nearly always. Whether your key won't turn in the ignition at a Fareham address or has jammed and won't release, the work happens where the car stopped, and the barrels that fail most are already in the van.
We cover PO14 to PO17, from Stubbington and Titchfield to Portchester and Wickham. Weekday calls run to 10pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 6pm.
Common faults
Mercedes Steering Lock Faults In Fareham, And The Other Usual Suspects
The W204 Mercedes C-Class electronic steering lock is one of the faults we're asked about most in Fareham, and we repair it on site rather than sending you to the dealer.
The signs of a Mercedes steering lock fault in Fareham are a key that goes into the slot and does nothing, a steering lock warning on the dash, and a column that stays locked. Elsewhere, barrels wear out in high-mileage Ford Fiestas and Transits, Honda ignitions across the range, and the shared ignition unit in the Mk5 and Mk6 Golf. C-Class owners can find more on the model page.
Auto locksmith in Fareham
Locked out
in Fareham?
Mobile service across Fareham and the surrounding areas, straight to where your car is parked.
Areas we cover
PortchesterTitchfieldWhiteleyStubbingtonLocks HeathPark Gate
Mobile
Insured
Local
Pricing
Ignition Repair Prices In Fareham
Prices come from your registration and a quick description of the fault, given on the phone before we travel. A barrel rebuild costs least, a new barrel coded to your existing key costs more, and a barrel arriving with its own programmed keys sits at the top.
There's no upfront payment. Every price is given before anything is taken apart; if one symptom could be more than one fault, you hear each possible price on the phone first, then we confirm at the vehicle. Ignition repair in Fareham comes with our 12-month guarantee on parts and work.
Cars & commercial vehicles
Help for the vehicle you drive.
Capability across approximately 90% of vehicles, from everyday cars to premium models and work vans. Tell us the make, model and year to confirm yours.
Common makes
- Volkswagen
- Audi
- Ford
- BMW
- Mercedes
- Vauxhall
- Nissan
- Toyota
- Kia
- Hyundai
- Peugeot
- Land Rover
Based in Southampton, covering Portsmouth, Waterlooville, New Alresford, Salisbury, the whole New Forest, Bournemouth and communities in between.
Local calls
From Industrial Estates To Driveways
Our Fareham ignition work splits two ways: trade vans on the industrial estates between junctions 10 and 11, and family cars on driveways in Portchester and Stubbington.
If your car key is stuck tight in the ignition in Fareham at the start of a working day, that costs real money, so tell us if it's a trade vehicle and we'll plan around it. Either way, the van comes to the vehicle.
Compare
Repair, Replace Or Go To The Dealer?
For most Fareham ignitions, a repair at the car is quicker and cheaper than either alternative.
Rebuild Or New Barrel?
A rebuild, the cheapest form of ignition lock repair in Fareham, keeps your original barrel and your existing key, and it's the first thing we try. A new barrel is the fallback when the old one is cracked, seized or worn beyond saving. Either way, you leave with one key that works the doors and the ignition.
Why Not The Dealer?
A dealer can fix it, but a car that won't start has to get to them first, usually on a recovery truck, and then wait for a workshop slot. And before booking anyone, check they'll do the job themselves; some booking sites sell it on to whoever's free. We do our own work.
Your car. Your location. A clear next step.
7 years of experience450+ reviews12-month warranty
FAQ
Ignition Questions From Fareham
Can you free a car key that's stuck in the ignition here in Fareham?
Yes. Working the barrel's wafers releases it, never pulling, so the key comes out in one piece. If it's already snapped, the broken tip is extracted with proper tools. Then we check why it jammed, because a barrel that grabbed a key once is likely to grab it again.
Can you repair a Mercedes steering lock in Fareham, or does it need a new one?
We repair it. The C-Class electronic steering lock fault is a known weak point, and fixing the unit on site avoids both a recovery to the dealer and the cost of a new part fitted there. Get it looked at once the warning shows, before it locks the column for good.
Is it worth repairing the ignition on an older car?
Usually, yes. A barrel rebuild is one of the cheaper repairs a car can need, and it keeps your existing key working. On an older car that's otherwise sound, it's almost always better value than living with a key you have to wiggle, or a car that might refuse to start.
Will I end up with two different keys?
No. A rebuilt barrel, or any ignition barrel replacement in Fareham coded to your existing key, keeps one key doing everything. New keys only appear when a replacement barrel is supplied with a set, which we program to the car on the spot, so you still carry one key for the doors and the ignition.
Two situations
When The Ignition Gives Up: Two Common Situations
Most ignition calls start one of two ways, and each tells us something different.
The Key That's Been Getting Stiffer For Weeks
This is classic wear. The wafers or the key cuts have worn until they only line up at the right angle, and you've been giving it a wiggle for weeks. Call before it stops completely, because at this stage it's normally a rebuild rather than a replacement.
The Push-Button Car That Suddenly Won't Start
No barrel, no key to turn, just a car that ignores the start button or shows a steering lock warning. On push-button cars, that often points to the electronic steering lock or the start module rather than the key, and we test both on site.
Our work
Real keys. Real driveways.
From the van
Key work around Fareham
March 2026Volvo XC90
Module and key coded
Module and key coded on a Volvo XC90 for a customer in Fareham, done on site from the SmartTech mobile workshop. Programming was carried out at the vehicle, then every function was tested so the key worked exactly like the original.
Fareham
October 2025Smart ForTwo
Replacement key
Replacement key on a Smart ForTwo for a customer in Fareham, done on site from the SmartTech mobile workshop. The new key was cut to code and programmed to the vehicle, then the locks, remote and start were tested before we left.
Fareham
February 2025Renault Kadjar
Key card programmed
Key card programmed on a Renault Kadjar for a customer in Fareham, done on site from the SmartTech mobile workshop. The key was coded to the car's immobiliser through the diagnostic port, with remote buttons and keyless functions checked afterwards.
Fareham
How it works
From your call to your vehicle in Fareham.
- 01
Call or text
Tell us your car and what's happened. We explain the work and quote on the call.
2 minutes
- 02
We drive to you
The van comes to your home, work or roadside with the tools to finish the job.
Arrival agreed on the call
- 03
Keys in hand
Key cut and programmed at your car, tested with you before we leave.
Same visit
Coverage
Across Fareham. Street by street.
Pick your area and check your postcode. If you're just outside, call — we often still come.
- Portchester
- Titchfield
- Whiteley
- Stubbington
- Locks Heath
- Park Gate
PO16PO14PO15PO17
What customers say
450+ five-star / 10-out-of-10 reviews across Google and Checkatrade
Transit Custom Ignition Repair.
"I cannot recommend Alec enough. My transit custom lock was not turning. I did not know Alec at this point and called another locksmith. To cut a long story short the other locksmith attempted a repair and then gave up, leaving me with a van I could no longer use. I called Alec who came out next day; he repaired the damage done by the other locksmith and custom made a replacement ignition barrel so one key still does the doors and the new ignition. I couldn't be more pleased. Price was very fair too!"
Sam chapman
"Did the work at a 3rd of the price of the dealership and I'm sure to a higher quality, the work was quick and professional. Could not recommend more!"
Can work on most cars! Pricing is very reasonable! Fast reliable service!
"Absolutely spot on! After ringing about 15 different companies who said they couldn't help and one company even saying the series of my car doesn't exist I found smarttech who I contacted who could finally help! The next day he came out and I now have access and a new key to my car! Fast and efficient polite service! Highly recommend!!"
Where we cover
Fareham and the surrounding area.
The outline shows the area we cover. Not sure if you're inside it? Call with your postcode and we'll confirm before you book.