Monday, February 09, 2009 - 11:44 pm, by: Alex Barbieri(Barbieros)
With the 1991 models approaching their 18th birthdays, it’s not unreasonable for you have an issue with your keys.
This happened to me last month, so I thought I’d share all the info I picked up. There's a heap of threads on keys so hopefully I can sum it up for you and give a bit extra.
My key have been getting a little difficult in the months leading up to the fateful day, but always seemed to work. I parked in the driveway on a stinker of a hot day and left the windows down because I was driving out again in a couple of hours. When I came back the key would not turn in the ignition no matter what I tried. As it happens most time my car buggers up, it was the Friday before a long weekend. I ripped out the boot lock and tore down to the key cutter before they shut. I assumed they couldn’t cut a key from mine because it looked completely cactus.
Unfortunately your local Mr. Mint and the like cannot make a new key from the boot lock - that requires a locksmith- which was now shut.
So my car spent the night like this:
Because the key wouldn’t turn, the windows were stuck wide open.
The following day I was at the locksmith with my key and the boot lock: this is a trick I’ve learnt when asking for parts- don’t tell them it’s a soarer- it’s a 1991 Toyota. I’ve found some people will throw their arms up claiming they can’t help because it’s an import.
Fortunately the guy I was served by was a good egg. I left it in his hands and came back an hour later. This is the good bit: the blank used is a TOY40, it’s fairly common and shouldn’t cost anyone more than $30 to have cut. Don’t bother looking for blanks because it will cost the same amount to cut. The trouble is the end of the TOY40 keys can become rounded- and this is how they bugger up.
This is a shocker of a pic, but should give you an idea of how the key rounds off.
The locksmith was able to cut a key based on my terrible excuse of a soarer key, without having to use the boot lock- it worked a charm because the end of the new key is nice and flat. Worth noting at this point that if you’re stuck with a valet key, you should be able to take your boot lock to a locksmith and have them cut you a master.
So I took my new key home, into the ignition... and it wouldn’t turn. The barrel needed to be rebuilt (and it’s a long weekend). I rang my local mobile locksmith who quoted my $300 to have it done now, or $150 on Tuesday. Easy choice.
So the car spent the long weekend like this:
Come Tuesday, it took him 30mins and it was all fixed.
My last little bit of advice straight from the mobile locksmith:
DO NOT use WD40 to fix an ignition barrel- moisture is all bad news.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 08:03 pm, by: Ben Kelly(Ace)
far out its hard when you get stuck like that. what a drama hey. almost makes you wish you had a new commonwhore. I finally got a spare key cut in one of those shopping centre stand things. 35 bucks for a bit of peace of mind. preventative maintenance is the thing for these cars at their age.
Mike Beck Goo Roo New Zealand Soarer Limited UZZ31 V8
Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 09:13 pm, by: James Cahir(James987)
I disagree about the WD40, I had a Mazda Mx6 whose ignition barrel seized up on a hot day too. Quick squirt of WD40 and it was good as new. I sold it about 1.5 years later and the barrel was still fine.
Saturday, February 14, 2009 - 11:10 pm, by: David Grima(Maltezr)
Alex a similar thing happened to me one day,it was a while ago now. I was parked in my driveway and turned the car off but the key wouldn't come out of the ignition barrel. It would turn though and this happened when I just organised to have a spare key cut for my soarer only about half an hour earlier when I rang up my mate who is a locksmith. How ironic hey! After a quite a few attempts and 30mins later it did come out though. So luckily I was able to give it to my mate about an hour or so later to cut me a spare one. It only happened just the one time and hasn't happened since cause I still use the original key. Weird
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So luckily I was able to give it to my mate about an hour or so later to cut me a spare one. It only happened just the one time and hasn't happened since cause I still use the original key. Weird
