PunchPlug™ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why remove my door locks?
We've heard from many customers that they have had the locks on their vehicle damaged several times, and they are sick of it! These customers are the ones who asked us to provide a "plug" for their door handle so they can get rid of the lock(s) altogether. The idea is, by removing the lock, the temptation for the thief to attack the lock is also gone.
2. Should I remove the locks from every door?
At most, you have a lock cylinder on each front door. Some vehicles come from the factory with a lock only on the drivers door. Obviously, if you leave a lock available on one door, there is an opportunity for a thief to go after that lock to get into the vehicle. If you've experienced more than one theft or theft attempt, it is probably wise to get rid of every lock cylinder.
3. If I remove the locks, does that stop the thieves completely?
Unfortunately, no. Removing the lock will encourage some thieves to go somewhere else. Others prefer to pry in under the door handle at the seam where the body metal meets the handle and get at the inner door rods that way. With the lock cylinder gone, one rod is gone, but there are others inside the door that are still vulnerable. We recommend installing a Jimmi' Jammer™ when you install the PunchPlug™ for added security.
4. How do I get in the vehicle when the keylock is removed?
Assuming you have a remote keyfob, just use that like you probably do anyway. If your vehicle has the keyless entry pad on the door handle, that will still work to get in also. If you don't have a remote lock/unlock feature, have one installed. Any dealership or stereo and alarm retailer can do this for you at a reasonable price.
5. Are there any drawbacks to removing the locks from the doors?
If your vehicle were to have some electrical problem that prevented the electric lock actuators from working, then that could be a problem. Fortunately, this is an unlikely event. Even if your vehicle battery were so weak that it couldn't start your vehicle, there would still be plenty of juice left in it to work the lock actuators. If your keyfob battery were to go dead, put a new one in and you'll be good to go. Bottom line is that it is unlikely that you would have a failure serious enough to keep you out of the vehicle.
6. Do I need to replace the door handle to install a PunchPlug™ ?
That depends on the damage done to the handle in the theft attempt. If the outside of the handle isn't damaged, then you can probably install a PunchPlug™ without replacing the handle. When a thief "Punches" the lock into the door, the backside of the lock holder is normally broken. In this case, the PunchPlug™ can normally be installed without replacing or fixing the handle. Worst case you can use a little epoxy, such as JBWeld, to adhere the PunchPlug™ in the handle.
7. Is this solution better than replacing the front handles with rear door handles? (Common practice on Super Duty trucks.)
Not so much better as it is a lot less expensive! A new handle will run at least $70, while our PunchPlug™ kit is normally way less!
8. What about color matching the PunchPlug™ to my colored handle?
The standard
PunchPlug™ finish is textured black paint. If you have a different colored handle, it is easy to repaint the PunchPlug™ to match your handle. This can normally be done with spray paint from the hardware store. Iif you have an uncommon color, get factory touch up paint from the dealership or an automotive paint store.
|
