SmartKey Lock - Failed or Tampered With?

[SumTingFishy]

I have a Weiser lock that uses the SmartKey system.
The lock was installed three months ago and had been working fine. A few days ago the key stopped working. Do you think this is likely caused by the lock failing or someone trying to tamper with it?

Thanks for your help.

[Oaklandishh]

Where is the lock installed? Is it protecting anything interesting?

[SumTingFishy]

It's on the front door of my house.

[Squelchtone]

If you have a Home Depot or Lowe's near you, go there with your lock and ask them to use the red Kwikset Smartkey reset cradle on it. IF they can reset it and program it to your current key, then something just disconnected inside, if they cannot, then something is broken inside, and these things are so flimsy that unless you see some sort of physical damage to your lock, it probably broke on its own.

Squelchtone

Wanna have a hard time sleeping tonight? Then you may want to watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-9YNcnegjY

[SumTingFishy]

Thanks for the response.
In either situation (disconnected/broken) will a locksmith be able to unlock the door?

[Squelchtone]

Thanks for the response.
In either situation (disconnected/broken) will a locksmith be able to unlock the door?

If it's on your house, I assume you are on your computer from inside the house? Can't you walk up to the door inside and just unlock it and then remove the lock from the door with a screwdriver?

Is there more to this story? Can you fill us in before we start making too many assumptions?

Also, in case it is a double cylinder, the interior cylinder should still work, or at the least you have access from the inside to the screws holding the lock to the door, so just unscrew them and retract the deadbolt with a screwdriver. All a locksmith will do if they walk up to the door from the outside is drill the lock out and charge you $50-$150 dollars.

Squelchtone

[SumTingFishy]

I'm away on vacation and I have someone regularly checking up on the house. The house key worked a couple of days ago but then stopped working on the weekend. I have an in-law with a spare key that will try. Currently no one can get into the house, that is why I asked whether a locksmith can open it.

I'm just wondering what my options are and if I should be worried about someone trying to break in while I'm gone. Or is it a weird coincidence that the lock stopped working while I'm away (are they known to have issues?). There is a glass panel window next to the door so I guess if someone really wanted to get in it would probably be easier to break the glass.

[Squelchtone]

I'm away on vacation and I have someone regularly checking up on the house. The house key worked a couple of days ago but then stopped working on the weekend. I have an in-law with a spare key that will try. Currently no one can get into the house, that is why I asked whether a locksmith can open it.

I'm just wondering what my options are and if I should be worried about someone trying to break in while I'm gone. Or is it a weird coincidence that the lock stopped working while I'm away (are they known to have issues?). There is a glass panel window next to the door so I guess if someone really wanted to get in it would probably be easier to break the glass.

Someone else will have to chime in here but I believe these locks have an issue when someone not used to them is inserting and/or removing the key and the combination inside the lock can get screwed up if you remove the key while the lock is not exactly at 12 oclock. It's early and I haven't had any coffee but that's what I remember someone saying, it may not be entirely accurate, but someone else will read this and add to it or correct it.

Stay away from gimmicky locks next time, and use regular pin tumbler locks, as you can see it's not worth the trouble. The Brinks deadbolt at Walmart for $12 is at this point better than the Schlage SecureKey and the Kwikset Smartkey. find a non-Securekey edition Schlage or Baldwin and you'll be much happier.

Squelchtone

[ToolyMcgee]

People who insist on carrying to many Kwikset keys, or by necessity have to many, inevitably use the wrong one with a little additional effort and it has to be reset. There are many reasons they require additional service, and all of them fall under conditions of perfectly reasonable use. As much as I have tried to like the design it falls way short of the mark. I'm trying the SecureKey, and because of it's built in hitches seems to be user buggy as well. Like Squelchtone says, find a deadbolt with a regular setup.

[Tyler J. Thomas]

FWIW, I've been called out to service these locks and found bent wafers. No real correlation. Sometimes just one, sometimes 2 or 3. No real order either. My only guess, from my cases at least, is that they get an inaccurate key (be it depth or space issue(s)) and force the cylinder to compensate for the tolerance difference, thus causing the wafer to bend.

[SumTingFishy]

FWIW, I've been called out to service these locks and found bent wafers. No real correlation. Sometimes just one, sometimes 2 or 3. No real order either. My only guess, from my cases at least, is that they get an inaccurate key (be it depth or space issue(s)) and force the cylinder to compensate for the tolerance difference, thus causing the wafer to bend.

In those cases, did you have to drill through the lock to open it?

[Squelchtone]

FWIW, I've been called out to service these locks and found bent wafers. No real correlation. Sometimes just one, sometimes 2 or 3. No real order either. My only guess, from my cases at least, is that they get an inaccurate key (be it depth or space issue(s)) and force the cylinder to compensate for the tolerance difference, thus causing the wafer to bend.

In those cases, did you have to drill through the lock to open it?

careful.. I could see this going in a grey area... no talk of destructive opening of locks, house rules. As long as the next answer is yes or no and no description, then that's fine, but let's not get into details.

Thanks
Squelchtone

[Tyler J. Thomas]

FWIW, I've been called out to service these locks and found bent wafers. No real correlation. Sometimes just one, sometimes 2 or 3. No real order either. My only guess, from my cases at least, is that they get an inaccurate key (be it depth or space issue(s)) and force the cylinder to compensate for the tolerance difference, thus causing the wafer to bend.

In those cases, did you have to drill through the lock to open it?

Fortunately no. The home owner had other doors going into the home and only one of the locks had malfunctioned. It was a single cylinder deadbolt so I was able to unlock the door, disassemble, identify the problem and fix the lock.

[Evan]

FWIW, I've been called out to service these locks and found bent wafers. No real correlation. Sometimes just one, sometimes 2 or 3. No real order either. My only guess, from my cases at least, is that they get an inaccurate key (be it depth or space issue(s)) and force the cylinder to compensate for the tolerance difference, thus causing the wafer to bend.

In those cases, did you have to drill through the lock to open it?

careful.. I could see this going in a grey area... no talk of destructive opening of locks, house rules. As long as the next answer is yes or no and no description, then that's fine, but let's not get into details.

Thanks
Squelchtone

Umm... I don't see how this discussed destructive entry other than to ask if it was the last resort...

Nothing about that described how to do it...

I think that actual clarification is required on this point -- just mentioning that destructive entry methods might have to be used is not the same as giving instructions (detailed or not) on how to perform said entry techniques...

~~ Evan

[Tyler J. Thomas]

Umm... I don't see how this discussed destructive entry other than to ask if it was the last resort...

Nothing about that described how to do it...

I think that actual clarification is required on this point -- just mentioning that destructive entry methods might have to be used is not the same as giving instructions (detailed or not) on how to perform said entry techniques...

~~ Evan

There was a discussion on LP101 2 months ago about and a link to Wired's coverage of MWT demonstrating a destructive entry technique on Kwikset's SmartKey locks. No one seemed to have a problem with openly discussing destructive entry then so I definitely see your point.